Worshipful Brother Henry Burgay Staley, Jr. served as Secretary of Ocean Lodge for 46 years. He was last elected to serve the 1999 term, but had already experienced some difficulties of health. Brother Staley attended, and recorded the minutes for, the January 11, 1999 meeting of the Lodge, the last assembly of this body he was able to attend.

Burgay, as he was universally known, had dedicated no small portion of his life and energies to the preservation and prosperity of Ocean Lodge. During his administration, no question of import to the Lodge, its properties, or its procedures went unaddressed to Burgay. The maintenance of the building, nominally reserved to the Trustees of the Lodge, fell to him as being most available (and, no doubt, most able) to provide for it. The administration of the Lodge funds was, to the greatest extent, also part of his de facto duties. Officers of the Lodge would remember fondly the annual audit meetings, typically held at Brother Staleys house on Quail Run, north of Brunswick, quite near Glynco, site of the former Naval Air Station, later the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

At these meetings, the officers would typically be entertained with coffee, tea, lemonade, and refreshments while a brief overview of the financial transactions of the Lodge was presented and the books were balanced. Then would begin our lessons in the history of Ocean Lodge, recounted as fond anecdotes by Brother Staley, and perhaps, Brother I.E. Davis, Brother Bill Roach, Brother Hal Sigmon, and Brother Tommy Hutcherson.

It was here that we learned much of what is not written in the minutes concerning, for example, the construction of the Lodge Hall on Parkwood Drive during the early 1950s. The second story floor is a monolithic concrete pour, supported, finally, by a mere handful of columns, encompassing massive free-spans. During the concrete pour, however, the pans comprising the forms were supported by hundreds of props fashioned of 4 x 4 lumber. According to Burgay, the props had to be timely removed the next day, and it fell to one man, Burgay, and his sledgehammer, to accomplish this. (On a completely unrelated note, I have recently discovered that the childhood home of Mrs. Fahs, the former Celia Readdick, was partially composed of these same 4 x 4s, her father and Burgay having been close friends.)

From time to time during these informal meetings (and seldom anywhere beyond their scope) mention would be made of the founding origins of Brunswick Lodge No. 717, and the effect that event had had on the members of Ocean Lodge. Sufficient time has passed that I will here note the extent to which I understand the matter, the principal players in the drama having nearly all expired. While I had labored for years under the misapprehension that it had much to do with matters financial, and greatly concerned the construction and relocation of the Lodge, this was in fact unrelated, as I now am given to understand.

I have lately been told that it was, in fact, the failure of Ocean Lodge to advance by election its Senior Warden at the time to the position of Master that engendered the entire imbroglio. (I have personally witnessed such a failure to advance, in a Lodge where I sat as visitor, and it was not a pretty sight). Apparently, words were spoken, names were called, threats were made, the wounds of which never healed even over the course of nearly 50 years. And, a schism occurred in the Lodge which caused the departure of many members to form Brunswick Lodge. It was the coincidence in time, and the reluctance of any of the parties involved to discuss the matter, that had led many of us to misunderstand the nature of the break.

Brother Staley first determined to have these minutes bound for preservation. After his death, Brother Bill Roach, the Treasurer as well as an officer in the Grand Lodge of Georgia line of officers, accompanied me to the Staley home, where we removed such items belonging to the Lodge as Brother Staley had seen fit to keep at his home. These included the bound minute books of the Lodge.

While arranging these volumes in the Lodge Hall, I noted that minutes comprising what would have been several volumes were missing. After a suitable time had passed, I asked Mrs. Staley if she had any ideas concerning the missing minute books. She was well aware that they were missing, and noted that it had been one of Burgays greatest regrets that he had never been able to find them. I infer that their disappearance motivated Brother Staley to have the remainder bound, in hopes that they could be more carefully preserved.

Brother Staley had been one of the partners in South Georgia Mill Works, a local business that enjoyed a sterling reputation for excellence in every facet of its operations. He and Brother Jesse Newbern were partners in this business for nearly 40 years before health considerations forced the retirement of Brother Newbern.

