Loudoun :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Coming Home: Prince Hall Masons Ready For Return To Historic Lodge
Posted by:
Loudoun News
()
Date: July 08, 2011 12:50PM
Coming Home: Prince Hall Masons Ready For Return To Historic Lodge
Posted: Friday, July 8, 2011 11:17 am | Updated: 11:26 am, Fri Jul 8, 2011.
http://www.leesburg2day.com/news/article_b7f1d64c-a975-11e0-ac69-001cc4c002e0.html
Through their Saturday burger stand fundraiser, the Metropolitan Lodge #161 Prince Hall Masons have nearly bridged the gap in funding needed to complete restoration of the group's historic lodge. Over years of use, the 1887 structure had fallen into disrepair and in 2006, lodge members started the wheels turning to take on a major restoration project. More than four years have passed since the effort began in earnest, and in that time, not only has the building at 14 Liberty Street seen significant improvements, so, too, have the relationships between members of two Leesburg-based Masonic lodges.
Brethren Coming Together
Virginia is one state that has come to embrace the Prince Hall Masonic tradition, joining several others across the country. Because of lingering racism and segregation in the U.S., some states have been slow to acknowledge the primarily African-American group-as of 2008, only 41 states have formally recognize the Prince Hall Freemasons. In Leesburg, members of the Olive Branch Masonic Lodge #114 not only recognize their African-American counterparts, they've taken the gesture to another level.
When renovations to the Metropolitan Lodge #161 began, its members had to think fast of places to meet and hold events. For a long while, the group had no choice but to gather in a small community center or at members' homes. That meant lugging equipment for ritual from place to place, conforming to unfamiliar schedules and other inconveniences.
"We had to always comply with their hours, take time to set up and break down-so we decided not to do that anymore," Ben Jones, of the Metropolitan Lodge #161 Prince Hall Masons, said. "When we were meeting over at the community center, I thought about it, and I said to Mike [Napper, then Worshipful Master of the Prince Hall Lodge], we ought to ask the Olive Branch Masons if we could just use their place! Mike inquired of their Worshipful Master and they said, ‘by all means, please use our lodge.' They were practically shoving keys in our hands."
"We felt like it was the right thing to do," Gary Williams, who was serving as Olive Branch Worshipful Master when approached by Napper, recalled. "When we realized they were completely shut out of their building, and even holding meetings in peoples' homes, we said this doesn't make sense, come use our lodge."
The two branches use the same equipment in ritual, meaning Prince Hall members no longer had to worry about such tedious roadblocks-all they had to do was come and worship. "They'd graciously allow us to use their lodge anytime. We'd just call ahead and they'd say, ‘fine,'" Jones said.
The easy exchange has continued for the past 18 months, with Prince Hall members coming and going as they please from the Olive Branch's 108 Cornwall Street lodge. "This was as far as I know, the first time the lodges have worked together in a fashion like this," Kevin Horman, current Worshipful Master of the Olive Branch Lodge, said, reflecting on sharing space between the two groups. "And it's been great."
Benefits To The Community
Still, though the two lodges certainly have bonded, the time is fast approaching for the Prince Hall brethren to head home to their new space. Jones cited August as a likely move-in date, even though some minor work, "painting, dry wall," would still need to be completed. "When we move back in it won't be all pretty, but at least we'll be in," Jones said. "We'll begin meeting there in August, then hopefully in 2012 when it gets warmer we'll straighten out the front, and the first floor for the computer lab."
It's understandable if that last statement causes the reader pause-a computer lab in a Masonic Lodge? But that's exactly what Jones is aiming for-a place where youth in the community become "producers of electronics, not consumers."
One stipulation of a state grant the Prince Hall lodge received in 2006 is that it must be accessible to the public for a period of time. At first, the members floated a museum of African-American history as a way to comply, but Jones had another idea. "We've got a problem with our young people. We find our youth-black and white-are becoming consumers and not producers. So the first floor of that lodge is going to be a place they learn to build computers," Jones said.
"They'll be behind the computer as opposed to being in front of it, building desktops and servers. We think that's a better use of our time. We've got to get our kids more educated with science, technology and math."
Fortunately, many members of Metropolitan Lodge #161 have extensive backgrounds in electronics, engineering and similar fields. As more students sign on to the program, the masons will lend their time to instruct in the finer points of building a computer from scratch. For a modest tuition, local youths would be able to come to the lodge and build a machine that, "if it works, they will keep it and take it home," Jones said.
