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Hella
Shriners 2121
ROWLETT RD. GARLAND TX. 75043 Located on the shores of beautiful Lake Ray Hubbard
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DIRECTORS
STAFF
HISTORY HELLA SHRINE TEMPLE DIRECTORS STAFF L. A. McNulty Historian Date Authored in Unknown
It seems inconceivable and really unbelievable that Hella Temple, from its inception in 1887, could get along without a Director; but not until December 19, 1889 when Noble C. C. Curtice was elected is there any record of this office being filled. It is noted that Director Curtice's Petition for Affiliation was read and referred to committee in 1887, never voted on. No record of where he came from exists and no record of where he went after asking for and receiving a Demit in 1895. He was Director for two years. At the inception of Ben Hur Temple, Austin, Texas on October 8, 1891, he took the part of Alchemist, whatever that is. It would be interesting to know what he did, because from that time on, until his Demit, he was not mentioned again, and there was no Director appointed or elected for the ensuing year. What an inception that must have been.
L. M. Knepfley took over as Director in 1893. Nothing spectacular occurred but it was noted in his obituary that he was quite active in the affairs of Hella Temple.
J. D. A. Harris, Director in 1894, was fairly active but it was noted he was given a past due notice during the year. He may have been the first Director to voice the now very popular song title "Take This Job and Shove It". This sort of thing evidently shook up the Temple because there was no Director in 1895. Although there was no Director, it is recorded that for the 1895 October Session live camels were loaned by Barnum & Bailey Circus and transported free by Santa Fe Lines. How times have changed. There was also reference to a Royal Hawaiian Band, so apparently they had some great Ceremonials, and especially if they ever got anything free from the Santa Fe.
Joe Swope took over as Director in 1896. He had become a member in 1887 and elected to be Oriental Guide for the year 1893. Inasmuch as his remarks, opinions, and suggestions are spread all through the records may explain why he never went further. Obviously deciding that the Director-ship was not the office in which to make his comeback he turned it over to J. w. Peck for the year 1897.
Peck attended more sessions than any other Director before him, apparently didn't open his mouth, and was elected High Priest and Prophet for the year 1898. He might have been the first Director to become Potentate but he was drafted (probably by the army for the Spanish American War) and there is no further record of him:
Joe Swope took over again in 1898. We can't imagine what he said or did during that year because there is no record of a Director from 1899 through 1903. Heretofore Ceremonials were described as, "Conducting Novices over the ARAB'S PATH" , but beginning in 1898 it was referred to as the "HOT SANDS ". This bit of trivia is only relevant if up until that time the "ARAB'S PATH" had been cold.
W. T. Russell took over as Director for the years 1904 and 1905 and it is recorded that the Ceremonials were received with great enthusiasm by the nobility. Edgar L. Pike, Director in 1906, was the first Director ever elected to be Potentate of Hella Temple. He was elected Potentate for the year 1911. A rumor that he might have been a distant relative of Albert wouldn't have hurt a bit. We are sure he excelled in both positions. The powers that be failed to see the necessity for a Director in 1907, but Past Potentate Hubert Morris took over the job for 1908 and 1909. Was it more than coincidence that he was Director when the first ceremonial in the new Scottish Rite Cathedral took place on March 26.
Anyway, it was reported to be a very successful ceremonial in that beautiful setting. The records reveal there were a number of ceremonials during the years 1910 through 1912. If so, they were accomplished without benefit of a Director, for none are recorded for that period. T. c. Harry was appointed for the year 1913. It might have been a bad year for everyone, because there is no record of what he did, as Director, that is. The year 1914 may have been the first attempt to start a Stage Crew when Potentate Elmer Renfro appointed E. H. Roach as Director and Dr. A. L. Frew as Stage Director. The next Potentate appointed J. E. Forrest Director in 1915, with W. M. Fechheimer as Stage Manager, Dr. A. L. Frew again as Assistant Stage Manager" with the addition of Past Director T. C. Harry as Assistant Stage Director. Director Forrest may have been a member of the Patrol, because it is recorded that he was assisted in the direction of the ceremonials by members of the Patrol. Several references are made to the introduction of several new features in the Ceremonials. It is interesting to note that these new features are still being used. Past Potentate James E. Forrest, whether a Patrol man at heart or not has got to go down in this history as the Father of the Director's Staff as we know it today. Even though he called on the Patrol to assist in Ceremonials, marching across the Hot Sands in cadence soon became necessarily passe. He was instrumental in organizing the National Shrine Directors Association and was its second president for the year 1919-20. He had some great assistants in Fechheimer and Doc Frew; and together they built the foundation of a lasting memorial to one of the greatest organizations in the history of Shrinedom. They had rougher Second Sections in those days.