Brother Staley was also a member of the First United Methodist Church in Brunswick, on Norwich Street. That body, too, enjoyed the benefits of his dedication and skill.

Matthew Jacob Permar, Matt to his friends, was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, but is Glynn County to the core. Having grown up here, he went off to college, and after graduation worked for the Sea Island Company, until being brought into the family business, The Islander newspaper, as editor. Brother Permar served as Master for the 1997 term with great success.

During Brother Permars tenure, the Lodge not only celebrated the Eighth Annual Hirams Island Ceremony, but the 140th Anniversary of the Lodge, as well. A copy of the program of the anniversary celebration is bound in these minutes, and will be both entertaining and enlightening to any student of Lodge and local history. Also during this time, an unusually large number of affiliated members came into the Lodge, at least one of whom went on to become Master.

Worshipful Brother Skip Eggleston followed Brother Permar as Master, and had the pleasure of raising his son into Masonry. Brother Eggleston the younger had been an outstanding member of our Don R. Roberts Chapter of the Order of DeMolay, and had served as State Master Councilor, and been Chevalier, the two highest honors a young man can receive in that body.

Worshipful Brother Jesse Robert Jones, Jr. had the unusual opportunity and honor of having Brother Jesse Robert Jones, Sr. serve as his Senior Deacon. We believe that it is most rare to see a father follow the son through the chairs.

C. James Allen, former District Deputy to the Grand Master for the eleventh Masonic District, was elected to preside over Ocean Lodge for the 2001 term, making our Lodge the fourth in which he had so served. Brother Allen enjoys plural membership with other local Lodges, and was later elected to serve as Master of Golden Isles Lodge No. 707, the fifth Lodge to come under his direction and guidance.

During the period covered by this book, the method of governance of aspects of the Lodge by the Trustees was changed. We had been so blessed to have, for many years, the long-term help of brilliant, successful men in the positions of Trustee that, when it became impossible, for reasons of age or health, that they continue to serve, we were loath to replace them. To that extent, the burden on the membership was increased, because we could not bear to make actual demands of men who had so faithfully served us, and yet had become incapable of continuing to do so. Neither had we the heart to tell them that they would be replaced.

Let me be clear, here; no one feels that we should have done otherwise. These men serving as Trustees, though in name only, enjoyed widespread respect and admiration both within and without the fraternity, and it had been an honor to list these distinguished names as Trustees of our Lodge, no matter what their circumstances or ours.
Nevertheless, the time finally arrived when it was clear that we needed a new procedure. New by-laws were approved that ensured that the three principal officers of the Lodge would be Trustees, and that three additional Trustees would be elected for staggered three-year terms. This has allowed a more active and participatory management of the facilities of the Lodge.

Virtually all of Freemasonry is traditional, and Ocean Lodge is no exception. An understanding and appreciation of what has transpired and been recorded in these minutes might be better achieved by including a mention of some recent history of the Lodge. For a fuller history of Ocean Lodge, refer to that paper developed in 1914 by N.H. Ballard, the first Grand Master of Masons in Georgia to be a member of Ocean Lodge. Also refer to the talk delivered at the 140th Anniversary Celebration by H.B. Staley, and contained in this volume.

The first Lodge Hall constructed in Brunswick for the purpose was in one of the City Squares, perhaps Hanover Square. It was a wooden two-story structure, the ground floor of which was leased to the City and served as City Hall. The location of interim locations is being researched at this writing (October 2003). The Lodge during the first half of the twentieth century was located in a two-story building on Newcastle Street known as Dubbs Jewelers. Our understanding is that the Lodge owned this building and leased out the retail space on the ground floor. We think that the Lodge Hall had been occupied for sufficiently long a time that it required, and was given, a remodeling in 1938. That building, at this writing, is owned by our Brother Ned Cash, and is used for his jewelry business. The upper floor remains virtually untouched, just as the Lodge left it.

