RMLHist.htm

The formation of the Fellowcraft Club for our Lodge had its origin at the first stated meeting on January 8. Those appointed to head up the Degree Team were W.B. Lamar Northcutt and W.B. G.K. Stephens.

February 12. The "affordable" building contractor who had thus far proven to be a very elusive character to date was demonstrated in the report given by W.B. G.K. Stephens in which he stated that the Lodge could not afford to pay the contractor, whose bid had been recently entertained by the Building Committee, with the funds that were available to the Lodge at this time and that the search would continue.

At the next stated meeting, W.B. Stephens reported that the blocks had been purchased for the new Lodge building and that an agreement had been reached to put them up, also that invitations had been issued to other contractors to bid on this construction project and more prices should be forthcoming.

Aug. 13. The $4000.00 loan was almost exhausted by this time and the Brethren approved a motion that the Board of Trustees renew (I suppose what they meant was to refinance the balance of the loan) and borrow an additional $500.00 to further the building construction.

Aug. 27. At this meeting, the Brethren voted to authorize the Board of Trustees to proceed with a temporary loan of $3500.00 until the first of the new year at which time the new building should be at a point that a permanent loan of $10,000.00 could be secured on it.

September 24 marked the first meeting of Riverdale Lodge in the new Lodge Hall (present location, 6985 Hwy. 85) and Worshipful Master, F. Lamar Hutcheson, the first man to ever officially occupy the chair in the East in this new building, thanked all of those Brethren who helped with its construction and expressed his gratitude to those Brethren who had promised to loan the Lodge $500.00 interest free until a permanent loan could be secured; the Board of Trustees to sign the necessary promissory notes.

Further discussion about what to do with the downstairs section of the building brought up the possibility that the U.S. Post Office may be interested in renting this space. W.B. Stephens said that he had a set of specifications that the Postal Department would require of its Riverdale Post Office. Approval for negotiations with Postal Authorities was granted to the Board of Trustees and they were urged to pursue this avenue and use their best judgment.

At the next regular communication, W.B. Stephens reported that he was familiar with a certain person who would loan the Lodge $9,000.00 on the Lodge Building to be paid back over a nine year period at an interest rate of 8% per annum. Again, the Board of Trustees was assigned the task of negotiating this loan.

The first class of candidates to receive the Enter Apprentice Degree in this new Lodge building were Robert Franklin Camp, William Watts Satterwhite, and Kenneth Wesley Martin. Meanwhile the negotiations with Postal Authorities continued into.......

1960

The Officers installed this year were:

W M-----C H Jackson	S D---J C Roberts
S W------J O Coogler	J D----W W Darnell
J W------E L Banks Jr	S S----Wrace Scott
Treas----G H Scott	J S-----W H Denham
Sec'y----W A Hanson Jr	Tyler--R W Camp

Chaplain----Lee Williams

January 14. W.B. Stephens read a letter from the U.S. Postal Department accepting our offer to rent the downstairs to them for the new Post Office. A question was raised by some of the Brethren as to the scope of the authority of the Board of Trustees to proceed with this construction so a motion was made and carried that such authority be given them.

Worshipful Master C. Hunt Jackson raised Bro. James Waymon Atkinson to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason at a called communication on January 22. Bro. Atkinson was the first man ever raised in this new building. From a historical point, if you will recall, our now present Worshipful Master was in the first class of candidates ever received in Riverdale Lodge #709. He was also the first Worshipful Master elected in the new Lodge building, and the first to raise the first Master Mason in this building.

A report on March 24, by W.B. Stephens stated that the Post Office Department had been slow to make a decision on the plans for its new location and that a Pharmacist had made the Lodge a better offer and would rent the downstairs of the building for substantially more money. Trustees reported that they had written a letter to the Post Office withdrawing our offer to rent them the building.

The Drug Store was finally completed and the Pharmacist took possession of the downstairs portion of the Lodge sometime around July, 28, (the minutes do not record the exact date) for it was at this meeting that flowers were approved to be sent to the Drug Store for its Grand Opening.

It appears that the Lodge was suffering a decrease in its treasury funds (possibly as a result of the expenses incurred during building out of the downstairs for the drug store or it could mark a policy change in the way dues were collected) despite the remarkable growth of the membership roster because at the meeting of November 10, the financial condition of the Lodge was at such a level that the Trustees were instructed to draft a letter to all members of the Lodge to forward their dues in advance for the year of.......

1961

The Officers installed this year were:

W M-----J O Coogler	S D---W W Darnell Jr
S W------E L Banks Jr	J D----W H Denham
J W------J C Roberts	S S----D L Williams
Treas----Jack Hancock	J S-----G H Scott
Sec'y----W A Hanson Jr	Tyler--S B Lewis Sr.

Chaplain----G C Haslett

Brethren, for the most part, the minute books record normal business for the entire year of 1961. A year that saw continued growth of the gentle craft of Masonry and brotherly love which extended into..........

1962

The Officers installed this year were:

W M-----E L Banks Jr.	S D---D L Williams
S W------W W Darnell Jr.	J D----G H Scott
J W------W H Denham	S S----C T Ethridge
Treas----M L Freeman	J S-----W H Steele
Sec'y----S B Pollard	Tyler--WB S B Lewis Sr.

