White Shrine installation 1950. A newly installed officer of the White Shrine of Jerusalem holds a banner of the Mizpah Shrine, Order of the White Shrine, connected to a white shepherd's hook while she raises her left arm. Ordered by Mr. A.R. Emerson.

White Shrine of Jerusalem (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubwomen--Tacoma--1940-1950; Evening gowns--Tacoma--1940-1950; Inaugurations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Masonic Temple (Tacoma);

The play has 30 experienced professional actors travelling with the production throughout the United States. More than 75 actors were local talent, including students from Lincoln High School and Stadium High School. Music is provided by 18 chorus members from Tacoma, under the direction of Clayton Johnson, music director at Stadium High School. View of actor, fully dressed in his costume for the Black Hills Passion Play (T.N.T., 10/5/49, p. 8).

Theatrical productions--Tacoma; Actors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Costumes; Historical dramas; Biblical events; Tacoma Council of Churches (Tacoma); Temple Theatre (Tacoma);

The original Black Hills Passion Play was playing at Tacoma's Temple Theatre for four days, the performances were being sponsored by the tacoma Council of Churches. View of actress portraying one of the characters from the Black Hills Passion Play, she is fully dressed in her costume (T.N.T., 10/5/49, p. 8).

Theatrical productions--Tacoma; Actresses--1940-1950; Costumes; Historical dramas; Stages (Platforms); Biblical events; Tacoma Council of Churches (Tacoma); Temple Theatre (Tacoma);

Job's Daughters installation. Participants and guests at the 35th installation of the Bethel #8, International Order of Job's Daughters on December 8, 1956, place hands over hearts while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. All eyes are focused on the flag to the foreground which is being held by a member of Tacoma Chapter, Order of DeMolay. Sepia photograph ordered by Mrs. Carl Berglund. (TNT 12-5-56, C-11)

International Order of Job's Daughters (Washington); Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Flags--United States;

ca. 1956. The Temple Theater. The Theater was built in 1927 from a design by A.J. Russell, Architect. The building is Greek in style with interior Egyptian detail. It is listed on the City Registry. The building served as both a Masonic temple and a theater. The theater had a seating capacity of 1800 and the widest proscenium arch of any theater on the Pacific Coast. In 1954, Cinemascope was installed at the theater. TPL-5455

Temple Theatre (Tacoma);

Daughters of the Nile, group of 24 plus 6 dancers. The Zora Temple of the Daughters of the Nile had scheduled their winter ceremonial for Jan. 9th, Saturday afternoon, at 2:00p.m. It was held in the Gothic Room of the Masonic Temple. The room was decorated with oriental lamps and rugs, furnished by Harry Kirishian for the event. A large class of candidates was initiated. Oriental dancers presented a ceremonial dance with the patrol as escort and the Nile Chorus furnished music. The event was followed by a banquet in the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. (TNT 1/4/1954)

Daughters of the Nile Zora Temple No. 5 (Tacoma); Women--Tacoma--1950-1960; Costumes--Egyptian; Costumes--Russian; Evening gowns--Tacoma--1950-1960; Group portraits; Headdresses; Masonic Temple (Tacoma);

Approximately 1000 Northern Pacific Railroad Veterans were treated to a scrumptious banquet at the Masonic Temple on June 29, 1957, during the group's 33rd annual convention. There is a large banner welcoming the 1957 Veterans posted on pillars. Special Pullmans and coaches left St. Paul on June 25th to bring members from Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Washington to the two-day convention. There are approximately 3500 members of the Veterans group, consisting of employees and former employees with a minimum of 30 years of service. Dean Eastman of Seattle, Northern Pacific vice-president, was scheduled to speak at the banquet. Photograph ordered by Northern Pacific Railway. (TNT 6-19-57, C-9)

