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Nine Boys and a Man
As found
on DeMolay International's site
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It has been said that a day can be
changed or a great moment launched by a
single phone call.
Such a call came in January of 1919.
As Frank answered the telephone he
recognized the voice of Sam Freet, newly
installed Senior Warden of Ivanhoe
Lodge. "Frank, I have a favor to ask.
One of our members, Elmer E. Lower, who
had been initiated as a Fellow Craft,
died a year ago. Could you find a
part-time job for the oldest boy, Louis?
He is one of the finest young men I have
ever seen.
"Sam, you called at just the right
time. I would be glad to talk to this
boy. Send Louis to me, say after school
tomorrow if you can arrange it. I shall
look forward to meeting him."
The next afternoon Louis arrived
promptly for his interview. Shaking
hands with this youth brought a response
to Land that seemed to blend them into a
common experience that would unite them
for years to come. Louis radiated an
honesty of character, a natural aptitude
for leadership, and the grace of
movement of the athlete. Frank thought,
"If I had a son, I would want him to be
just like this lad."
They talked for a while about school.
Louis told him of his aspirations for a
place on the track team, of his position
as a pitcher on a baseball team, and in
response to a question said, "I am a
fairly good student. Even with the hard
time we are having, I want to finish
high school and then help with the
education of the others."
Frank responded, "It is a good goal.
You will meet the challenge. Now, tell
me about your father. I knew him but
only from very casual meetings."
Louis hesitated as though reluctant
to look into the past but finally said,
"My father was the finest father a boy
ever had."
That evening, as Nell Land cleared
the dinner dishes, she said, "Frankie,
something happened today. You look like
you have found a long, lost friend."
"Not a lost friend but a new young
friend. This boy I talked to today is
tremendous. One of the finest young men
I have ever met. He is going to work
with me in the office and I know I shall
enjoy having him around. Perhaps we
could take him to church with us
Wednesday evening. The teachings of
Christian Science would be good for him
and you could meet Louis Lower."
"Yes, we should do just that," she
said. "I suggest that you have him bring
a few friends over to the apartment some
evening. I would like to meet him."
It was not until the middle of
February that the opportunity for such a
meeting took place. "Louis," said Mr.
Land, "who do you run around with?"
"I have some friends in my
neighborhood," said Louis.
"How would you like to form a Club
and meet here at the Temple?"
Louis thought the idea had
possibilities and showed up the next
week with eight other boys. That was
February 19, 1919.
The boys came early that Wednesday
evening and each in turn was introduced
to Mr. Land by Louis Lower with, "I want
you to meet Ralph Sewell, Elmer Dorsey,
Edmund Marshall, Jerome Jacobson,
William Steinhibler, Ivan Bentley,
Gorman McBride, and Clyde Stream. There
are nine of us."
They were a group destined to form a
great youth organization and each was to
advance through his efforts and
determination to prominence in his
chosen field of work.
Mr. Land acknowledged each
introduction with a handshake and word
of welcome. "Before we get down to
business, let's make a tour of this
building. I think you will find it just
about right if we should decide to form
a Club and use it as a meeting place."
It was a radiant group that gathered
about the long table in one of the
meeting rooms that night. There was no
doubt that they should continue to meet
as a Club. The only question was a name.
One suggested they use Greek letters as
the college fraternities did but this
was instantly voted down as making them
only a part of other organizations. The
name must be distinctive and carry
meaning. They turned to Land for
suggestions. He pointed to a recent
series of prints on the wall that showed
the adventures of Sir Galahad and the
Knights of the Round Table. There was a
negative shaking of heads.
The greatest of wars had ended only a
few months before and the adventures of
knights of old seemed far away. Then
names were mentioned from history and
from the Bible. Stories such as Damon
and Phythias, David and Jonathan and of
Nathan Hale. Nothing seemed to click
until one of the boys, Clyde Stream,
said "Mr. Land, tell us something
connected with Masonry. They must have
great names and we are meeting here in
one of their buildings."
