Dyslexia Centers Started Here...

For over two decades, the Scottish Rite Masons of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction have been national leaders in the effort to help children and their families overcome the painful obstacles of dyslexia. With more than 50 active Dyslexia Centers in 13 states, the Children's Dyslexia Centers tackle the challenge of dyslexia head-on, both by providing free tutoring for children with dyslexia and by training a growing cadre of highly skilled and dedicated tutors.

How many of you know that it all started here in Boston with one small center in Newtonville?  In 1992, Ill. J. Philip Berquist, 33°, PGM, and Past Thrice Potent Master of Boston Lafayette Lodge of Perfection, and a small group of dedicated local Freemasons set out to change the world – at least the world of children affected by dyslexia. In collaboration with the Reading Disabilities Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, those men opened, in July 1993, what was to become the first of more than 50 children’s dyslexia centers.  Today known as... 

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Ill∴ Robert Johnston, 33º Receives Honor Flight

As Robert Johnston, 90, stood at the World War II Memorial 67 years after serving in the Marines, he thought of his best friend who was killed at the Battle of Saipan. Johnston, a second lieutenant who earned a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts at Saipan and Iwo Jima, said being able to visit the memorial for the first time gave him a chance to reflect.

“It’s so good to be here and to think back about the people that didn’t make it, unfortunately,” said the Stoneham resident.

“We had almost 100 percent casualties,” he said. “If somebody wasn’t wounded, he was a lucky person. And I was a lucky person.”

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Tomorrow's Wine Tasting Postponed

Passport Journeys

One of the things we often lose sight of in Masonry is that the histories of our organizations are told through the eyes of our members. Our members also hold the key to unlocking the future of Masonry one day at a time. Bro. David Narkunas, 32º, has submitted his musings to the Valley surrounding the recent completion of his second Scottish Rite Masonic passport.

David has compiled a comprehensive F.A.Q. which will be featured on a weekly basis here about his experiences in the Rite. Want to submit content to us for use in the newsletters or on our website? Contact us via e-mail or share your content with us via our Google Drive at valleyofboston@gmail.com. 

Dear Brethren:

Some of you may have heard I’ve completed my 2nd passport for the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR). I’ve received many questions from Masons all over the NMJ with respect to my AASR travels. I tend to hear a lot of the same questions repeatedly, so I figured I’d put down the answers to these questions in a simple Q&A format:

Q: How old are you? Where and for how long have you been a Mason? What Scottish Rite Valley are you from?

A: I’m 36 years old and have been a Mason at Columbian Lodge in Boston, MA for two and a half years. I’ve been in the Scottish Rite just over two years. I actually belong to two Valleys: the Valley of Boston, MA and the Valley of Nashua, NH. Boston is my mother Valley where I received my 32°. I currently live and work in NH, so it made sense to also join the Valley of Nashua.

Q: So you’ve completed your 2nd passport now?

A: Right. The first passport was...

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