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The South Tacoma Shops of the Northern Pacific Railroad received an impressive plaque from the company in honor of their achieving the best safety record for 1953. It was apparently the fourth time the South Tacoma Shops had won this award; previous years noted on the plaque included 1943, 1944, and 1945. Northern Pacific employees and guests enjoyed a special banquet in the Fellowship Hall at the Masonic Temple on May 27, 1954, where awards were presented. Seated in the photograph are: R.H. Spellmeyer and H.J. McLain. Standing left to right are: J.J. Schmidt, A.J. Cecchi, F.L. Steinbright, F.G. Moody, G.L. Ernstrom, and C.T.DeWitt. (TNT 5-27-54, A-10, TNT 5-28-54, p.14)

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--People; Awards;

Employees of the Northern Pacific Railroad enjoy a safety awards banquet on May 27, 1954, in the Fellowship Hall at the Masonic Temple. Those seated at the head tables on the stage are presumably dignitaries. A five piece orchestra and singers provided music while 900 employees and guests dined on turkey dinners. The banquet was to honor the South Tacoma Shops for their near perfect accident record in the Northern Pacific Railroad's national safety competition. There was only one reportable accident among 800 employees in over a year's time. George L. Ernstrom, general mechanical superintendent of Northern Pacific, was chosen to give the award to R.H. Spellmeyer, shop superintendent at the South Tacoma Shops. (TNT 5-27-54, A-10, TNT 5-28-54, p. 14)

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--People; Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Guitars; Saxophones;

Members of the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association display Lynden Broadbreast Turkeys during their luncheon at the Masonic Temple's Fellowship Hall on December 8, 1954. The Lynden firm is part of the Cooperative and provided ready to roast turkeys. This group is standing in front of a large poster demonstrating how the Co-op's eggs "go to market"; egg production was just one of the many enterprises they supported. 1600 Co-op members from District #6 attended the annual meeting and dined on turkey. At the meeting, Roy McChord was congratulated as the new manager of the Tacoma Station, replacing Dale Smith, who assumed management duties at the Co-op's credit division in Seattle. (TNT 12-12-54, F-8)

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Turkeys; Posters;

Hundreds fill the Masonic Temple's Fellowship Hall on December 8, 1954, at the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association's luncheon and meeting. The group had begun decades ago as an egg and poultry cooperative but had expanded into the feed and grain business. Farmers found that they were able to get better prices and new markets for their products if they participated in a cooperative.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Masonic Temple (Tacoma);

This photograph of the new Masonic Temple, 47 Saint Helens Avenue was taken in November of 1927. The Temple Theatre (then called the Heilig Theater), built within the Masonic Temple, had celebrated its grand opening on October 18, 1927. The theater was leased by Calvin Heilig and was decorated in an Egyptian motif. Loges were installed on the lower floor. The Masonic Temple itself would be dedicated on December 1, 1927, six weeks after the theater's grand opening. The $550,000 building rose ten stories from the Broadway level. It was 124 x 170 feet in size and built of steel and concrete. The facade consisted of stone finish with brick trimmings. Sixteen Masonic bodies would utilize the structure as a meeting space. TPL-632; G65.1-136 (TNT 11-19-27, p. 1-2)

Masonic Temple (Tacoma); Temple Theatre (Tacoma);

Will Maylon and Margaret Nixon of the Maylon Players theatrical troupe are parked in a vintage Winthrop Motor Company car in front of the Heilig (later Temple) Theater at 47 Saint Helens Avenue in June of 1929. The theater's huge arched roofed marquee and glassed-in playbill announce the troupe's appearance in Tacoma. The automobile, a 1904 Reo, was on display at Winthrop Motors; it was still functional and could reach speeds up to 20 mph. TPL-9778; G64.1-053 (T.Times 6-22-29, p. 23)

Actors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Maylon Players (Tacoma); Maylon, Will; Nixon, Margaret; Reo automobile; Temple Theatre (Tacoma);

Sepia photograph of Governor Clarence D. Martin and other dignitaries at the head table at the Community Achievement Dinner held at the Masonic Temple on December 28, 1937. A large poster of President Roosevelt is the only decoration on the wall. City and political leaders packed the head table, including Puget Sound National Bank's Reno Odlin, Congressman John Coffee, U.S. Senator Homer T. Bone, and Mayor George Smitley. The dinner combined the annual Tacoma Chamber of Commerce banquet and the city's achievement dinner. Governor Martin spoke of a brighter future for our state and its inhabitants. (T. Times, 12-29-37, p. 1) ALBUM 10.

