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Shakespeare Lodge No. 750 Free & Accepted Masons of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York M.˙.W.˙. Vincent Libone, Grand Master W.˙. Michael Daniels, Master |
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Shakespeare Lodge No. 750 Free & Accepted Masons of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York M.˙.W.˙. Vincent Libone, Grand Master W.˙. Michael Daniels, Master |
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Most Worshipful and Right Worshipful's
RW Rudolph Holde (1) Before Grand Master Markewich our most famous RW (although probably no one in the Lodge today ever heard of him) was a man by the name of Rudolphe Holde. RW Brother Holde claimed to have been one of the first or perhaps the first brother raised by Shakespeare in the 1870s. I have my doubts about that. In any event he was the most prominent lecturer of his day in the entire city (though his physical presence was less than imposing - short and fat). I believe there is or are bound volumes of his lectures in the Grand Lodge library. Without further research I can't remember what his appointment was but he was an RW. He moved around a bit and there are notations in the minutes of his traveling from Philadelphia by horse drawn carriage for meetings. He joined other lodges and was Master also of Saint John's lodge. I believe he became a public accountant and worked in government both in NYC and Philadelphia. [DS] (2) Rudolphe Holde was born in Germany on January 17, 1850, and was an importer of Swedish and Norwegian products. After he was raised in Shakespeare Lodge on June 20, 1874, Holde was Master 1894 and 1895. He affiliated in December 1897 with Washington Lodge No. 21. He was appointed Grand Representative for Norway and Sweden near the Grand Lodge of New York in 1904. On November 18, 1909, Holde re-affiliated with Shakespeare. Grand Lodge return of 1909 shows his lodge number is 885, he was a CPA, and resided at 964 Grand Avenue. However, a later return shows his lodge number is 17 (GL 161164), when he was dropped from the role at his own request on May 9, 1914. [WJT]
Here was a very interesting guy. A lawyer and thrice Master of Shakespeare during a turbulent time. Shakespeare lodge in effect split apart during his regime and the rich members formed William Mckinley Lodge (now part of Golden Rule), which built a gorgeous building for their lodge in Harlem (I think 149th and Covent). They lost the property through bankruptcy in the depression, and it was bought by Prince Hall. The building today remains their Grand Lodge building. [DS]
Louie Sable was a very prominent lawyer and leader of the Eighth Manhattan District before our lodge was redistricvted into the Sixth Manhattan, where Sable continued as district head for many years. This was during an era when districts served an important function. Communication was poor and lodges had so many members and so many activities that districts accommodated the ambitious overflow in a like manner to concordant bodies. [DS] Only four years after he was Master of Shakespeare, Louis Sable, another lawyer, was selected as our first District Deputy in 1912. RW Brother Sable was instrumental in the presentation by the Eighth District of the renowned Tompkins Memorial windows in the Chapel at Utica. In 1918 Shakespeare left the Eighth Masonic District to become a charter member of the newly formed Sixth Masonic District. RW Louis Sable led the Sixth District Association until his death in 1955. [DS]
The brother who waited the longest for recognition was W Julius Jacobs who had been raised in 1861 in San Francisco. Brother Jacobs, a decorated and wounded veteran of the Civil War, was Master of Shakespeare in 1882. After serving as perennial Lodge Chaplain for 30 years, he was appointed Grand Representative to Oklahoma in 1916. [DS]
As Shakespeare Lodge grew older we also gained momentum. In 1923 Max "Sunny Jim" Monfried, another lawyer, was appointed District Deputy in recognition of our coming 50th Anniversary. [DS]
In 1930, the year after he was Master, Doctor Philip Horowitz was appointed District Deputy. [DS]
In 1936 the popular Louis Cutler, a jeweler of note and a social chairman par excellence, was pointed Grand Steward. [DS]
1955 saw Samuel Scholnick appointed Grand Sword Bearer. Like RW Cutler, RW Scholnick is a great organizer of social events. His is also well known for his role in the creation and continuance of the Grand Lodge Blood Bank. [DS]
In 1958 the Good Secretary Max Zigas was appointed Grand Director of Ceremonies. Among other things Max was editor of our Club Sandwich and honorary chairman of the District Brotherhood Fund in recognition of the many years that Maxs efforts made Shakespeare the leading contributor to the District. [DS]
RW
Abraham J. Berk In 1964 the adage nice guys finish last proved it doesn't apply to Masonry when Abe Berk was made Shakespeare's fifth District Deputy Grand Master. During our centennial year, RW Abraham J. Berk served as a Director of the Sixth District Association, and on its important Scholarship Assistance Fund, which since its inception has been one of Shakespeare's pet charities. Brother Berk was concurrently secretary to the board of directors of the Sixth District Association. Brother Berk was honorary chairman of many committees, but one stands out. He was chairman of our Centennial Year Celebration Committee. [DS]
RW Raymond Shapson Some Craftsmen come to the Quarries of Freemasonry as mature men and successful
entrepreneurs. So it was with RW Raymond Shapson, who was raised in
Shakespeare Lodge a few months before his 51st birthday. He plunged into
our Lodge's activities and our Craft's ritual like a duck takes to water.
He was one of Lodge's busiest Junior Deacons because of the Lodge's Centennial
activities and the constant visits of the newly elected Grand Master, MW Arthur Markewich. In December 1977, he was elected and installed as
Worshipful Master. Ray always displayed a flair for "Masonic marketing" --
the effort to arouse the interest of our Brothers to attend our communications
and to band together on vacations. With his guidance, a record number of
Brothers traveled to Acapulco for a fun-filled and sun-filled vacation. His
vibrant vision for the Craft was unrelated to his vocation as an optician.
