History of The Garfield Craft Club

The following is an expert from W.B. George L. Pokos’ book “The History of Garfield Lodge No. 569”

On November 16th, 1944, Worshipful Brother K. Carl Marx, the Master of the lodge in that year, along with a committee headed by Worshipful Brother George Zimmer, met for the purpose of developing and organizing a craft club which would encourage active participation in not only degree work but also broaden the base of lodge activity for all those who would seek such activity.  It would also seek to increase the backlog of qualified brothers who would be proficient in the work of all three degrees, thereby providing the Degree Master with a rich reserve in qualified talent and also to keep the proficiency in degree work on a high level at all times.

Since its inception in 1944, the craft club has enjoyed a long and very successful history in all its endeavors.  Traveling to all corners of the State and throughout the Midwest to exemplify the Master Mason degree in full form, it has made Garfield Lodge known for its precise and accurate work and has been highly complimented by all who have seen its presentation.  To try to list all of the organization’s work consisted not only of degree nights but also the presentation of Brother Carl H. Claudy’s Masonic plays and numerous visits to nearby lodges to help “put on the work.”  No lodge in the area has ever been turned down for a request for help from the Garfield Craft Club and it has filled many an emergency in this respect.