Governors; Martin, Clarence D., 1887-1955; Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Coffee, John; Bone, Homer Truett, 1883-1970; Smitley, George A., 1872-1956; Banquets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Posters;

Governor Clarence D. Martin shakes hands with F. Rodman Titcomb of Weyerhaeuser Company, in front of a large poster of President Roosevelt, at a Community Achievement Dinner at the Masonic Temple. Mr. Titcomb was the former General Manager of Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. and was married to Elizabeth Weyerhaeuser, oldest child of John Philip Weyerhaeuser. He was announced to the 1000+ diners as the 1938 president of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. The chamber's usual banquet was combined with the community dinner, hence the large crowd in attendance. (T. Times, 12-29-37, p. 1). ALBUM 10.

Governors; Martin, Clarence D., 1887-1955; Titcomb, F. Rodman; Posters;

Group of men in Afifi costumes inside the Masonic Temple; photograph taken in June of 1932. This is possibly the same group of men as images 1 & 1A. (filed with Argentum).

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Masonic Temple (Tacoma); Afifi Arab Patrol (Tacoma);

Twenty-one members of the Normanna Male Chorus, wearing the group's distinctive white pants, dark blazers and nautical hats, posed for a formal portrait on the steps of the Masonic Temple in 1938. The Chorus was to be very busy in September of 1938 as they were celebrating their Golden Jubilee. Norwegian singing societies from across the Northwest were coming to Tacoma to help the group celebrate their 50th anniversary at Normanna Hall, 47 Saint Helens Avenue, on September 10-11th. The singing society had organized in 1888 with John Soquest as the director. They originally met in the old school house between I and J streets; their publicity was handled by the publishers of the Norwegian newspaper "Tacoma Tidende." The group reorganized in 1895 and has been active since that date. The singers were led by Carlo A. Sperati, churchman and musician, until 1904; he was succeeded by George Johnson, still the director in 1938. (T. Times 9/9/1938, pg. 3) TPL-9519

Normanna Male Chorus (Tacoma); Choirs (Music); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Ethnic groups--Tacoma; Sons of Norway (Tacoma); Music ensembles--Tacoma; Singers;

Scottish Rite. Scottish Rite degrees were conferred at the 78th annual spring reunion at Masonic Temple May 15, 1945, according to J. Earl Horton, Venerable Master of the Lodge of Perfection. (T.Times, 5/14/1945, p.9)

Group portraits--1940-1950; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Horton, J. Earl; Scottish Rite (Tacoma); Masonic Temple (Tacoma);

Ex-Mayor J.J. Kaufman, wife Wavie, Mrs. Harry (Marjorie) Cain and Harry Jr. (Buzzie), at a tribute to Mayor Cain held at the Temple Theatre on October 2, 1944. Lt. Col. Cain was serving in Europe with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force. Hundreds of friends and well-wishers from around the Puget Sound gathered to enjoy vaudevillian acts and listen to short speeches regarding the absent Mayor Cain. Governor Arthur B. Langlie popped in unexpectedly to praise Harry Cain highly. Mayor Cain would serve in the European theater from 1943-1945; subsequently returned home to resume his duties as Tacoma's mayor until he was elected as a Republican to the U.S. Senate in 1946. (TNT 10-3-44, p. 1, T.Times 10-3-44, p. 1) ALBUM 13.

Kaufman, Joseph J.; Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Kaufman, Joseph J.--Family; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979--Family; Cain, Marjorie Dils, 1908-1994; Cain, Harry P.;

Tacoma's Temple Theatre was built in 1926, designed by architect A. J. Russell, the contractors were Biehn and Chalmers; the theater officially opened in October 1927. Upon the theater's opening the "Temple of Minerva" backdrop from the Tacoma Theater was presented to the new theater. This theater was originally known as the Heilig Theatre and was renamed the Temple Theatre in 1931. Temple Theatre had a seating capacity of 1,800 people. View of three unidentified men backstage at the Temple Theatre, by the curtain and props control area.

