Wampatuck
WAMPATUCK LODGE
Location: Hanson; East Bridgewater (1982)
Chartered By: Samuel H. Wragg
Charter Date: 03/12/1947 1947-73
Precedence Date: 05/16/1946
Current Status: Active
PAST MASTERS
- Charles T. Nicoll, 1947, 1948
- Harold H. Bryant, 1949
- Alvin R. Reid, 1950; N
- Harold E. Brown, 1951
- Herbert E. Sayce, 1952
- Albert W. G. Nicoll, 1953
- Ralph K. Harley, Jr., 1954
- G. Bailey Cushing, Jr., 1955
- Thomas M. McWillams, 1956
- George C. Ford, Jr., 1957
- Robert C. Wheeler, 1958
- Leo T. Danner, 1959
- Karl G. Baresel, 1960
- Lyman W. Douglas, 1961
- Frank A. York, 1962
- Norman F. Cantelmo, Sr., 1963
- George K. Kasperian, 1964
- Vincent S. Harriman, Jr., 1965
- Philip B. Cook, 1966
- Henry L. Thuotte, 1967
- Walter Ussher, 1968
- L. Francis Paine, 1969
- Clifton A. Sheafe, 1970
- Clayton M. Merrick, 1971
- Roy R. Compton, Sr., 1972
- Donald R. Ussher, 1973
- David P. Perrier, 1974
- Stephen H. Noyes, 1975; N
- Carl J. Helmholtz, Jr., 1976, 1978
- Frank H. Hammond, 1977
- Alfred J. Paiva, 1979, 1982, 1983
- Lawrence S. Holbrook, 1980, 1981; N
- James D. Paiva, 1984, 1985
- James H. McKay, 1986, 1987
- Kenneth R. Bowser, 1988, 1989
- John Fernandes, 1990
- Lawrence W. Cook, 1991, 1992
- William R. Kennedy, 1993, 1994; PDDGM
- Coleman J. Nee, 1995, 1996
- Roy E. Cameron, 1997, 1998
- Joseph G. Cunningham, Jr., 1999, 2000
- Philip A. Wyman, 2001, 2002
- George H. Sturtevant, 2003
- Michael L. Howard, 2004, 2005
- Ernest Bernard, 2006, 2007
- Dana B. Larsen, 2008-2011
- Jason M. Kennedy, 2012
- Paul M. Wyman, 2013, 2014
REFERENCES IN GRAND LODGE PROCEEDINGS
ANNIVERSARIES
VISITS BY GRAND MASTER
- 1947 (Wragg; 2 visits; Constitution of Lodge and installation, and Hall dedication; Special Communications)
- 1966 (Booth; 20th Anniversary; Special Communication)
- 1971 (Jaynes; 25th Anniversary; Special Communication)
- 1992 (Darling; 10th Anniversary of Tri-Town Temple; Special Communication)
- 1996 (A. Johnson; 50th Anniversary; Special Communication)
BY-LAW CHANGES
1950 1957 1961 1965 1971 1973 1982 1983 1987 1988 1989 1991 2007 2012
HISTORY
- 1947 (Brief History, 1947-311; see below)
- 1966 (20th Anniversary History, 1966-215)
- 1971 (25th Anniversary History, 1971-267)
- 1996 (50th Anniversary History, 1996-96; see below)
HISTORY AT HALL DEDICATION, SEPTEMBER 1947
From Proceedings, Page 1947-311:
By Brother Ralph Nathaniel Milliken.
Jackson, Lincoln and Harrison were all born in log cabins. All were men of vision and courage, and all had humble beginnings. I doubt if any Masonic Lodge of recent years had a more humble beginning than Wampatuck Lodge. It took men of vision and courage to father it.
"Big trees from little acorns grow," and so on Sunday, March 17, 1946, at Wampatuck Hall in Hanson there gathered thirty men. They had vision to see the need of a Masonic Lodge in the Town of Hanson and the courage to see that need become an actuality. From this group, a committee of five, consisting of Worshipful Brother Charles Nicoll, Brother Alvin Reed, Brother Norman MacDonald, Brother Bradford Peirce and Worshipful Brother James Converse, were selected to wait upon the Grand Master with a petition and to secure a dispensation to form Wampatuck Lodge. This being secured, and Wampatuck Hall very generously given to the Lodge by the Wampatuck Library Association of Hanson, the real work was started.
To those of you who visited in the old, original Wampatuck Hall, and who are now seated in this well appointed modernized Masonic Temple, it must appear as if a miracle was wrought. Under the able direction of Brother Bradford Peirce, a partition was erected in the West and the stage was removed in the East. Steps were erected in the East for the Master's chair, and a stairway in the East taken away. A platform was constructed in the North and South to make better vision for those seated in the rear to view the floor work. One stairway in the front of the building was removed to permit the construction of modern rest rooms. The stairway from the first floor to the basement was changed to lead from the coat room. The partition between the library and lower hall was removed and reset to its original position. The single door from the lobby in the lower hall was removed and a double door installed. A fire escape was built at the east end of the hall and then the interior of the hall was entirely repainted. All this work was done by the voluntary efforts of the Brothers.
