It's no secret; Masons do good work in our community
I found out a lot more about Phil Pinto this week. He is the current Master of The Dalles Masonic Lodge, and the organization just earned the 2020 Outstanding Philanthropic Group by Mid-Columbia Health Foundation. The Masons provide an immense amount of support to local students and teachers and the community at large.
By Tom Peterson
In my work here at CCCNews what truly keeps me going is the serendipity that occurs almost on a daily basis and the fascinating rabbit holes I get to travel.
Take, for instance, Phil Pinto.
What is the Square and Compasses?
This symbol consists of three core elements: the square, the compasses, and the letter “G.” The square and compasses are considered to be the tools of the architect and builder, which are used to teach the lessons of the symbolic lodge. To understand the meaning of the whole, it is necessary to break down the significance of each element.
The Square
The square, or builder’s square, is two equal flat-edged metal or wooden arms fixed that form a perfect “right angle” – or 90-degree angle. This tool is critical in stonemasonry because it allows craftsmen to draw and carve perfect square corners. Having perfectly square corners when building is critical to ensuring buildings do not lean and are structurally strong and sound. In Freemasonry, this symbol is used to teach lessons of morality. The notion that being “square” in your actions implies being honest and fair.
The Compasses
Most people likely know the compasses best from their geometry class. This tool consists of two legs equal in length that are fixed together at their apex by an adjustable hinge. In Geometry, it is used for drawing perfect circles and arcs, a crucial element of architectural planning. In speculative Masonry, the compasses symbolize self-restraint and man’s ability to reign in his yearnings so that he may live a balanced life.
In the teachings of Freemasonry, the compasses are symbolically employed to draw a boundary line around our desires to avoid overindulgence and maintain moderation, the foundation of morality and wisdom. Taken together, the square and compasses can serve as a reminder that acting truly towards others and balancing one’s own needs will lead to a life of integrity.
I met Phil on Sept. 18. I was walking around west 8th Street at 8 a.m., looking for my morning photo of catching people doing good work.
Pinto, as his neighbors well know, was working on his home that morning, adding on to a shed. He was fine with a photo, and he even took me on a tour of his home, proud of the major renovations he and his wife, Melody, had done in the past eight years.
Phil was generous and kind to me, a complete stranger asking for help with a weird photo request.
Well, then the phone rang last week.
It was the same Phil Pinto.
He asked me to meet him outside at Clock Tower Ales earlier this week. I agreed, and we got together on Wednesday.
But Phil did not look the same. Instead of jeans and a bandana, he wore a suit.
Something was afoot.
You see, Phill, as it turns out, is also a Lodge Master… at The Dalles Masonic Lodge. It is located on the second floor of Clock Tower Ales downtown The Dalles.
And he had an accomplice, Hewitt Hillis, the Junior Warden, a man with institutional knowledge of the organization. Fred Wendt, Secretary, and John Adams, Treasurer, were also there to give me a tour of the lodge and explain a dram of the traditions and vernacular of the organization, as there are many, and it would take years to learn them all as many of their 72 current members have.
But first things first.
Community Service
MId Columbia Health Foundation recently named the Masonic Lodge, Wasco #15 the 2020 outstanding Philanthropy group.
This is why:
The lodge has given away 144 bicycles to local elementary students through raffles that reward students for reading books. Bikes have gone to students at Maupin, Dufur, Mosier, Dry Hollow Elementary, Chenowith Elementary and Col. Wright Elementary.
Circle of Masonry chart, noting its 33 Degrees and Orders of FreeMasonry.
The Lodge has also been handing out scholarships to high school seniors in the area for the past three decades.
They contribute money to the weekend backpack program to help students coming from economically disadvantaged situations.
The Lodge pays for art-class scholarships for students at The Dalles Art Center.
They donate money to the Start Making A Reader Today program, which features volunteers and students reading together at local schools.
They contribute to the First Books program, providing literature to children ages “baby to six-years-old.” They also make donations to teacher grant programs, so teachers can purchase materials or services outside of their district’s normal reach to enhance the education of children in our community.
In three words: They help kids.
Have you ever heard the word hoodwinked? It comes from the Masons, who cover the eyes of initiates to represent going from darkness or ignorance to light or knowledge. This hoodwink sits in a display case at the Lodge.
“It is the nicest thing I’ve ever gotten to do,” said Pinto. “I am proud to be at this Lodge. I have wanted to be a Mason since I was 16. The G and the emblems - the square and compass - I wanted to know what they meant.”
Pinto has found out in his last eight years of being a Mason.
The G by the way, stands for God in one interpretation. Masons must believe ins a supreme being, the definition of which can vary, Hillis said.
For instance, President George Washington was a Mason and he believed, however not in any particular religious reference.
In The Dalles Masonic Lodge hangs the first banner of the Masons organization.
Looking at Washington's theological beliefs, it is clear that he believed in a Creator God of some manner, and seemingly one that was also active in the universe. This God had three main traits; he was wise, inscrutable, and irresistible. Washington referred to this God by many names, but most often by the name of "Providence." This according to mountvernon.org.
Hillis, who served as Lodge Master, pointed to the Circle of Masonry chart, noting its 33 Degrees and Orders of FreeMasonry.
There is much education that comes with being a Mason.
Order of Knights Templar, Order of The Red Cross, Shriners, The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, DeMolay International are all in the mix.
Hillis also pointed to the pictures lining the lodge walls of every Lodge Master, dating back to 1857. The names Condon, Olney, O’Dell, Snipes - names of Streets and communities in our area are steeped in this hallowed hall.
Phil Pinto will also adorn that wall.
“I enjoy doing things for the kids,” Pinto said.
“Brother, Masons, Widows, Orphans,” Hillis added.
So, that’s Phil Pinto.
And that’s why I love this job.
Final Note
The Masons are open to new members and hold meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. Those interested in joining the organization can knock on the door at 7 p.m. on those days.
in the Hall of The Dalles Masonic Lodge, Phil Pinto is all smiles with a recent award from Mid-Columbia Health Foundation. In the back, Fred Wendt and John Adams work on a display of their plaque.
The Dalles Masonic Lodge Junior Warden Hewitt Hillis and Lodge Master Phil Pinto point out the Order of Knights Templar seen in this historic photo at the lodge. It is dated 1929 and shows the Order at the Pulpit Rock Easter sermon. The Dalles Masonic Lodge will be in attendance at the sermon this Easter. It will be the 98th year of doing so, said Hillis.
A close up of the historic photo above.
The Dalles Masonic Lodge ware recently recognized by the Mid-Columbia Health Foundation for their impactful work as a philanthropic group. Outstanding.
Is there a building with more mystique in The Dalles? The former Wasco County Courthouse, now Clock Tower Ales, is also home to The Dalles Masonic Lodge, Wasco #15. It is through these doors and on the second floor.
