The first ceremony was conducted under the auspices of Past Grand Master, Myron M. Parker, who served as the President of the Club’s building association in 1912. He was elected President of the Club the following year and served in the position for a record eight years; 1913 to 1921. Also in attendance was President and Freemason Howard Taft, who founded the University Club and served as their first President.

The original cornerstone laying event began at 4:00 pm on April 10, 1912. Over 300 Masons assembled at the Masonic Temple on 12th Street and, with the United States Marine Band and mounted police at the head, began their procession to the site. A platform was erected above the foundation and held several distinguished guests including Franklin MacVeagh, Secretary of Treasury; Charles Walcott, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute; Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress; Cuno Rudolph, John Johnston, and Lt. Col. William Judson, Commissioners of Washington; and the aforementioned Freemasons. In his speech to the crowd of Masons and several hundred members of the club, President Taft extolled the virtues of both organizations. Both groups, Taft said, “combine not the wealthiest of the community, [but] men of high ideals, of good education, of patriotic purpose, and of sane views.”

​The cornerstone event on November 14th began at high twelve to honor and observe the moment when the President of the United States is traditionally sworn into office. MWB Richard Bautista and the Grand Lodge officers conducted the simple cornerstone reenactment amongst a packed crowd of club members, Freemasons, and guests. Several interesting implements were used during the ceremony including the chalices first wielded by Past Grand Master Benjamin B. French when he laid the cornerstone of the Washington Memorial, as well as a replica George Washington Gavel made from the wood beams taken during the Truman White House renovations and George Washington’s home on Mt Vernon. The silver trowel President Taft used to lay the mortar of the first Club cornerstone was also on display. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Grand Master and the President of the University, Thomas Caruso, unveiled a new commemorative plaque, honoring President Taft and the contributions of both organizations. The participants retired to the Club’s library for lunch and refreshment.
 
While the University Club of Washington and the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia may not share a common ancestry, both organizations strive to cultivate an enlightened and engaged membership. Many notable and distinguished individuals, from all walks of life, have sought membership in both organizations as a way of leaving an indelible mark on our nation’s capital. 

​When you look out into the future of our Jurisdiction, what do you see? There’s no doubt that our Brethren thought into the future when they first met in London in 1717, and there’s no doubt that our Craft today is a result of both their foresight, and the work of many brothers since them. There’s also no doubt that our actions today will have impacts five, ten, and even one hundred years down the road.
 
The Junior Officers of this Grand Lodge have been thinking about the future a lot lately. While no elected Grand Lodge officer is guaranteed to progress through the line and become Grand Master, the typical eight-year progression system of the Grand Lodge offers us ample time to get to know one another and plan for the future. 

By using this methodology, we can participate in a greater amount of civic and community engagement, developing organizational relationships over years as opposed to months, and managing them more consistently when our leadership changes. We can make greater charitable contributions without further impact to our dues or current finances by spreading them out over multiple years. We can maintain traditional events while trying new twists to build and improve them. And we can set lofty goals, using incremental steps to benchmark our progress over a longer period of time.
 
There is a lot of work to do, but we can do it. This Jurisdiction already “punches above its weight” on the world stage, and the leaders in our jurisdiction are also often leaders in Freemasonry at large. That said, we cannot and should not rest on our laurels.

​What do you think the Grand Lodge of 2030 looks like? These things cannot only be top-down; every brother should buy into our collective goals and take ownership. After all, the Grand Lodge is here to serve as a resource and reflection for constituent Lodges, so it is important for all Brothers to see themselves in the future. If you have an idea of something you want to see the Grand Lodge, please reach out to us and share your ideas.
 
We are looking forward to continuing to work together as a team in the coming years to advance our Grand Lodge to even greater heights. 

​Click here for more information about the
2018 Masonic Day of Thanksgiving and Remembrance

The officers and members of Alianza Fraternal Americana Lodge No. 92 celebrated the Lodge’s 25th Anniversary in the best way possible - with the participation of Brethren from Lodges around the Jurisdiction and the Hispanic community, at a Gala hosted in Almas Shriners Ballroom on May 19.

​The Lodges and members that constitute the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, are well known for their diversity, and AFA is proud to be a part of that reputation. When we were founded in 1992, we became the first Lodge in DC constituted and authorized to work in Spanish, allowing many Spanish speaking masons that temporarily or permanently reside in the District Metro Area to continue their Masonic instruction and work on shaping and smoothing their Rough Ashlars in the comfort of their native tongue.