It had been traditional through the centuries that Lodges throughout the world met on the upper floor of a building, probably as an aid to Tyling, or the maintenance of privacy during their meetings. This tradition has been maintained in Ocean Lodge through the foresight of Brethren such as Russell Tuten, I.E. Davis, John M. McClurd, Burgay Staley, John Kaufman, and others. The form of the structure currently occupied by physicians offices below and the Lodge above has been a continuing boon to the local fraternity. During the first decade of the twenty-first century, while Lodges throughout the nation are in financial distress, Ocean Lodge has prospered financially through the management of these facilities.

We remind ourselves that the Lodge is not a building, but rather an assembly of Masons. Nevertheless, the Hall in which we meet is significant both for its prominence in what is now one of the busiest areas of the city, and for the financial support it generates. We also remind ourselves that a comfortable Lodge of pleasing appearance is a delight to the Brethren and encourages attendance and participation. We have been particularly fortunate in these regards, as well.

From time to time, situations arise that test the limits to which we are bound by tradition. An example of such concerns our building, as well. Some time ago, a man petitioned the Lodge for membership and clearly did not meet the qualifications required. He was a man of such sterling character and experience that, despite the utter impossibility of his meeting the physical requirements of membership, the Lodge was unanimous in determining that we would let neither tradition nor regulation hinder his joining the fraternity, nor deny us the benefit of his association. This determination has had unexpectedly beneficial consequences.

In due time, by dispensation of the Grand Lodge of Georgia, the gentleman was elected and became a member in good standing, despite his confinement to a large, battery-powered wheelchair. For some time, the younger, stronger members pulled, lifted and tugged him and his chair (a combined weight of between 400 and 500 pounds) up and down the long flight of terrazzo stairs to the upper room. It took no great amount of time thus before the Lodge became convinced of the wisdom of installing an elevator. The large investment was discussed at great length and the question became so important that, to avoid division in the Lodge, the question was put to secret ballot, and passed.

What was not contemplated or discussed at the time was the large, post-World War II boom in membership culminating in the 1950s was rapidly aging. The benefits to the Lodge, as our membership has matured, have been incalculable. From time to time the seats in the Lodge are filled almost exclusively with men of retirement age and well beyond, many of whom would be far less comfortable, and less likely to attend, without the elevator.
Likewise, the construction, in 1990, of a kitchen and dining room in the part of the Lodge formerly used for storage has encouraged attendance, since the Lodge is able to serve dinner before each meeting.

Concerning the membership boom just mentioned, a student of Ocean Lodge and Masonic history might review the minutes of the meetings of the early 1950;s, and compare them to the minutes of virtually any other epoch of the Lodge. Meeting after meeting, the minutes record petitions read, degrees conferred, examinations passed by, usually, several members at a time. The reasons attendant to increased membership in post-war times have been examined elsewhere; the phenomenon, however, is real. Many of the incoming members of the era were affiliated in some way with Naval Air Station Glynco, just north of the city.

Many who joined during the post-WWII boom later relocated their residences while still members of the Lodge not an unpredictable situation for a military man, nor for anyone during the economic boom of the time. What remains gratifying is the extent to which these Masons maintained their membership in Ocean Lodge. In the 1980s, I served as Editor of the Ocean Tide newsletter. We mailed Lodge news to members in 27 states at that time. At one point, California trailed only Georgia and Florida in the number of members of Ocean Lodge.

Naval Air Station, Glynco closed in 1974. This was a devastating blow to the local economy. The Air Station had been on of the area's major employers; local politicians, among others, immediately went to work to replace the loss. Finally, plans to open the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center at Glynco were announced. This facility quickly became the premiere law enforcement training center in the nation, encompassing scores of Federal agencies all of them, in fact, except for the FBI, which continues to maintain its facility at Quantico, Virginia.
The facility, and the concurrent commencement of construction of Interstate Highway 95 in the area, completed the economic recovery of the area, and, later, greatly enhanced it.

As these minutes record the turn of the century it is worth noting that much that has transpired in the world and in Masonry might have been comfortably predicted by our forefathers, and much would seem entirely beyond imagination. It is hoped that the preservation of these minutes will make our history more intelligible to our progeny, and encourage their preservation of the institution itself.

Robert L. Fahs II
Secretary
October, 2003