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Another Gem from the Grand Chapter of New York 1926 ritual

MasonicAdept

Premium Member
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ERHansen

Registered User
You could say that. At least historically.

Back in 1925, the Grand Matron at the time - Rose E. Scherer - proposed the idea of a group for girls as a "preparation for membership in OES". Hence that's why it was called the Daughters of the Eastern Star when it was formed. Fidelity Triangle's original banner still has evidence of the stitching that denoted DOES.

It was unanimously adopted at Grand Sessions in 1926. The committee that compiled the ritual and constitution (shown in the pic you shared) consisted of her successor as Grand Matron, Frances Hitchcock Shay (who was also the founding Matron of my Eastern Star chapter), Anna Reed Farrington (who followed Shay as GM) and two District Deputy Grand Matrons -- Clara Simon of Monroe District and Nettie Higgins of (Brooklyn/Queens). The first 6 charters given were to Triangles in the Monroe District, which was the largest in the state in the 1920's. Number 1 was given to Irondequoit Triangle in Rochester where Mrs. Starkweather, the lady who was the inspiration for Triangle's ritual, lived. The Triangle was organized in June 1927.

Per the OOTNY site, "In 1938, the committee on Constitution reported that they found that Grand Chapter, according to the Acts of Incorporations, had been violating its dictates by sponsoring any organization other than Chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star and that they never had the authority to legislate or govern the Daughters of the Eastern Star. They recommended that all charters be recalled and that we immediately erase all reference to Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, from our rituals and literature up to that time. They voted a check for $500 to be given to the State Director in trust toward this change over."

The organization has pretty much operated independently since that time but in 1961, the name was changed from "Daughters of the Eastern Star" to the Organization of Triangles, Inc. In 1949, another organization called the Constellation of Junior Stars was formed by members of Grand Chapter. So through much of the 50s, 60s and 70s, the two organizations were likely competing for membership and support from the adult groups.

Unfortunately, Constellation folded many years ago. Triangle and Rainbow still remain in NYS (along with DeMolay, of course).
 

CLewey44

Registered User
You could say that. At least historically.

Back in 1925, the Grand Matron at the time - Rose E. Scherer - proposed the idea of a group for girls as a "preparation for membership in OES". Hence that's why it was called the Daughters of the Eastern Star when it was formed. Fidelity Triangle's original banner still has evidence of the stitching that denoted DOES.

It was unanimously adopted at Grand Sessions in 1926. The committee that compiled the ritual and constitution (shown in the pic you shared) consisted of her successor as Grand Matron, Frances Hitchcock Shay (who was also the founding Matron of my Eastern Star chapter), Anna Reed Farrington (who followed Shay as GM) and two District Deputy Grand Matrons -- Clara Simon of Monroe District and Nettie Higgins of (Brooklyn/Queens). The first 6 charters given were to Triangles in the Monroe District, which was the largest in the state in the 1920's. Number 1 was given to Irondequoit Triangle in Rochester where Mrs. Starkweather, the lady who was the inspiration for Triangle's ritual, lived. The Triangle was organized in June 1927.

Per the OOTNY site, "In 1938, the committee on Constitution reported that they found that Grand Chapter, according to the Acts of Incorporations, had been violating its dictates by sponsoring any organization other than Chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star and that they never had the authority to legislate or govern the Daughters of the Eastern Star. They recommended that all charters be recalled and that we immediately erase all reference to Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, from our rituals and literature up to that time. They voted a check for $500 to be given to the State Director in trust toward this change over."

The organization has pretty much operated independently since that time but in 1961, the name was changed from "Daughters of the Eastern Star" to the Organization of Triangles, Inc. In 1949, another organization called the Constellation of Junior Stars was formed by members of Grand Chapter. So through much of the 50s, 60s and 70s, the two organizations were likely competing for membership and support from the adult groups.

Unfortunately, Constellation folded many years ago. Triangle and Rainbow still remain in NYS (along with DeMolay, of course).

Wow you should put together a book on this. I bet few if any know this much about the Organization.
 

MasonicAdept

Premium Member
You could say that. At least historically.

