Temple
Spring 2022
TIMES
Masonic Charities One Masonic Drive Elizabethtown, PA 17022
You Help us Share the Magic of the Masonic Temple
March brought with it a flurry of excitement, as we hosted the Grand Master’s Open House and were able to highlight the beauty of the Masonic Temple to all our attendees. One set of visitors struck me, in particular. They were parents with children ranging in age from 10 to 16. The kids entered the building with a look that suggested they would rather be playing video games. Then, the magic of the building hit them. Each family left the tour with a newfound passion for art. You are part of this excitement as a loyal supporter of our beloved Masonic Temple. We continue to move forward on the lighting project and are just waiting on the poles to be delivered in June. This is much later than expected, but the slowdown due to COVID-19 and global unrest has delayed our progress.
Michael D. McKee, Executive Director
We have completed a feasibility study to update our lower-level banquet room. The chiller project is moving forward, which ensures the air quality of the building supports the preservation of the Temple and our archives. We are also engaged in a project close to my team’s heart — preserving some of our oldest books. This process involves wearing protective clothing and using special vacuums to delicately remove red rot. Once the dust is removed, the books are preserved in an acid-free paper made for that purpose. All of these projects are made possible by our donors.
Columbia Mourns for Washington in Exhibit Hall by Michael Comfort, Director, Masonic Library & Museum of PA Among the many treasures held by the Masonic Library & Museum of Pennsylvania and displayed in our Exhibit Hall a one-of-a-kind piece. The image depicts Columbia, an allegorical representation of the United States, mourning over the death of Brother George Washington.
Masonic Temple Welcomes New Tour Guide to the Team On Feb. 4, the Masonic Temple Library & Museum welcomed a new tour guide, Alex Morrese! Alex has master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Physics from the Florida Institute of Technology and Drexel University. He also taught introductory math at a community college.
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This unique piece of silk-onsilk embroidery, with brass sequins, was probably made right here in Philadelphia, after a design by Samuel Fowler. His wife, Elizabeth ran a school here to teach young ladies the art of embroidery. It is believed this was made by one of her pupils. Samuel designed large, dramatic memorials and other Neoclassical scenes for the girls to embroider. In addition to providing the basic designs, Samuel sketched the scene on silk, gave it to the student to embroider and then completed the inscription, sky and other painted details himself.
Alex, who is learning Mandarin and is passionate about history, said he enjoyed learning about the history of the Temple building and as an amateur actor, felt being a tour guide would be a good fit. “It’s a good experience – a fun gig,” he said. “I only live nine blocks from here, so that’s another attractive part of it.” This embroidery was made here in Philadelphia from a design by Samuel Fowler.
The school operated from approximately 1800 to 1820. Most of their known surviving pieces depict mourning or memorial scenes. This piece was presented to the museum by Past Master Howard S. Stettler, a descendant of the artist, and is maintained by you, our generous supporter.
Alex works five days a week and works two to three tours a day.
Alex Morrese (top) and Arthur Litman (left).
Another new face is Arthur Litman, a volunteer who helps the tour guides move the crowds along and occasionally assists with the archives. Please welcome Alex and Arthur!
Learn More or Donate
Visit MasonicCharitiesLegacy.org for further information on how you can include the Masonic Charities in your estate plan. Or, call us for our Estate Planning Guide, Qualified Charitable Distribution Kit or Income for Life Guide. Thank you for supporting the Masonic Charities. To learn more about opportunities to support the Masonic Library & Museum of Pennsylvania, visit PaMasonicTemple.org/donate-now, call 1-800-599-6454 or email giving@pamasonictemple.org.
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