We have it on authority of the oldest living member (in point of years served) in Al Sinz. Al joined the Stage Crew in 1923. Ask him to tell you about the time he borrowed an airplane engine and after dousing the lights, blew 400 pounds of corn meal on the audience. After turning on lights the first 20 rows looked like rows of 'white tomb stones'. Then they turned on the sprinkler system. Everybody but the first 20 rows thought this was a very funny stunt. Or, about the time they almost caused an International incident when an Italian Count, a visiting Noble, was persuaded to referee a wrestling match. After flour and water were liberally introduced to aid the wrestlers, the Count became involved much to his chagrin. The Temple bought him a new suit but he left the country still mad. Director Forrest was made Director Emeritus in 1929, and Past Potentate John L. DeGrazier was appointed Director for 1930. P. P. John L. De Grazier must have had a great year as Director as it is recorded that he was given a standing vote of thanks for his untiring efforts in the ceremonial Session of 1930. That was not unusual for this great Mason and Shriner. He excelled at every task he undertook and is the first and only Past Director up to now who has a Masonic Lodge named for him. Dr. Harrison Cave, also a Past Potentate, was appointed Director in 1931 and can be chiefly remembered for his knife throwing act in Second Section Ceremonials. We are told novices who were participants in this stunt still break out in "cold sweat" when they think about it. We could probably fill a book with the great things A. J. "Andy" Balcom has performed for the Directors Staff. A right hand man of James E. Forrest as his assistant from 1918. Andy was appointed Director in 1932 He was elected Potentate in 1929, expanding his horizons somewhat, but never too far from the Directors. He was elected President or the National Shrine Directors Association for the year 1941-1942 and was instrumental in bringing the 24th annual meeting to Dallas for the first time in March 1942. He acted as Director for John L. Briggs who was appointed as Director in 1943, but when Past Master Briggs did not return, Andy Balcom was again appointed for 1944. The war years kept John L. Briggs from performing as Director, but he was Potentate in 1942, when the N.S.D.A. came to Dallas. His cooperation was in great measure a reason for its huge success.
John E. Bounds came "bounding in" and held the reins of the Directors Staff from 1945 through 1954. As owner of a scenic studio, he brought his designing and decorative skills to bring more spectacular color to the Second Section. The Ceremonials were still pretty rough but now they blended in more with the colorful language the Novices used on their way across the "hot sands". E. D. Malone, the printer, artist, sign painter and anything you can think of essential to a good Hot Sands Ceremonial, was appointed Director in 1955. He served nobly and, as far as we can ascertain, honorably, until 1958, when he was kicked upstairs, so to speak, by being elected Oriental Guide. He still kept Director's Staff connections, however, all during his trip up the line. He was elected Potentate in 1963 and looked forward to 1964 when he would be a Past Potentate. His service to Hella and the Director's Staff still continues, and we can feel proud and fortunate that we have a man of his stature still among us. E.D. would be the first to agree with this. John T. McCool was appointed Director in 1959; and, it is said, it became very popular to wear hats during the Ceremonials. Director's Staff parties were much more elegant, news of which caused many Nobles to wish they were members of the Stage Crew. Bill King, a long-time, devoted member of the staff, became Director in 1960. Up until that time he was considered the official worrier. He worried about anything and everything. It was a great three years with Bill as Director because no one else had anything to worry about ...unless it was sometimes trying to figure out where he was.
Bill is still a faithful worrier for the Director's Staff and loved by everyone. Fred Massie, the electrician, was appointed Director in 1964; and the price of electricity went up. He believed every Novice should be acquainted with this demoniac invention of Ben Franklin. Fred had been a member of the Stage Crew for many years but kept his innermost desires pretty well hidden until he was elevated to Director. He, too, was called to travel the road that leads to Potentate in 1972; and it is in many Nobles' hearts, having crossed the Hot Sands under his direction, that somewhere, somehow, along that road he may have gotten a jolt that would, in some measure, compensate for their sore feet. Now we come to Claude Lyon Jr. We call him "Claude, the Gentle" (we are not going to make him mad now). Appointed in 1972, he has been unswerving in his desire to put the Director's Staff on wheels. His ingenuity led to our first requisition for a Mobile Stage which is shown in the most recent picture of the present Director's Staff. Because we were traveling hither and yon, it became necessary to have a Cook Trailer. We were having to borrow trucks to haul equipment to various Ceremonial sites, so that became unnecessary when we acquired an Equipment-hauling Trailer. Then that we might rest and refresh ourselves.
Claude provided an Oasis Room wherein we can contemplate the work done or to be done while he scouts around for more rolling stock. We have our own "good time" band playing in concert on the Mobile Stage and which is available for weddings, funerals and bar-mitzvahs. Claude inspires everyone to get out and sell Circus Ads, mainly by waiving the bills for these handy little gizmos in front of our noses. The Staff has grown in size under his direction, the latest count being 112. Is it any wonder the Director's Staff has been first in Circus ad and ticket sales for the past five years? If Claude ever gets interested in airplanes, we will be there for a long, long time.
So there you have it --a short history of the Director's Staff as factual as possible with the information obtained. We have come a long way since Noble Curtice took up the title of Director, but we feel he might be proud of what the Director's Staff has accomplished so far. We hope you will understand that the Director's Staff is made up of a bunch of men who enjoy good fellowship within the realm of good, clean fun. We sincerely believe the Second Section of the Ceremonial has a beneficial part in the growth and well-being of Hella Temple. If in doubt, ask the next Noble you see what happened to him when he crossed the Hot Sands.
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