The contract work, made possible by the contributions of many Brothers, which totalled about $4000.00, was spent as follows: the cement block work in the rear of the building and in the fireroom, the plastering of the interior of the walls, painting of the outside of the building, installation of the heating plant, repairing the roof and gutters and shingling the rear of the building. With a new and modern building now completed, the next problem to be met by these courageous Brothers was the securing of the regalia, appointments and tools for the work within the Temple. The Bible, Square and Compasses, and the three great lights were donated by Brother Jacob Karamanian. The American Flag and the Junior Warden's chair were donated by the Clan Ross O. S. C.; the batons, truncheons and Master's gavel were made and donated by Brother Peirce. It is of interest to note that the wood from which these were made came from the original organ in the Congregational Church. The aprons, both those used by the Lodge members and visiting members, were made and donated by Mrs. Charles Nicoll, Mrs. Edward Burchett, Mrs. Roland Smith, Mrs. Albert Cairns and Wor. Brother James Converse. The organ was a gift from Mrs. Harley J. Scott, Wor. Brother James M. Converse and Brother Bradford Peirce, in memory of Brother Major Harley J. Scott. The Secretary's desk was donated by Mrs. Elliot Crowell, the lesser lights and stations were made and given by Brother Bradford Peirce and the stations were finished by Brother Louis Gottscholk. The Past Master's bench and temple pictures in the Temple Hall were a gift of Brother Peter Tucci, Past Master of Hesperia Lodge of Boston. The chairs in the East and West were given by Plymouth Lodge of Plymouth, and other officers' chairs were given by Brother Peirce. The Tyler's desk, ballot box, working tools, Master's table, storage cabinets for aprons, candlesticks and trestle board were also gifts from Brother Peirce.
Settee cushions were donated by Brother David Briggs and the Junior and Senior Stewards' rods and rod holders by Wor. Brother James Converse and Brother Bradford Peirce; the altar by Wor. Brother James Converse; the draperies in the East by Mrs. Charles Nicoll and in the West by Wor. James Converse, and in the South by Brother Alvin Reed. All the Lodge furniture and altar in Bradford Peirce Hall was made by Brother Peter Tucci. The door knockers were a gift from the Brothers employed in the Western Union of Boston. The Grand Lodge jewels came from the Brothers from the State Guard; one hour glass was donated by Miss Janice Nicoll, and the other by Puritan Lodge of Whitman. The officers' aprons were a gift from Mrs. Bradford Peirce, and the officers' jewels were made and donated by Brother Leo Dannejr, who was assisted in the making by Brother Herbert Sayce.
The Masonic Emblem on the outside of the Lodge hall and the letter "G" over the Master's Chair were gifts from Brother Bradford Peirce; the Ashlars by Brother Harry Downes, and the officers' collars were made by Mrs. Edward Burchett. All the electric wiring and fixtures were not only given, but also installed by Brother Harold Brown, our Senior Deacon. The Bulletin Board was a gift from Brother Harold Bryant, our Senior Warden, and the gas range came from Brother Charles Monegan. The cabinet for holding the regalia was given by Brother Albert Nicoll, and the charter case by Brother Leo Danner. The slippers came from Brother Merton Clark and the pictures in Bradford Peirce Hall were a gift from Brother Evan Goodale.
A thousand gallon fuel tank, full of fuel oil, was a gift from Brother Norman MacDonald, our Marshal, and the filling and grading of the grounds surrounding the Temple was a gift from Brother Marcus L. Uraan. This work was under the supervision of Brother James M. MacLellan.
If in listing these gifts I have overlooked mentioning any Brother or friend, please accept my sincere apologies, and to Brother Bradford H. Peirce, Wor. Brother Charles T. Nicoll, and Brothers Harold Bryant and Alvin Reed, my sincere thanks for their very kind assistance in gathering this material.
From the little acorn planted Sunday, March 17, 1946, has grown a beautiful tree, and to those of us who are gathered here tonight, it is hard to visualize the once dingy hall that has become this beautiful Temple, with its electric lights, shining organ and countless appointments. It is with this thought in mind that I submit this Saga to Wampatuck Lodge and posterity that they too may some day have the courage and wisdom to foster and build so that the future of Masonry and all that it stands for may be assured for all time.