Theaters--Tacoma; Theatrical producers & directors--Tacoma; Stages (Platforms); Stage props; Temple Theatre (Tacoma);

The Temple Theatre at 47 Saint Helens Ave. was built in 1926. For its official opening in October 1927 it was given the stage backdrop known as "Temple of Mionerva" by the owners of the Tacoma Theatre. The backdrop was painted by artist Thomas G. Moses in 1889 and had hung in the Tacoma Theatre for 37 years.Thomas Moses was a well known scenery painter; he died in Chicago, Illinois in 1934. The Temple Theatre is now the Landmark Convention Center. TPL-3683

Theaters--Tacoma; Theatrical producers & directors--Tacoma; Stages (Platforms); Stage props; Temple Theatre (Tacoma); Moses, Thomas G., 1857-1934;

Children's program at Temple Theater, Tacoma Philharmonic Association, Mrs. Ross Wright. Children are coming off special runs of the Tacoma Transit Company buses to attend the Tacoma Philharmonic presentation of the Pacific Northwest Symphony at Temple Theater. This was the last of four musical performances for school children for the school year held February 18, 1948.

School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; School field trips--Tacoma--1940-1950; Music education--Tacoma--1940-1950; Buses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Philharmonic Association (Tacoma); Pacific Northwest Symphony (Tacoma);

Sunrise service, Ivanhoe Commandry, Lorenzo Mansfield. This Easter Sunrise Service was sponsored by the Knights Templar and the Council of Churches. The Jason Lee school choir is seated on the stage at Temple Theater. Dignitaries are seated in front of them. A piano sits to the left side of the stage. Rev. Francis Kinch, pastor of Epworth Methodist Church spoke. Members of the Ivanhoe Commandry, Knights Templar, are seen seated in the first several rows of the theater. These people have gathered before dawn to celebrate Easter. There were three other sunrise services in Tacoma this year. (TNT, 3/27/1948, p.1)

Choirs (Music)--1940-1950; Teenagers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Religious services--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ivanhoe Commandery No. 4, Knights Templar (Tacoma); Conductors--Tacoma; Theaters--Tacoma; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The Tacoma Girl Scouts held a Fashion Revue at the Temple Theater on March 20, 1948. The proceeds would benefit the St. Alban's Girl Scout Camp. The Girl Scouts showed traditional and new scouting clothes as well as sports outfits and fashion clothes furnished by Rhodes Brothers Department Store. Background music was provided by Arnold Levenenze at the organ. Four young girls and boys wearing their Sunday best and two teenage girls wearing two-piece bathing suits wait in the sidelines, with four women organizers, for their turn on the runway. Ordered by Jerry Hurley, Rhodes Brothers. (T.Times, 3/12/1948, p.6; 3/23/1948, p.5)

Girl Scouts (Tacoma); Fashion shows--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bathing suits; Coats; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Children--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fashion models--Tacoma--1940-1950; Children & adults--Tacoma; Teenagers;

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association held their 1952 stockholders' meeting at Temple Theater in Tacoma. Nearly 2,000 people from Pierce County and Enumclaw attended the annual nomination meeting of District No. 6 of the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association. Harold D. Foster of Sumner was renominated for director. He had held the post 21 years. Poultryman James Anderson of Edgemont was nominated for director as well. The vote would be made by ballot before the February 12, 1953, meeting. (TNT, 11/20/1952, p.3)

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Stages (Platforms); Temple Theatre (Tacoma);

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association held their 1952 stockholders' meeting at Temple Theater in Tacoma. This was the 35th anniversary meeting of the cooperative. Wide interest was shown in news brought by Harry J. Beernink, general manager, that the Co-Op was arranging to acquire reserves of both petroleum and phosphate to be able to produce fertilizer for Co-Op members. (TNT, 11/20/1953, p.3)

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Temple Theatre (Tacoma);