Celebrating 20 years of awarding scholarships

A brief history of the Missouri Masonic Scholarships

By RWB Charlie Wiegert Junior Grand Warden

Masonic Merit scholarship

Most Worshipful Brother Vern Schneider, in his address at the 1985 Grand Lodge communication, stated the Grand Lodge needs funds to enable us to provide scholarships, and the Masonic Scholarship Fund, Inc. was established with an assessment to each member’s dues, plus donations received. It took until 1991 for sufficient funds to grow large enough to start awarding scholarships, when two $1000/year scholarships for four years were awarded.

These scholarships are now called the Masonic Merit Scholarships and are supported by dues paying Missouri Masons. Since 2019, each member contributes $1.00 per year. With 20,000+ dues paying members, we will be able to increase the value of these scholarships or award more per year.

ruth lutes Bachmann scholarship

The Ruth Lutes Bachmann Scholarship actually started from a trust she left upon her passing in 1975 to benefit the children living in the Masonic Home on Delmar Avenue in St. Louis. As a member of the Tuscan Chapter 69, Order of the Eastern Star in St. Louis, she wanted to provide for those children to have an opportunity to become a nurse or teacher. When the last child left the Masonic Home in 1981, her trust was modified to provide scholarships for Missouri High School students pursuing a career in nursing or teaching, and the Masonic Scholarship Foundation would become the agent to solicit, receive, process and award a $1000/year for each 4-year scholarship.

samuel smith stewart scholarship

The Samuel Smith Stewart Fund was established by Dr. Samuel Smith Stewart as a memorial to his parents Alphonso Chase Stewart and Elizabeth Smith Stewart, with his desire being to provide for the continuing betterment of mankind through educational purposes. He was an ardent Missouri Freemason coming from notable Scottish Linage. His family records trace back to members of the Stewart Clan who had served as Kings of Scotland.

The initial amount that started the scholarship program was $14,149,420. The money was invested so only the interest would be used for scholarships. That same procedure is still in place today, and each year the Samuel Smith Stewart trust committee meets to determine how many new scholarships can be awarded.

In 2001 the first four Samuel Smith Stewart scholarships were awarded. They were $2500 each and renewable for 4 years, making them $10,000 scholarships. Due to the diligent stewardship of the committee over the years, these scholarships have grown in number and amount. This past year, five scholarships valued at $53,000 each were awarded!

In total last year, 22 scholarships were awarded with a value of $341,000. We’ve come a long way in the last 20 years, and look forward to providing Missouri high school students with the opportunity to do something worthwhile with their lives, and hopefully make the world better for many years in the future.

The deadline for applications is March 15, 2021

A copy of the revised application form was included in the November packet sent to every Lodge. It can also be downloaded from our website at www. momason.org under the Programs tab. Please make sure the high school counselors in your area have this form and they encourage their best and brightest students to apply.