Frank smiled, "This year I am serving
as the head of one of the Masonic
Groups. I am the Commander for the
DeMolai Council of Kadosh. There are
many names and stories directly
connected with Masonry, but I think I
should tell you about the last leader of
the Knights Templar. His name was
Jacques DeMolay or as they say in
history books, James of Molay."
The story and the name caught the
imagination of the boys. Here was
heroism. Here was a great example of
loyalty, of courage. Here was a theme
from knighthood and chivalry, at its
best, and the name of a martyr to
fidelity and toleration. The boys were
ready without further consideration to
accept this name as the name of the
group. But Land interrupted, "Now let's
wait just a little bit and sleep over
this. Let's not rush into it. Perhaps
with a little more thought we can come
up with a better name. One that might be
more in keeping and more appropriate. It
is growing late and you should all be
going home. Come back next week and
bring a few more of your friends. We
will talk more together about it then.
Good night and thanks for coming."
While the boys talked to Land about
the Club when they came to the Temple,
it was their long talks together at
school and as they walked from school to
home that heightened their interest and
gave momentum to their organization. One
afternoon after a chemistry class, Elmer
Dorsey caught up with Louis Lower to
ask, "Louis, I think this club idea is
terrific. But what is it all about? What
does Mr. Land get out of it? Do they
want us to become junior Masons?" "I
don't have all the answers, Elmer, I
only know that Frank Land is one of the
greatest. His only motive is the one he
tells us. He likes to be with young
people and sincerely believes that if we
do form such a group each of us will
benefit from it. How he ever talked the
older boys into letting us use their
temple is beyond me. They must be
interested in us as Land is, because he
has told me that we are not to be a
junior Masonic group. He told me these
men are concerned about only one thing
and that is that we should grow into
decent men who will be respected in the
community."
March 24, 1919 was the day in history
that launched the Order of DeMolay.
During the next few years, however, the
date of March 18, the date in the past
that had witnessed the death of Jacques
DeMolay, came to be more frequently
used.
Thirty-one boys, all from the same
high school, came to the Scottish Rite
Temple that night. Frank Land made each
boy welcome and then explained briefly
his ideas of a Club. Land said, "This is
your meeting. I will serve as Advisor
but it is your meeting. Why not proceed
with an organization and elect a few
officers. I will take charge until you
have completed your election."
During the next few months the group
grew in numbers, in activities and
interest. Then a fear came to some of
them that they were growing into too
large a Club.
Someone suggested that a committee
talk with Mr. Land and endeavor to
convince him that membership should be
limited to 75. Land neither criticized
or admonished the committee at the time.
In fact they didn't know whether he
agreed or disagreed to their suggestion.
Later when the meeting was called to
order, the chairman reported and moved
that the membership of DeMolay be
limited to 75. The motion quickly
received a second and was unanimously
adopted. It was then that Dad Land rose
from the back of the room where he had
been more or less out of sight for he
wasn't the type to take the spotlight,
or the forefront in their meetings. He
wanted them to conduct their own
meetings.
As he came to the front of the room
that night, he proceeded to tell
them—and in no uncertain terms—how
selfish and how inconsiderate they were.
He told them that they were operating
and thinking absolutely contrary to
every idea that he had in mind for this
organization. He reminded them that
there were three other high schools in
Kansas City which had young men who were
just as capable, just as qualified, and
just as upstanding as they were. In
fact, he indicated he thought they were
probably much, much better than what
they thought they were. He said that if
it was good for one boy, it must be good
for all eligible boys. He reminded them
that 'to become big, they must be big.'
The motion to limit membership to 75 was
rescinded. It was then that DeMolay was
permitted to grow and develop.
And grew it did. DeMolay continued
its growth initiating new member and
instituting new chapters in all states
of the continential USA. DeMolay then
crossed the oceans and the organization
was developed in many foreign countries.
Thousands upon thousands of young men
have had their life enriched by the
recinding of the motion to limit the
Order of DeMolay to just 75 members.
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