"If they can build them they can maintain them, and then we have a whole generation of young people with job skills. Black, white, girls, boys-we don't care as long as they're motivated and we have the right support and instruction to offer them."
Of course, a bit more cash in the pot would go a long way to realizing this goal. "If we had a grant of $100,000, we'd be teaching kids tomorrow," Jones said, laughing. The Metropolitan Lodge #161 has received grants, donations and other monies from local and state organizations, but Jones said he'd love to see some involvement on the federal level. "That's the help I really need now-to get [Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA-10)] energized," Jones said. "They are spending money on gang warfare, so why can't [Wolf] help us get money for job training and computers?"
Speaking on behalf of Wolf's office, spokesperson Dan Scandling said the congressman had participated in talks with the lodge in 2006, discussing various grant proposals the group could make. "We have not heard from them, but the competitive grant process is always open to them," Scandling said.
Making Strides
Jones maintains little of what's already been accomplished would have been possible had it not been for the selfless efforts of the Olive Branch Lodge, local dignitaries and ordinary citizens. Sure, extending a helping hand might seem a matter of course for a neighbor in need, but to Jones, it carries greater significance. "It's not about cost or money-it's about what they've done. It's other people that didn't have to help, but they did," Jones said.
Williams agreed, adding that for his lodge, working with the Prince Hall masons has not only been fruitful in terms of forging new relationships, it's also indicative of old prejudices gradually falling away. "We are all members of this very small community, so to cooperate and recognize one another was the right thing to do," he said.
Both lodges agree there's more collaboration on the horizon. "I do think we'll continue to work together. We've made some personal friendships, and I think that will lead to several things we've discussed for us to do together in the future," Williams said.
"It's probably too dramatic to say it's been life uplifting, but [working with the Prince Hall Masons] has allowed us to be more comfortable when we see them about town. We've created that friendship and removed any remoteness," he added.
The Metropolitan Lodge #161 is working on a website to keep the community informed of progress at the 14 Liberty Street Lodge-you can visit www.metro161.org to find updates and details on how to get involved in the effort.
14 Liberty Street—Almost Ready
The area in front of the Metropolitan Lodge #161 at 14 Liberty St. in Leesburg is hoppin' Saturdays with a regular grill out fundraiser, but soon enough the building itself will welcome members home to worship and eager youths to learn. Plans are for the first floor of the structure to house a lab where teens can recieve instruction on how to build computers from scratch.
Attachments:
Posted: Friday, July 8, 2011 11:17 am | Updated: 11:26 am, Fri Jul 8, 2011.
http://www.leesburg2day.com/news/article_b7f1d64c-a975-11e0-ac69-001cc4c002e0.html
Through their Saturday burger stand fundraiser, the Metropolitan Lodge #161 Prince Hall Masons have nearly bridged the gap in funding needed to complete restoration of the group's historic lodge. Over years of use, the 1887 structure had fallen into disrepair and in 2006, lodge members started the wheels turning to take on a major restoration project. More than four years have passed since the effort began in earnest, and in that time, not only has the building at 14 Liberty Street seen significant improvements, so, too, have the relationships between members of two Leesburg-based Masonic lodges.
Brethren Coming Together
Virginia is one state that has come to embrace the Prince Hall Masonic tradition, joining several others across the country. Because of lingering racism and segregation in the U.S., some states have been slow to acknowledge the primarily African-American group-as of 2008, only 41 states have formally recognize the Prince Hall Freemasons. In Leesburg, members of the Olive Branch Masonic Lodge #114 not only recognize their African-American counterparts, they've taken the gesture to another level.
When renovations to the Metropolitan Lodge #161 began, its members had to think fast of places to meet and hold events. For a long while, the group had no choice but to gather in a small community center or at members' homes. That meant lugging equipment for ritual from place to place, conforming to unfamiliar schedules and other inconveniences.
"We had to always comply with their hours, take time to set up and break down-so we decided not to do that anymore," Ben Jones, of the Metropolitan Lodge #161 Prince Hall Masons, said. "When we were meeting over at the community center, I thought about it, and I said to Mike [Napper, then Worshipful Master of the Prince Hall Lodge], we ought to ask the Olive Branch Masons if we could just use their place! Mike inquired of their Worshipful Master and they said, ‘by all means, please use our lodge.' They were practically shoving keys in our hands."
"We felt like it was the right thing to do," Gary Williams, who was serving as Olive Branch Worshipful Master when approached by Napper, recalled. "When we realized they were completely shut out of their building, and even holding meetings in peoples' homes, we said this doesn't make sense, come use our lodge."