Chaplain----L B Harris

It was on February 8, that the Junior Warden, Bro. W.H. Denham, read a letter from Sister Annie Maude McLendon requesting permission from the Lodge to allow them to constitute a chapter of Rainbow Girls in our building. Permission was granted and it was decided that the girls could have the Lodge Hall for their meetings on Monday nights. W.B. J. A. McLendon then reported on the attempted burglary of the Lodge building on the night of February 1st..

At the second meeting in this month, there was some discussion about the paving of the lot in front of the Lodge.

March 8. A motion was made that the Lodge sponsor a Lodge of Demolays if the Brethren were in agreement and the motion passed. It was also the night when the date of our annual barbecue would be set on the first Saturday in May. Until then the date of the barbecue had varied slightly.

March 22. The formation of the Widow's Death Benefit Fund was discussed this evening with the top three Officers being requested to pursue this matter further and report on it soon.

May 24. The first secretary/treasurer of the Widow's Fund was appointed this evening. Bro. J. W. Dumas received the honor until an official one could be elected.

At the Annual Communication on December 13, the secretary reported that the Lodge now had a total of one hundred and nineteen members on its roster, an increase of eighty-three Brothers in the first ten years of its existence. That represents a remarkable growth rate of two hundred and thirty percent and as the city of Riverdale grows, this same rate of growth is expected in......

1963

The Officers installed this year were:

W M-----W W Darnell	S D---G H Scott
S W------J C Roberts	J D----W H (Bud) Steele
J W------D L Williams	S S----W F Scott
Treas----T A Kemp	J S-----H C Gober
Sec'y----S B Pollard	Tyler--WB S B Lewis Sr.

Chaplain----C R Roberts

Jan 10. The leasing of the area downstairs in the Lodge building was discussed at length. Several brethren asked for more information on this subject. A motion was made by T A Kemp and seconded by D L Williams asking the Worshipful Master to call a meeting of the Board of Trustees and instruct them to get all of the details and report them at the next regular Lodge meeting. A motion was made by Bro. J W Dumas and seconded by Bro. S B Lewis that the Lodge order that all rent money collected in the future go into a savings account in escrow for the sole purpose of applying it to the mortgage on the building.

Oct 4. At a called meeting, the members and cast of Battle Hill Lodge #523, having been invited to do so, conferred the "Rose on the Altar" play for the enjoyment of the Brethren after which the assembled members enjoyed a buffet supper.

Dec 12. At the Annual Communication of this Lodge, when the election of officers for the coming year was supposed to be held, the Riverdale Fire Department alarm sounded and many of the Brethren who were volunteer firefighters had to leave in response to this alarm. The Worshipful Master declared "No Election", but stated that a special dispensation would be acquired to hold a called communication for this purpose on Dec 27, at 7:30 PM.

Dec 27. At the first called communication for the purpose of electing the new officers for the coming year, the following brethren were elected for the year of .....

1964

The Officers installed this year were:

W M-----D L Williams	S D---W F Scott
S W------G H Scott	J D----C T Ethridge
J W------W H (Bud) Steele	S S----H C Gober
Treas----T A Kemp	J S-----H A Kemp
Sec'y----S B Pollard	Tyler--WB S B Lewis Sr.

Chaplain----C H Jackson

Brethren, for the most part, the minutes record normal business for the entire year of 1964.

At the Annual Communication in December, the officers elected and appointed to the various stations in the lodge pledged to continue their exceptional work of living and applying the Masonic creed into and through.....

1965

The Officers installed this year were:

W M-----G H Scott	S D---C T Ethridge
S W------W H (Bud) Steele	J D----H A Kemp
J W------W F Scott	S S----B E Ferrell
Treas----T A Kemp Jr.	J S-----E M Griffin
Sec'y----S B Pollard	Tyler--WB S B Lewis Sr.

Chaplain----D L Williams

Jan. 28 - Brethren, it was reported that the first secretary of Riverdale Lodge #709, Brother J B Trimble, answered a summons by the Supreme Grand Master to the Grand Lodge on High on January 22, 1965.

Feb. 25 - Brethren, the first discussion of Re-Dedication of the Lodge came up in this meeting, with a committee appointed to formulate plans for same.

Brethren, I ran across an irregularity recorded in the minutes on Nov. 11. At this time a letter was read from Forest Park Lodge #399 which stated that our brother, James W. Hinton had been examined in open lodge on the Masters Degree and had been voted proficient. The irregularity was that Riverdale Lodge did not request of Forest Park Lodge such a courtesy or service. The Lodge was, of course, appreciative of the examination but requested that the secretary get a ruling on this procedure from the Grand Lodge. More to follow on this subject in......

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W M-----F L Hutcheson	S D---E L Banks Jr.
S W------C H Jackson	J D----J C Roberts
J W------J O Coogler	S S----W W Darnell
Treas----J W Dumas	J S-----Wrace Scott
Sec'y----W A Hanson	Tyler--R W Camp