Editorial

Scottish Rite lauds Dosstter

Thursday, October 11, 2007

To the Editor,

The Fort Scott Scottish Rite Masonic bodies will conduct their 218th reunion on Saturday at the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, 110 S. Main St.

The reunion class is named in honor of former 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason Earl Dosstter, who died in August.

Dosstter, a resident of Fort Scott, was very active in his community and in his masonic fraternities. He was a member of the West Liberty United Methodist Church and served as treasurer of the Mercy Health Center Auxiliary, where he volunteered more than 11,000 hours of service.

He served on the Bourbon County Red Cross Board of Directors and the board of directors for The Beacon, a local community assistance program. Dosstter was a former Master of the Fulton Masonic Lodge No. 210 and was a former Patron of the Violet Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.

He was a member of the Mirza Shrine of Pittsburg, served as president of the Shrine Bowl Committee, and was a Shrine Hospital Dad. He joined the Scottish Rite in 1977, was elected as Knights Commander of the Court of Honor in 1993, and coroneted as a 33rd Degree Mason in 2003. He served many years in the Camp Guard and other degrees and served as the chairman of the Greeters Committee.

There are currently six new members enrolled to join the Scottish Rite in this year's reunion class, which will begin with registration at 7 a.m. Saturday. The Scottish Rite degrees will be conferred at 8 a.m., and will continue throughout the day. Lunch and dinner will be served at a cost of $6 per meal. Registration for the reunion will be conducted from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday at the temple.

All Master Masons are invited to join and become a 32nd Degree Mason, supporting the charities of the Scottish Rite, and to learn more about the history and traditions of the Masonic Fraternity through the ages.

The reunion ceremonies have been performed in their current form since 1865. The Valley of Fort Scott has been chartered since 1881, and has a current membership of 1,500 masons. The ceremonies are called a reunion because older members and newer members are able to meet and enjoy the fellowship that has existed for many years.

William R. "Buck" Fischer, a personal representative to the Valley of Fort Scott, is the senior officer of the Valley of Fort Scott. Nearly 100 members of the Valley will be involved with conferrring degrees on new members.

The reunions for the Fort Scott masons are conducted at least two times each year and allow master masons to improve themselves in many ways, including masonic education, community service and moral teachings. To become a 32nd Degree Mason, a man must be a master mason in good standing with his lodge, and have a desire to become better educated as a person and to improve not only himself, but the community and society that he lives in.

Master masons believe in a Supreme Being, are at least 18 years of age, and are recommended to membership by other masons based on their honor, character and moral beliefs.

These six master masons, in becoming 32nd degree Scottish Rite Masons, will join more than 340,000 masons around the worl in an effort to relieve some of the most distressing childhood disorders. The Scottish Rite's RITECARE Childhood Language Disorders Program, now operating in each of 40 Orients in the United States and Puerto Rico, helps thousands of children without regard to race, color, or creed, who are affected with conditions that severly hamper their speaking, reading and writing abilities.

For more information about the RITECARE clinics, or to find out about joining the Scottish Rite Masons, call (620) 223-1330.

Keith Jeffers

Executive Secretary,

Valley of Fort Scott, Scottish Rite Masons