Difference between revisions of "SDGMClayC"
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'''Grand Master of South Dakota, 1971-1972''' | '''Grand Master of South Dakota, 1971-1972''' | ||
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=== BIOGRAPHY === | === BIOGRAPHY === | ||
Latest revision as of 22:07, 12 June 2025
CHARLES E. CLAY 1922-2012
Grand Master of South Dakota, 1971-1972
BIOGRAPHY
From "The First 100 Years of the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of South Dakota, 1875-1975", Page 215:
Charles E. Clay, the ninety-eighth Grand Master of Masons of South Dakota, was born in Stahl, Missouri, on August 10, 1922. He received his education in Eldora, Iowa, graduating from Eldora High School in 1940. He is currently engaged m the Abstract and Real Estate business in Hot Springs, South Dakota.
He is a veteran of World War II, having served in the Air Force. He has been active in civic and community affairs in Hot Springs and is at present a State Representative.
On January 26, 1946, he was married to Miss Clara Mae Hagen and they have one daughter. He is a member of the United Churches of Hot Springs.
He was raised to a Master Mason on April 15, 1957 in Harmony Lodge No. 110, Hot Springs. He is a member of Naja Shrine Temple and Black Hills Consistory both of Deadwood. He is a Knight Templar in Schrader Commander No. 9 Knights Templar. He is also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. He has attained the Rank and Decoration of Knight Commander Court of Honor.
1972
It was in an a atmosphere of stunned disbelief and shock that Grand Master Clay opened the ninety-eighth Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge at Hot Springs in June, 1972. Just three days before the Communication a terrible tragedy had struck the Black Hills. Rapid City, just a few miles from Hot Springs, had received the brunt of a disastrous flash flood. Over 200 had lost their lives and hundreds had been left homeless.
The Grand Lodge had been urged to offer immediate help and in response to this request the Trustees offered an amended report saying, "From a practical viewpoint we can give little help. Our contribution to our worthy and destitute Brothers can best be made by our watching and waiting until a survey can be made. The key to this is an accurate survey of the need. This survey can best be made by a committee appointed by the Grand Master. This committee will report to our Trustees and we can use Charity Funds for relief of the needy. Your Trustees would like authority to extend this aid to the widow or fatherless to a point where we would follow the fortune of the bereaved for years to see that a widow is provided a livelihood and the orphan is provided an education."
The number of chartered lodges now stood at 159 with the consolidation of White Lake Lodge No. 85 with Plankinton Lodge No. 61.
Grand Treasurer-Secretary John Rowe was presented a plaque in recognition of his ten years of service to Masonry in South Dakota.
Due in a great part to the effort of the Grand Treasurer-Secretary, South Dakota stood number one in the United States in per capita and voluntary contributions to the Masonic Service Association. A check, unique in that it measured 7½ inches by 20 inches and in the amount of $15,700, was presented to Conrad Hahn, Executive Secretary of the Masonic Service Association, by Grand Master Clay.
John Peterson, DeMolay member from Rapid City, presented an oration, "Why I'm Proud to be a DeMolay." This oration had placed second in state-wide competition.
A proposal to make each Past Master of a constituent lodge a permanent member of the Grand Lodge was voted upon and defeated. An amendment to the by-laws on membership was approved as follows: "To be eligible a candidate need not reside in the jurisdiction of the lodge, only in the jurisdiction of South Dakota for a year immediately preceding presentation of the petition." A proposed amendment to the by-laws which would have reduced the age limit for membership from 21 years to 18 years was defeated.