Back in 1925, the Grand Matron at the time - Rose E. Scherer - proposed the idea of a group for girls as a "preparation for membership in OES". Hence that's why it was called the Daughters of the Eastern Star when it was formed. Fidelity Triangle's original banner still has evidence of the stitching that denoted DOES.

It was unanimously adopted at Grand Sessions in 1926. The committee that compiled the ritual and constitution (shown in the pic you shared) consisted of her successor as Grand Matron, Frances Hitchcock Shay (who was also the founding Matron of my Eastern Star chapter), Anna Reed Farrington (who followed Shay as GM) and two District Deputy Grand Matrons -- Clara Simon of Monroe District and Nettie Higgins of (Brooklyn/Queens). The first 6 charters given were to Triangles in the Monroe District, which was the largest in the state in the 1920's. Number 1 was given to Irondequoit Triangle in Rochester where Mrs. Starkweather, the lady who was the inspiration for Triangle's ritual, lived. The Triangle was organized in June 1927.

Per the OOTNY site, "In 1938, the committee on Constitution reported that they found that Grand Chapter, according to the Acts of Incorporations, had been violating its dictates by sponsoring any organization other than Chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star and that they never had the authority to legislate or govern the Daughters of the Eastern Star. They recommended that all charters be recalled and that we immediately erase all reference to Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, from our rituals and literature up to that time. They voted a check for $500 to be given to the State Director in trust toward this change over."

The organization has pretty much operated independently since that time but in 1961, the name was changed from "Daughters of the Eastern Star" to the Organization of Triangles, Inc. In 1949, another organization called the Constellation of Junior Stars was formed by members of Grand Chapter. So through much of the 50s, 60s and 70s, the two organizations were likely competing for membership and support from the adult groups.

Unfortunately, Constellation folded many years ago. Triangle and Rainbow still remain in NYS (along with DeMolay, of course).


Indeed. The Constellation was the predecessor of the OES in New York (where it really took root).
I would be interested in understanding the nature of the NY OES' refusal to join the General Grand Chapter of the OES...Any information you can share would be great.
 

ERHansen

Registered User
Some of the information is already contained in Engle's "History of the Order of Eastern Star" but I'm sure we all know that this account of the events may be biased.

Page 33 mentions how the grand officers of the Grand Chapter of NY were essentially operating as the administrative center for whatever was functioning as the Supreme or national body of the time. "Subsequently, as early as 1876, and as late as 1880, the charters were signed by Brother Macoy as M. E. Grand Patron and Rob Morris as Grand Secretary, but on most of them the name of Rob Morris was in the disguised handwriting of
Brother Macoy."

Further down it is implied that Macoy was operating much on his own whims in regards to the administration of the organization even though it sounds like there was confusion and a lack of consensus. Engle does seem to imply (at least to me anyway) that McCoy profited off the administrative tasks (issuance of charters, etc) and that he was making his own decisions regarding ritualistic changes. Legal conflicts ensued.

No matter which account of what happened -- who was right, who was wrong -- it's not hard to see the nature of why NY did not join Grand Chapter. Egos, control over administration, ritual, traditions....those are often hard to let go.

"Brother Macoy's mind was naturally warped by personal interests, and his nature was such that he could not view, unbiased, a subject in which he was so deeply concerned. The Order owes much to his efforts toward systematizing and arranging it, and if he could have disabused his mind of the conviction that both the Order and its ritual were his personal property, and have welcomed the movement that was designed to more thoroughly systematize and organize it, and induced the Grand Chapter of New York, which was thoroughly under his influence, to accept the invitation to participate in the convention which organized the General Grand Chapter, and attended the same as a representative of his Grand Chapter, he would have been received with the highest honor, and might have handed down a name unsullied by the mistakes of his later years. He has passed beyond the reach of censure or reproach into a region, let us hope, where, with clear vision, he can see the unselfish- ness of the labors of those he opposed, and can realize that the welfare of the Order, which was really near his heart, was also dear to them."

Was the Grand Chapter of New York "thoroughly under his influence"? Perhaps. Is it more likely that they enjoyed their sovereignty? On the NYOES website it seems to point to that, "New York State has maintained its status as an independent sovereign Grand Jurisdiction since its organization." It wouldn't be the first time that New Yorkers (from the city or beyond) like to think they are the center of the universe or better off governing themselves.
 
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