After he left office, he was recognized for his ritualistic prowess by
appointment as an Assistant Grand Lecturer in the Sixth Manhattan District.
Ray was involved in the founding of the Metropolitan Assistant Grand Lecturers
Association (MAGLA). Through MAGLA, he got to know another ritual maven and
maniac for organization -- RW Barry B. Balogh, who was persuaded by
Ray to become Secretary of the Lodge, following the death of RW Ralph
Katz. In 1985, Ray served as President of MAGLA. His work within the
Sixth Manhattan District was recognized in 1984 by his appointment as Grand
Representative of the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin near the Grand Lodge of New
York. This was a suitable post for a "big cheese" in our Lodge. As a further
recognition of his labors, Ray was elected to two consecutive three-year
terms as a Director on the Board of Directors of the Sixth Masonic District
Association of Manhattan, Inc. When he sold his business in 1990, he and
wife, Faye, relocated to the Ft. Lauderdale area of Florida. Ray passed away
in July 2001; Faye passed away in April 2005. [SR]
RW Morris M. Karp
| Raised ? | |
| Master 1964 | |
| Chairman, Constitution and Bylaws Committee | |
| Probable service on the Sixth District Board or one or more committees | |
| Grand Representative of Virginia (1982) | |
| Chairman, Arrangements Committee for 40th Anniversary of MW Arthur Markewich's appointment as DDGM (1988) |
In 1971 Brother Ralph Katz was elevated to Grand Steward. Like RW Cutler and Scholnick, RW Ralph Katz led the Lodge through many outstanding social activities. Trips to distant lands were his specialty. He also ran great dinner dances the bigger the better and for this reason he was selected by the Sixth District to be in charge of their annual charity dinner dance for many years. [DS]
RW Barry B. Balogh
RW Barry B. Balogh continued a lengthy family involvement with Freemasonry. He and his brother, W Robert Balogh, were raised by his father, Bro. Arthur Balogh, who had been raised by his father, Bro. Joseph Balogh. Barry was raised in 1955 in Keystone Lodge, in the Second Manhattan District, and served as Master in 1963. Over the next 19 years, he was AGL, organizer of dozens testimonials and honor nights, Master of two other Lodges in that District, and Founding President of the Metropolitan Assistant Grand Lecturers Association (MAGLA). In 1982, he was appointed DDGM to represent MW Ernest Leonardi in the Second Manhattan District. A few months after completing his term as DDGM, Barry accepted the offer from Shakespeare Lodge to assume the duties of Secretary. In December 1983, he was elected Secretary and succeeded the late RW Ralph Katz. In 1988, the Master of Shakespeare Lodge, W Sheldon Richman, and the Master of Keystone National Lodge, W Louis Rosenthal, organized a Silver Anniversary Testimonial and Roast to honor Barry's 25th Anniversary as Master of Keystone Lodge. The two co-Roastmasters General were Barry's brother, Arthur, and Barry's broker, W David Rosenthal. Barry, who usually needled everyone, recognized that many Masons would look forward to "getting even" by volunteering to roast him. So, he insisted that every Roaster must contribute at least $25 to the Shriners Hospitals Fund. Over 100 Masons turned out for the testimonial dinner, and the Shriners Hospitals Fund received a check for $1,300. At the end of 1988, W Sheldon Richman was completing his second consecutive term and neither Warden was willing to assume the burdens of Master in 1989. Barry and Shelley suggested an unusual arrangement: an office swap, where Barry would serve as Master and Shelley would serve as Secretary, provided Barry would reassume the post of Secretary in 1990. In his fourth term as a Master, Barry presided over the initiation, passing, and raising of his son, Bro. J. Franklin Balogh. The Sublime Degree of Master Mason was conferred in November 1989 by Past District Deputy Grand Masters who were current or former members of MAGLA; the Second Section of the Degree was performed by the New York City Police Square Club Degree Team. Barry again was elected Secretary in December 1989. Four months later, on April 4, 1990, he died suddenly on his way to assist Shakespeare's Officers in conferring the Degree of Entered Apprentice. The eulogy at his Masonic funeral service on April 7 was delivered by MW Arthur Markewich. Barry's widow, Sandra Balogh, passed away on August 16, 2003 in Florida. [SR]
MW Arthur Markewich Has someone been forgotten? Not really. The best was saved for last:
Most Worshipful Arthur Markewich
The icing on the cake, the cherry on the top, the ultimate recognition. Son of Brother Sam Markewich (67 years a member of Shakespeare), sibling of two Masons and father of two more. MW Arthur Markewich started as an Assistant District Attorney, became a Magistrate, was elected to the City Court, then to the Supreme Court, and was elevated to a position as a Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, First Judicial Department. To countless Senior Wardens about to take over the helm of Shakespeare Lodge, Arthur has been a source of advice, help and inspiration. Until his election as Grand Master, he was the respected leader of our Conference of Past Masters. To all Shakespeareans, he is brother. No greater honor could be bestowed upon Shakespeare Lodge in our centennial year than to have one of our own members selected as the leader of all Masons within our Grand Lodge. How far we had come in first 100 years! [DS]
Commentary by:
DS-RW Daniel S. Semel
SR-RW Sheldon B. Richman
WJT-William J. Thomas
RW Enrique Castillo
RW Stanley A. Schimmel