The Anniversary Gala was a memorable night, with the presence of our Grand Master Richard Bautista, five Past Grand Masters, current Grand Officers, and many others. The excellent speeches from recognized members of the Grand Lodge about Masonry brought everyone’s attention to explaining what a mason is. After which, as Master of Alianza, I presented the Hispanic community with the “The Magna Bowl.” 

​Disclaimer: the next section of this piece will utter and completely disregard that whole ...and you will make no innovations to the Craft… admonition. Consider this a fair warning.

​Technology is ever present in our modern society. Social connections, media consumption, banking, first dates, and even breakups are done partially (or wholly) in the digital space. Innovations in consumer technology have brought the world into your pocket and augmented/virtual reality are seen as the next logical step in the digital evolution. In fact, augmented reality (creating a digital overlay on the existing physical space) and virtual reality (creating an entirely new and immersive world regardless of the limits of your surroundings) have, in many ways, already arrived. This burgeoning new landscape has many applications: helping medical students perform “surgery” without the risk of human death or suffering, allowing military personnel to see the landscape of war zones before sending troops, and for the layperson: enjoying enhanced entertainment from the comfort of your own home.

​But what would this look like in a Masonic Lodge? Imagine walking into your Lodge room, putting on your collar, apron, breast jewel … and a virtual reality headset. The business of the night, a Master Mason degree. The candidate is prepared according to our ancient traditions, with one smaller variation, the same VR headset every brother has. As he enters the Lodge room, instead of the back of a hoodwink, he sees a desert scene. He doesn’t hear the sounds of chairs creaking or jewels dangling, but the sounds of the workmen with their operative tools… he would no longer be in a Lodge room, but in the clay grounds of the Temple of King Solomon!

Over the past year, I have had the great honor to serve as your Junior Grand Steward. Defined by the Code in one simple, vague line, the primary functions of the Grand Stewards are to serve the other Grand Lodge Officers and perform Grand Lodge functions similar to the Stewards in a Lodge.
 
This was a challenging adjustment at first. I went from being Grand Marshal, a position that performs chiefly ceremonial and very public duties, to being a Steward, a position that calls for a lot of inescapable behind-the-scenes and decidedly unglamorous grunt work. Soon enough, however, I remembered and appreciated that Masonry runs because of the grunt work. Masonry runs best when no one cares who gets the credit, but everyone cares that the work gets done.
 
This year as Grand Steward, I was once again afforded the opportunity (and was obliged) to continue travelling to the constituent Lodges. Unlike my duties as Grand Marshal last year, which necessarily focused on the Grand Visitations and amounted to a constant flurry of coordination with Masters and the Grand Master and nervous recitation of names and titles during dinner, this year as your Grand Steward, I was able to enjoy sitting and conversing with Brethren.
 
Early on, I resolved to make the most of the opportunity given to me by the jurisdiction to travel extensively and to engage as many Brethren as possible in one-on-one conversations. In doing so, my aim was not only to get to know as many Brothers as possible, but also to listen to different hopes, ideas, and ambitions for the future of our Fraternity in general and DC Masonry in particular. The exercise broadened my knowledge, enriched my appreciation, and energized me for the teamwork that will together build for us a bright and vibrant future for Masonry in the nation’s capital.  
 
Listening to so many of you during many great conversations throughout the year and at events such as the Universal Brotherhood Celebration and the Grand Lodge‘s Leadership Conference, I have been able to analyze what I heard.  Some common themes emerged. Simply put, the feedback takes the form of four “P”s:

1. Planning.
2. Programming.
3. Probing.
4. Practicing.  

Delving into the esoterics and mysteries of Masonry can be the topic of a program, but those topics are larger than that. The desire to understand our ritual, our history, and our philosophies attract many men to the Craft each year, and once raised continue to present them with questions that can require years of study. Delving into the mysticism of Masonry and probing for more Light is not only a charge of our Fraternity, it is one that is being acted upon. Look no further than the cognitive activities at the leadership conference, or the Lodges that have formed their character around research and esoterics, or the attendance at this year’s Quatuor Coronati Conference to understand that this is important to our membership. Probing our Fraternity and asking questions about our history, our ritual, our spirituality, and/or our belief structure is something that should continue to be fostered. I have heard of a hunger for it from Masons across generations and Lodges. And in truth, it is this aspect of Freemasonry that no other fraternal society or men’s organization can replicate and offer its members. It’s the essence of who we are and so we should always keep it as a focus of our deliberations and experience as Masons.       ​

​Finally, I have heard a lot of excitement around “practicing Masonry” this year, and that speaks directly to our desire for civic engagement. We are not satisfied to just learn from Masonry for self-improvement, we want to go out and make our communities better. We can see this by looking at the number of Lodges that have community service programs, that march in the Independence Day parades, that give their time and/or money to charity, and that helped to commemorate the laying of the Capitol cornerstone. We live in a city that holds civic engagement as a core belief, and it stands to reason that the Brothers in our jurisdiction do as well.
 
