For the first time in over two decades the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania invited the Masonic Youth Groups to make 10-minute presentations at a Communication of the Grand Lodge. The Rainbow Girls presented their "Keepers of the Colors" program. The Job's Daughters performed their "Closing Cross Ceremony." The DeMolay Elected State Officers, with the assistance of Bro. Jerry Richards and Bro. James Palo, performed a modified "Ceremony of Light" that included 7 speakers.

These presentations were made in Corinthian Hall, the largest Lodge room at the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia. The sheer size of the room created special difficulties for the presenters. The room is 106 feet long, 53 feet wide and 52 feet high-- and sound must be amplified to be heard. The one wireless microphone had to go from speaker to speaker without being fumbled or dropped, and it was of the

type that needed to be held within 3 inches of the speaker's mouth. The only way to solve this problem was to have Bro. James Palo serve as the microphone holder. Another problem in such a large room is the way words just run together when spoken quickly. After a lot of rehearsing, the presentation was ready to go. A third problem came when the lights could not be dimmed in the hall. How could anyone see the small candle lights in this cavernous room? This was not easily solved, but at the close of the ceremony all the officers lit their candles and raised them high and toward the center of the altar, which sent the message that the light of many candles-- the brotherhood of many young men-- can light the way for others to follow. The symbolism was not lost on the assembled members of Grand Lodge, several of whom remarked on it later in the meeting.

Congratulations to Jake Palo, Jeff Bortz, Jamie Segeren, Howard Wagner, Ryan Davidson, Tom Moyer, Jerry Richards and James Palo for providing some real light by which the 600 people assembled could see what DeMolay is all about!

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