Is anyone else having trouble with Masonic youth?  Our Jobies are darn near perfect, but DeMolay is out of control.  The boys run wild and the adult advisors are apparently deaf, dumb and blind.

It has gotten to the point that the Building Board has evicted them from the lodge room to the basement.  As the High Priest of their sponsoring RAM Chapter I've placed them on probation and if they don't straighten up, I'll pull the charter.

What did they do you ask?  They were playing grab-ass hooking each other with the SD's rod.  The top of which is original furniture to the first Lodge in Wisconsin.  It's almost 200 years old.  Here's the result.



What is wrong with these people?

First I've heard of this.

Youthful exuberance is one thing, but damage to the Lodge property, unless accidental, is something that can't be condoned.

Granted, I was a DeMolay half a century ago, things were "different", but I can guarantee that the Chapter Dads would have nailed our hides to the wall if we had pulled such a stunt.
We treated the Lodge with respect and a certain amount of awe and appreciated the fact that we were guests of the Blue Lodge.

The problem is the Chapter were in the room when it happened.  But no one saw anything.

My experience with the various youth groups has been by in large positive.  It varies chapter/assembly to chapter/assembly though.  While there is the occasional drama with the young ladies of Rainbow and the occasional rough housing amongst the young men of DeMolay I would say they are far better off in terms of their deportment than many of their peers.  

The adults involved need to be just that involved.  Not overbearing, but present to provide guidance, direction, and safety.  It's a tough job at times and requires work on the part of the adults.

Hopefully the Chapter Dad and advisory board members can have a good discussion with the young men and steer them towards honoring the precepts of DeMolay.