Of course, nothing is set in stone (a little Masonic humor?). I am by no means an expert after one year in the Grand Line, and this list is by no means exhaustive. If you would like to agree, disagree, or expand on anything, or if you have more ideas or passions, I invite you to email me at atager@dcgrandlodge.org
 
Thank you for the opportunity to listen and serve you over the past few years.
 
Fraternally,
Adam

​Glover Park Day is a special event for Singleton Lodge. A community celebration for the Glover Park Community it brings together people, businesses, non-profits, and fraternal organizations. For the Masons of Singleton Lodge #7 it plays an important part of our year because Charles Glover, the namesake of Glover Park, was our first Master.

Since 2010 when MW Br. Jeffrey D. Russell brought Glover Park Day to the attention of Singleton Lodge and asked them to spearhead running a CHIPS Booth the lodge has been actively engaging with this event.  As technology advanced, the need for running a CHIPS booth has pretty much disappeared.   But, the Singleton Community Service Committee brainstormed some different ideas about how to stay engaged with Glover Park Day. Br. Bailey Wood suggested, “What about a bouncy house? Or sno-cones?”  The lodge consulted with the Glover Park Day Organizing committee who was very positive of the idea. Price quotes were obtained and Worshipful Brother Dustin Rawlins (the Master at that time) greenlighted the idea.

Now on our fourth year in a row providing the sno-cones and bouncy house, it was not without some difficulty. Our original date in June saw one of the worst weather weekends in Washington, DC and forced a rain delay to September 15.  The week leading up to the rescheduled Glover Park day presented a unique challenge with Hurricane Florence, but after a flurry of emails and weather updates that would make Waffle House jealous, and a change in the storm track, we were set to go!

Glover Park Day proved to be another amazing success with over 750 sno-cones served to a whole variety of neighbors and over 200 children enjoying the bouncy house.  Special thanks to Br. Jeff Hawn, Br. Jason Lebowitz, W. Br. Amid Kasamani, Br. Andrew Uhlman, Mr. Norman Chao, and Mr. Chris Renneker.  Without their able assistance, we wouldn’t have been able to make so many kids smile.  

Parents too, were overjoyed at having a free treat for their children, as well as being able to remember their own childhoods. We also had brothers from Justice Columbia, Albert Pike, and a few alumnae from Rainbow, and Masonic spouses stop by and enjoy the day.  Former President Teddy Roosevelt from the Washington Nationals even stopped by!

We look forward to 2019 when we will be celebrating our 10th year of volunteering with Glover Park Day!

Welcome back, Brothers!
 
The legendary football coach, Lou Holtz, was known for inspiring his players to give their best effort and exceed expectations. As applicable in the board room as on the playing field, the great coach’s numerous axioms and precepts have become the stuff of motivational speeches and Successories posters across the country. There is one which I have come across somewhat frequently, but it’s not trite in the least: “Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it.”
 
At the recently-concluded Grand Lodge leadership conference, our rising Masters, Wardens and Deacons received the instruction and inspiration that will help them prepare to take the helms of their respective lodges and build on the achievements of the current year to advance the proverbial ball down the field and score some goals. They are pumped and ready. Are you?
 
Half-time is over! After a well-deserved summer respite, we now begin the second half, entering the fall season and resuming our Masonic labors. Our calendars, already replete with meetings, degrees, socials, and other events, have booked us on a frenetic scramble through the autumn months to the end of the year. As you begin your own sprint to the goal line, I challenge each of you to reengage with a renewed energy and make every effort to finish what you and your lodge set out to accomplish this year.
 
As Coach Holtz teaches, let your talents determine what you do.  Keep yourself motivated and always maintain a positive attitude. Join with your brethren in working for and toward something greater than yourselves. That, my dear Brethren, is the key to not only winning the game but to securing for yourself true satisfaction and a meaningful reward for your labors. 
 
As always, I leave you with the words of our late brother, Albert Pike: “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” 
 
Richard J. Bautista, Grand Master
​