Copyright © 2021 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1923 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Did a model for the Dallas Shrine, which was accepted, and we built it and found we were way too low, as the carpenters managed to put in a lot of time.” The project was for ceremonials activities conducted by Hella Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S. Desert of Texas, Oasis of Dallas.
On May 5, 1923, the “Courier-Gazette” reported, “The Dallas Shriners are making preparations for the entertainment of five thousand Nobles who are to assemble from various sections of the state for the magnificent spectacle and initiation” (McKinney, TX, page 2). A week later, the “Corsicana Daily Sun” reported, “The members of Hella Temple under the leadership of its Potentate Al. H. Reed, will gather in Dallas on Friday, May 11th, for the spring Ceremonial Session at which time it is expected that over four hundred candidates from the jurisdiction will be initiated. A large amount of the fees received by the Dallas Shrine from initiation of candidates is being used in payment of the hospital appropriation. The Dallas Shriners are making preparation of the entertainment of five thousand Nobles who are to assemble from various sections of the state for the magnificent spectacle and initiation” (May 12, 1923, page 8). At the ceremonial held in May the Dallas Shriners took up a collection for their new children’s hospital, raising an additional fund of $9,000” (The Marshall Messenger, 16 June 1923, page 4).
By 1923, Dallas had a membership of over seven thousand Nobles, the greater part of whom resided in the north, east and central Texas (Courier -Gazette, McKinney, TX, 5 May 1923, page 2). At this time, the Masonic Fraternity in the State of Texas numbered over one hundred twenty thousand. Big funds were pouring into the Fraternity, being applied to both charitable works and extravagant membership events.
Although Moses was not yet a Freemason, it was Moses’ past history with the Fraternity in Dallas that helped land the 1923 Shrine project. Moses first painted Masonic scenery for Dallas in 1909, the same years that Sosman & Landis landed six Scottish Rite contracts. Sosman & Landis delivered scenery and stage machinery to the Dallas Scottish Rite. I am including a brief recap of this project, as it provided inroads to other Masonic work in the region, especially the Dallas Shrine.
Although Dallas Scottish Rite was not completed until 1913, degree productions took place on the stage by 1909. The scenery contract for the stage was negotiated by Bestor G. Brown of M. C. Lilley & Co. and subcontracted to Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio. In a July 7, 1912 letter from Brown to William G. Bell of the Austin Scottish Rite, he included information about the Dallas Scottish Rite stage: “the Dallas stage has in the neighborhood of 25,000 lineal feet of wire and rope in its installation.”
On April 26, 1913, the “Dallas Morning News” described the Masonic Cathedral and Architect Herbert M. Green’s contributions. Keep in mind that the theater of the building was referred to as “the great degree room.” The article reported, “The largest stage in Texas is in this degree room – and the largest pipe organ…a 24 feet deep and 60 feet in width. One hundred and nineteen scenic drops are so delicately counterweighted that the stage picture can be changed in two seconds, and if necessary, in the dark.” Here is a link to my post about the 1909 Dallas Scottish Rite scenery project: https://drypigment.net2019/01/26/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-part-627-the-dallas-scottish-rite-1909/
The next time Moses mentioned Masonic projects in Dallas was 1921. While in town working on the Majestic Theatre, he wrote, “During the stay, I furnished a big set for the Shrine which was done in Chicago.” This was in the midst of a massive membership explosion. From 1920 to 1926, Masonic membership in Dalla more than doubled, going from 4,098 to 9,935. This was during a time when lodges all over the country churned out members for the sake of record membership numbers. It is really a perfect example of quantity over quality, and quantity secured unprecedented funding.
Moses was still completing projects for the Dallas Shrine in 1926. That year Moses wrote, “Several drops for the Dallas Shrine gave us another little boost in color, also several drops for Detroit.” The size of Masonic projects kept the studio afloat.
To be continued…
