‘Research lodge’s diamond anniversary in the emerald month’

    

May 9 has the potential to be an utterly entertaining, albeit exhausting, day.

That second Saturday of the emerald month will see The American Lodge of Research sojourn to Saugerties for a joint meeting with Ulster Lodge 193. I’ll be there. Later that afternoon, Connecticut’s Masonic Lodge of Research 401 will gather for a celebration that I want to attend also.

At about 100 miles apart, I’d have to drive like one of them new “California” truckers to reach New Haven on time, but I feel motivated. Maybe stay off the Thruway and 84 if you can.

Masonic Lodge of Research 401’s day is advertised in the March trestleboard of Quinta Essentia Lodge 500 as an awards ceremony and dinner. Both lodges meet at New Haven and, unsurprisingly, share some members in common. One of those is W. Bro. Martin Ede, the highly regarded local historian, scholar, perennial Worshipful Master, etc., who will be honored with the lodge’s wonderfully prestigious James Royal Case Fellowship that day. This research lodge was founded May 6, 1966, so I’m assuming this event also will be a sixtieth (diamond) anniversary bash.

Case (1895-1987) was a Past Master and a Fellow of The ALR, and that lures me too. He was one of those mid-twentieth century American scholars in Masonry prolific in authoring books and research papers. He studied and wrote of histories outside the Masonic Order also, such as the Revolutionary War in Connecticut. His book titles include: 

 ▸ Tryon’s Raid on Danbury, 1777: The Battle of Ridgefield and Gen. David Wooster’s Career

 ▸ Fifty Early American Military Freemasons

 ▸ The Case Collection: Biographies of Masonic Notables, Volumes I and II (for Missouri Lodge of Research)

 ▸ Freemasons at the First Inauguration of George Washington, April 30, 1789 (for the Masonic Service Association)

 ▸ Thank You, Mr. Edwards: A Bicentennial History of the Grand Lodge, AF&AM of Connecticut

 ▸ A History of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in Connecticut

And, unsurprisingly, recent James Royal Case Fellows include familiar Masons, such as Dick Fletcher, Chris Hodapp, Tim Hogan, Arturo de Hoyos, Brent Morris, Roy Wells, and a lot of local talent, including Ron Goldwyn.

Somewhere I had a photo of Case standing in The ALR from, maybe, the sixties. Can’t find it.