50TH ANNIVERSARY HISTORY, MAY 1996
From Proceedings, Page 1996-96:
IN THE BEGINNING
For quite a number of years local Masons had talked of forming a local Lodge but no definite steps were taken. The Wampatuck Library Association which had been active in the community for over fifty years, and had built a good sized hall, had become depleted by aging and loss of members and was desirous of disposing of its property. Representatives of this Association, some of whom were Masons, proposed to lease the building for ninety-nine years for the sum of one dollar if a Lodge was formed. Such a proposition was not one to dismiss lightly.
A small notice was inserted in a Brockton paper inviting Masons living in Hanson, Halifax, and Pembroke, to meet at the hall on Sunday, March 17, 1946, to discuss the formation of the Lodge. March 17 was a raw, disagreeable day. Nevertheless there were well over thirty men present. Discussion was wholly favorable to go forward with the necessary steps, and to further this, a committee was chosen consisting of Dr. B. H. Peirce, Wor. Bro. Charles T. Nicoll, Wor. Bro. James M. Converse, Bro. Norman G. MacDonald, and Bro. Alvin R. Reid. It was voted to meet again on March 31 and in the meantime to circulate a petition to the Grand Lodge.
At the meeting on March 31, it was voted that the new Lodge should be named Wampatuck. Wor. Bro. Nicoll was elected to be the first Master, Wor. Bro. John I. Harris, Senior Warden, and Bro. Harry T. Downs, Junior Warden.
On April 3, 1946 the Committee waited on the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Samuel H. Wragg, by appointment, at the Masonic Temple in Boston, and presented a petition containing seventy-five signatures, for a dispensation to form Wampatuck Lodge. It is interesting to note that more than half the signers of this petition had no local affiliation.
A dispensation dated May 29, 1946 was granted, and on that date Wampatuck Lodge was instituted by Rt. Wor. Edward Harrison Turner, D. D. G. M. of the 29th Masonic District, and the officers seated.
We were unfortunate in the loss by death of Wor. John I. Harris and the resignation of Harry T. Downs. Harold H. Bryant was appointed Senior Warden and the other Officers moved up one step.
The names of the Charter Members are to be found in this program.
THE SECOND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
Our Worshipful Masters' Observations
There is an old saying that goes "THE ONLY THING CONSTANT IS CHANGE" and while this is normally true, it is not completely true when it is applied to Wampatuck Lodge.
Many of the activities that have made Wampatuck Lodge an active and viable organization in the past continue today. Our Masonic Blood Donation Program has received thirty-three consecutive awards for 100% participation. The Masonic Service Committee is active in communicating with the membership and making both hospital and home visits to ailing brethren. Our support of the Veterans Administration Sunday Escort Service and the Masonic Home in Charlton goes on without interruption. But some things do change. We have instituted a Scholarship Program that awards a Hanson high school student a scholarship each year. In addition, we are conducting a Flea Market during the summer that has grown beyond our expectations.
Thanks to the wisdom and foresight or the Wampatuck Masonic Building Association in 1980, they realized that the current Lodge Hall was creating a major burden upon the Lodge. The increased cost of maintenance and utilities, as well as the demands for more time from the membership, would be greater than the Lodge was able to provide. They met with the building committees from Puritan Lodge in Whitman and Satucket Lodge in East Bridgewater who were in a similar situation. After much discussion it was determined that a Tri-Town Building Committee would be formed and that the proceeds from the sale of the three Lodge buildings would be used to construct a new Masonic Temple. A parcel of land located on the East Bridgewater and Hanson town lines was donated by Bro. George T. Ridder. Construction was completed and the Tri-Town Masonic Temple was dedicated on May 16, 1982 by the Most Worshipful Grand Master J. Philip Berquist.
While Wampatuck Lodge has continued to grow, we have also been active in supporting the 29th Masonic District. Two of our Past Masters have sewed as Master of the 41st Lodge of Instruction. But more importantly, two of our brothers, Wor. Roy R. Compton, Sr. and Rt. Wor. Stephen H. Noyes, were awarded the Joseph Warren Medal for service to Freemasonry, which is the highest honor a blue lodge member can receive.
As I now reflect upon the past fifty years of Wampatuck Lodge A. F. & A. M. I can see how strong a foundation was laid by our charter members. Wampatuck continues to grow and prosper, not only in the physical sense, but in the Masonic spiritual sense as well. The friendship and brotherly love has grown stronger with the passing of time.
OTHER
- 1987 (Mortgage burning ceremony, 1987-118)
GRAND LODGE OFFICERS
- Lawrence S. Holbrook, DDGM, District 29 (Brockton), 1971, 1972; N
- William R. Kennedy, DDGM, District 17, 2005, 2006
- Stephen H. Noyes, DDGM, District 29 (Brockton), 1981, 1982; N
- Alvin R. Reid, DDGM, District 29 (Brockton), 1965, 1966; N
