The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1920-05-06
Impressive Ceremonies Mark Breaking Of Ground
For Two Million Dollar Edifice; Picturesque
Parade Followed by Imposing Exercises at
Temple Site; Governor Robertson Makes Plea
For Sanity; General Freeman In Strong Ap-
peal; Present Temple to Go to Masonic
Orphans Home.

0rvel ] Johnson. oklahoma CITY
president. Thos. T. Blaaley, Okm
gee. first vice president. Rufus A
Underwood. Tulsa, second yice- -presl.
dent: Judge h. NJ. Bailey, Chicksshs
secretary-treasurer ", H. Garrat
Shattuck, historian Committee was
named 10 confer With Secretary Derr
and board OF control relative 10 auy-
ing and Installing suitable class
memorial either in the Cathedral or
on the Campus
by the grare OF God. here now
and hereon dedicate this spadeful OF
soil to the new temple OF knowledge
aud enlightenment. and here | hope
to see eGAhrined monument To the
worth and services OF Free Masonry.
May God prosper the Scottish Rite
consistory OF the Orient OF Okla
homa, tho valley of Guthrie and the
southern Jurisdiction OF the United
States of America
With silver spade, filled with
fresh sod. poised In the air, Deputy
Sovereign Inspector General Perry
Freeman thus performed the first Of
ficial act in the actual construction
OF the new Scottish Rite temple. 20
cost more than two million dollars,
on the northeast corner OF Capital
Park at high noon, Thursday
Impressive Scene.
India Shrine band accompanied the
solemn benediction with the strains
OF America The act OF the Soy
ereign Inspector General was the sie
nal for General barrage of sod-dig
ging and within fifteen minutes tive
hundred spades and shoyels had ex-
changed hands from ten TO fifty
times. as Scottish Rite Masons filed
alongside a battery OF army dump
carts, plotlshed the ground and pitch
ed the excayated soil into the carts.
Two moving picture machines In thr
offing registered the action Thu
terminated one OF the most deepi,
impressive ceremonies ever held sine,
the foundation OF the city.
Parade to Temple Site.
While the huge class at the temple
was being given the finals In The
Thirtieth Degree at IN O'Clock thu
morning. the various units OF a parade
we're aoing assembled in the sidl
streets. adjacent to the Temple
As the class poured forth from th,
Temple the parade was already Il
motion. going west on Harrison
headed by Chief Mitchell and polio,
mounts and the India Shrine band o.
Oklahoma City
Following came the Temple Guards
eight motor cars with speakers, and
the Eastern Star
At this point the class Of 700 joined
the line. followed by members OF al
blue lodges, Shriners, visiting Rite
men, and all Masons unassigned
Next came autos filled with ladle,
who serve at the temple during the
reunions. citizens on foot and II
autos. In columns four deep the line
moved TO First street. thence to Ok
lahoma avenue and east on Okla
homa to the Temple site In Capital
Park. II was an imposing parade
At the park only official motor cars
were allowed inside the grounds
Here great crowd had gathered ne
fore the parade came in
Big Crowd at Grounds.
On raised platform near the spot
where the corner stone will be laid
the ceremonies TOOK place.
Invocation was pronounced by Rev
Geo. o. Nichols. after which Frank
H. MCGUIRE. master OF ceremonies. In
introducing Secretary Frank Derr
paid neat tribute 10 Guthrie and
the consistory of Oklahoma He
briefly traced the growth Of the con
sistory in this valley how il had
overflowed the present temple which
fifteen years ago was regarded as
too large, and referred to tho good
will of the city In voting the present
magnificent site 10 the Scottish Rite.
He referred TO the tender OF the pres
ent Rite temple TO the consistory for
the state Masonic orphans home now
located at Darlington.
Orphans Home in Present Temple.
Secretary Frank .Derr. in an illu-
minative Masonic talk. likewise re-
ferred 20 the orphans home location
which drew forth much applause