The Order of DeMolay was founded in 1919, in Kansas City, Missouri,
by a young man named Frank S.
Land. Land was a community leader who, at the age of 28, already
had a successful business career as a
restaurateur behind him.
The main event that lead to the founding of the DeMolay movement was
World War I. This was a time
when the nation was caught up with a passion and desire to bring democracy
to the world. When the
United States joined in the fight against German power, every resource
of men and materials was poured
into the war effort. America suffered not only the loss of its
men who had fallen in battle, but on the
homefront as well. A positive response to this critical situation
came about with the development of many
charitable organizations. Frank S. Land was selected to act as
the director of the Masonic Relief and
Employment Bureau of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. This charity
would come to help hundreds and
hundreds of families.
Near the end of the war, Land became concerned with the problems of
boys who had lost their fathers. He
thought "how lonely it must be for a boy not to have a man to talk
with, or a man to provide some type of
inspiration and direction." Frank decided there was a need for
an organization where boys would have the
opportunity to associate with other boys, a place they could share
common interests, learn responsibility
and other skills that would benefit them throughout their lives.
His ideal model for this organization included
having business or professional men, Masons, taking interest in the
young people, being a friend to them,
advising them, and perhaps even providing them with employment opportunities.
In March, 1919, Land met with young Louis Lower. Louis' father
had died, leaving the young man without a
father figure in his life. Land took the time to listen to Louis,
learn about his dreams, and to help him. He
learned that others, like Louis, sought companionship, leadership,
inspiration and competition. He asked
Louis to invite some friends to a meeting, the original group of nine
DeMolays: Louis G. Lower, Ivan M.
Bentley, Edmund Marshall, Gorman A. McBride, Jerome Jacobson, William
W. Steinhilber, Elmer Dorsey,
Clyde C. Stream, and Ralph Sewell. At the second meeting, there was
a total of 31 young men present.
They were excited about their new club!
The group needed its own identity and its own name. After Dad
Land related the story of Jacques
DeMolay, the group decided to name itself for this historical figure
connected with Masonry.
Dad Land, as he came to be called, provided the philosophy and principles
to be embodied. As interest in
DeMolay spread, Land answered many requests for information and authority
to start chapters. Initiations
and ceremonies took place in all locations. By the fall of 1920,
Mother Chapter had developed activities for
its members as well. These included an outstanding baseball team,
a DeMolay marching unit, and even a
100-piece band!
By the end of 1921, Dad Land realized he had to devote full time to
this new organization and become a full
time DeMolay employee. As DeMolay chapters grew in numbers and
strength, the organization as a whole
grew in prestige. With this greater prestige, interest developed
in the Masonic fraternity. Official recognition
and approval by Masonic groups began giving their seal of approval
to foster DeMolay in their states. Many
distinguished organizations endorsed DeMolay including the General
Grand Chapter of Royal Arch
Masons, Grand Lodges, Knights Templar, etc.
A devoted champion of Freemasonry and of its teachings, Land would become
a figure of international
prominence within Masonry, eventually becoming Imperial Potentate of
the Shrine of North America. He
counted among his friends U.S. Congressmen, state governors, movie
and radio stars, military leaders,
leaders of industry, Presidents of the U.S. and a veritable legion
of young men in their teens.
Dad Land worked tirelessly for the Order of DeMolay until his death
on November 8, 1959. Hundreds of
other devoted workers aided in the creation and extension of the Order
of DeMolay, but looked to one man
for guidance. Frank S. Land was the charismatic leader of the Order.
Frank S. Land was truly a great man,
a proud American, and a person who came to be known by millions, simply
as "Dad". Frank Land's life
touched, and continues to impact generation after generation of young
people, young men looking to better
themselves by emulating the lessons and examples by which he himself
lived.
Copyright: 1999-2000, Christopher D'Allaird
Revised- January 25, 2000
URL: http://home.nycap.rr.com/unclesamdemolay/landbio.html