Evening star., 1926-12-28
CRATz T. DUNKUM
TO HEAD MASONS
Deputy Made Grand Master
of Order Here-Lodge
Record Notable.

Gratz e. Dunkum, deputy grant
master, was unanimously elected
grand master of Masons in the Dis
trict of Columbia at the st. Johns
day stated communication of the
Grand Lodge, +. A. A. NJ, last night
in Masonic Temple, Thirteenth street
and New York avenue. He succeeds
Grand Master Sydney r. Jacobs, who
had been the head of blue lodge
Masonry in this jurisdiction since
December 2S, 1925.
Elected to the foot of the Grand
Lodge official line as Junior grand
steward ten years ago, Mr.. Dunkum
progressed through the various places
and stations in orderly succession
until last evening, when he reached
the pinnacle.
The vacancy at the foot of the Off
cial line was filled by the election of
Clyde ]. Nichols. past master OF
Joppa Lodge, No. 35. as Junior grand
steward. In the natural course of
events he will rise to the high office
of grand master in December, 1886
unless the procedure now in vogue
should be changed.
j. T. Gibbs Advanced.
At the election last night Senior
Grand Warden James T. Gibbs was
advanced TO the office of deputy
grand master, Junior Grand Master
Wisdom d. Brown to the Office OF
senior grand warden, Grand Marshal
James A. West to the Office of Junior
grand warden, Senior Grand Deacon
G. Fred Cook to the office of grand
marshal, Junior Grand Deacon
Reuben A. Bogley to the office OF
senior grand deacon. Grand Sword
bearer Harry G. Kimball to the office
of Junior grand deacon, Grand Pursui
want Vernon G. owen to the Office of
grand sword bearer. Senior Grand
Steward George r. Davis to the office
of grand pursuivant. and Junior
Grand Steward Robert S. Regar to
the office of senior grand steward.
Frank M. Roller, past master of
st. Johns Lodge, No. IL, chairman
of the Grand Lodge committee on work
and lectures, was elected grand
lecturer to succeed Grand Lecturer
Bert V. Wolfe, who resigned recently.
Mr.. Roller had served as grand
lecturer, under appointment, since
November 26. The following were
reelected: Past Grand Master j.
Claude KEEPER as grand secretary,
Arvine w. Johnston as grand sec
retary emeritus, Past Grand Master
Charles E. Baldwin as grand trea-
surer, Rev. John c. Palmer as grand
chaplain; Rev. Charles E. Fultz as
assistant grand chaplain and Past
Master William p. Herbst of Hiram
Lodge, No. 10, as grand tiler.
Has Notable Record.
The new grand master is an out
standing figure in Masonry and has
q notable Masonic record During
the last few years he has been most
active as chairman of the United Ma
sonic Temple Committee, under the
direction of which Temple Heights
the former Dean estate, fronting on
Florida avenue-"the million-dollar
Site has been acquired for a mag
nificent new Masonic temple.
Grand Master Dunkum is slated to
be grand commander of the Grand
Commandery, knights Templer, in
two years, now holding the Office of
grand generalissimo of the Grand
Commandery. He is past grand in
structor general of the Grand Com
mandery. He is also past grand
patron of the Grand Chapter, Order
of the Eastern Star. Other Masonic
Affiliations are: Member and past
master of La Fayette Lodge, No. 19:
member of Anaeostia Royal Arch
Chapter, No. II; member of Adoniram
Council, No. 2, Royal and Select
Masters; member and past commander
of De Molay Commandery, No. 4, K.
t.; member of the Mithras Lodge of
Perfection, Evangelist Chapter, Rose
Croix, Robert de Bruce Council of
Kadosh and Albert Pike Consistory
all of the Scottish Rite; member of
Almas Temple, Mystic Shrine; member
OF Kallipolis Grotto, No. Is, Yelled
Prophets; member of the Gavel Ma
sonic Club; member of Royal Order of
Scotland; member and past patron of
Electa Chapter, No. 2, Order of the
Eastern Star, and second vice presi-
dent of the Masonic Veteran Associa-
tton of the District of Columbia.
Was Joppa Lodge Master.
Clyde J. Nichols, the new junior
grand steward, was made a Master
Mason in Columbia Lodge, No. 8, in
1900. He was active in the organiZa-
tion of and is a charter member of
Joppa Lodge, No. 35, chartered De-
cember Is, 1920, and held office as its
first master of ceremonies. He served
as master of Joppa Lodge-which is
one of the outlying" lodges of the
jurisdiction, owning its own temple
at 4209 Ninth street, Petworth-dur-
dent of the Association of Worshipful
Masters of 1925 and served as chair
man of the Masonic and Eastern Star
field day committee for that year.
Mr.. Nichols is a member of Pet.
worth Chapter. Royal Arch Masons;
of Mount Pleasant Council, No. 5,
Royal and Select Masters; of Kallipolis
GrottO, Yelled Prophets; of the Pet
worth Masonic Club; was president of
the Gavel Club of Master Masons dur.
ing 1923, 1924 and 1925; is now presi.
dent of the Petworth Citizens Asso-
citation and is member of the City
Club and of the Washington Board
of Trade
The retiring grand master was pre-
sented with an elaborate Oriental rug
by the fraternity, and a past grand
masters jewel by the Grand Lodge
the address Of presentation in con
nection with the rug being made by
Edward 5. Brashears., president of the
Association of Worshipful Masters OF
1926, and that in connection with the
jewel by Grand Secretary J. Claude