The two branches use the same equipment in ritual, meaning Prince Hall members no longer had to worry about such tedious roadblocks-all they had to do was come and worship. "They'd graciously allow us to use their lodge anytime. We'd just call ahead and they'd say, ‘fine,'" Jones said.
The easy exchange has continued for the past 18 months, with Prince Hall members coming and going as they please from the Olive Branch's 108 Cornwall Street lodge. "This was as far as I know, the first time the lodges have worked together in a fashion like this," Kevin Horman, current Worshipful Master of the Olive Branch Lodge, said, reflecting on sharing space between the two groups. "And it's been great."
Benefits To The Community
Still, though the two lodges certainly have bonded, the time is fast approaching for the Prince Hall brethren to head home to their new space. Jones cited August as a likely move-in date, even though some minor work, "painting, dry wall," would still need to be completed. "When we move back in it won't be all pretty, but at least we'll be in," Jones said. "We'll begin meeting there in August, then hopefully in 2012 when it gets warmer we'll straighten out the front, and the first floor for the computer lab."
It's understandable if that last statement causes the reader pause-a computer lab in a Masonic Lodge? But that's exactly what Jones is aiming for-a place where youth in the community become "producers of electronics, not consumers."
One stipulation of a state grant the Prince Hall lodge received in 2006 is that it must be accessible to the public for a period of time. At first, the members floated a museum of African-American history as a way to comply, but Jones had another idea. "We've got a problem with our young people. We find our youth-black and white-are becoming consumers and not producers. So the first floor of that lodge is going to be a place they learn to build computers," Jones said.
"They'll be behind the computer as opposed to being in front of it, building desktops and servers. We think that's a better use of our time. We've got to get our kids more educated with science, technology and math."
Fortunately, many members of Metropolitan Lodge #161 have extensive backgrounds in electronics, engineering and similar fields. As more students sign on to the program, the masons will lend their time to instruct in the finer points of building a computer from scratch. For a modest tuition, local youths would be able to come to the lodge and build a machine that, "if it works, they will keep it and take it home," Jones said.
"If they can build them they can maintain them, and then we have a whole generation of young people with job skills. Black, white, girls, boys-we don't care as long as they're motivated and we have the right support and instruction to offer them."
Of course, a bit more cash in the pot would go a long way to realizing this goal. "If we had a grant of $100,000, we'd be teaching kids tomorrow," Jones said, laughing. The Metropolitan Lodge #161 has received grants, donations and other monies from local and state organizations, but Jones said he'd love to see some involvement on the federal level. "That's the help I really need now-to get [Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA-10)] energized," Jones said. "They are spending money on gang warfare, so why can't [Wolf] help us get money for job training and computers?"
Speaking on behalf of Wolf's office, spokesperson Dan Scandling said the congressman had participated in talks with the lodge in 2006, discussing various grant proposals the group could make. "We have not heard from them, but the competitive grant process is always open to them," Scandling said.
Making Strides
Jones maintains little of what's already been accomplished would have been possible had it not been for the selfless efforts of the Olive Branch Lodge, local dignitaries and ordinary citizens. Sure, extending a helping hand might seem a matter of course for a neighbor in need, but to Jones, it carries greater significance. "It's not about cost or money-it's about what they've done. It's other people that didn't have to help, but they did," Jones said.
Williams agreed, adding that for his lodge, working with the Prince Hall masons has not only been fruitful in terms of forging new relationships, it's also indicative of old prejudices gradually falling away. "We are all members of this very small community, so to cooperate and recognize one another was the right thing to do," he said.
Both lodges agree there's more collaboration on the horizon. "I do think we'll continue to work together. We've made some personal friendships, and I think that will lead to several things we've discussed for us to do together in the future," Williams said.
"It's probably too dramatic to say it's been life uplifting, but [working with the Prince Hall Masons] has allowed us to be more comfortable when we see them about town. We've created that friendship and removed any remoteness," he added.
The Metropolitan Lodge #161 is working on a website to keep the community informed of progress at the 14 Liberty Street Lodge-you can visit www.metro161.org to find updates and details on how to get involved in the effort.
14 Liberty Street—Almost Ready
The area in front of the Metropolitan Lodge #161 at 14 Liberty St. in Leesburg is hoppin' Saturdays with a regular grill out fundraiser, but soon enough the building itself will welcome members home to worship and eager youths to learn. Plans are for the first floor of the structure to house a lab where teens can recieve instruction on how to build computers from scratch.
Attachments: