Sickness & Distress,
News and Glad Tidings (5)

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	Our summer reunion at the Evergreen Restaurant was certainly a "reunion." A number of our past Worshipfuls joined us to welcome our new Master, including Roy Kramer, Carl Liss and Izze Kratka.
	Brother Barney Daniels, DSA, is recuperating at home now after a protracted hospital stay. He's a bit weak, but would love to hear from you.
	We are so happy to have back among us a long-lost brother. Brother Leslie Good was raised in Shakespeare in 1971. He left the lodge in 1973, never to be heard from again. However, Leslie was a good friend of the late father of W Bill Thomas through a society of matchcover collectors. Bill and Leslie met in Memphis at a memorial for Bill's father, and the topic of Masonry came up. Imagine the surprise when they each learned of their mutual relationship with Shakespeare! Now Leslie has again joined his brothers in the Lodge. Leslie is an architect with a firm in mid-town. Welcome back, Leslie!
	Congratulations to the Lodge and our officers to the upcoming year! W:.Ihsan Toksu was elected and installed as Worshipful Master, and gave some heartwarming remarks as he moved to the Oriental Chair. Brother Richard Seid moves into the West as Senior Warden, and W:.Bill Thomas returns to his favorite chair in the South. The Master appointed W:.Michael Daniels and Brother Robert Anthony as Senior and Junior Deacons. It was a thrill to see Michael at work in the Lodge. RW Sheldon B. Richman was hard at work Thursday night. He conducted the elections, invested the Master-elect with the Secrets of the Chair, then installed all the officers in their proper stations and places. The first order of business on the newly-installed Master's trestleboard was a hearty thanks and grand honors for the retiring Master, W:.Robert Byer. The Master also expressed his appreciation for the presence of four brothers from a Turkish Lodge being formed in the Tenth Manhattan District. The usual group of sideliners was with us, less Brother Barnard Daniels, DSA, who remains in St. Luke's Hospital with a circulatory ailment (he's doing fine, Michael reports). Also missing was RW Dan Semel whose cabletow took him to work with his Prince Hall Grand Rep apron.
	Bro.Barnard Daniels, DSA went into St. Luke's hospital on May 29. He has some circulation and anemia problems. He asks that you call him (212) 636-8222.
	We passed six brothers to the Fellowcraft degree on May 23, guided by RW Enrique Castillo and W Bill Thomas who sat in the East. RW Sheldon B. Richman did an awe-inspiring job with the Middle Chamber lecture. Three of the brothers were from other lodges, including Allied and Maimonides-Marshall. We had about 35 brothers sitting in lodge, including the Grand Marshall of the MW GL of Colorado. We were so happy to find W Stuart Thomas and two other brothers of Alpha Lodge (GL of NJ) joining us. We are developing a warm relationship with the brothers of this lodge.
	W Harold S. Besser, DSA, notified the Lodge of the death of Mrs. Mildred Rosenthal, wife of Bro. Henry Rosenthal, earlier this month in Florida. The Master ordered that a condolence card shall be sent to the bereaved family.
	Brother Emanuel Feinstone joined the Celestial Lodge in mid-May. He was a member of Shakespeare for 75 years, and we mourn his passing.
	On May 2, RW Daniel M. Semel was presented his commission of the first Grand Representative of the MW Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New York near the Grand Lodge of New York. It was an historic event, as the Grand Masters of both Grand Lodges, along with Deputy Grand Masters and Grand Line officers came into Shakespeare Lodge. See the photos on our photo album.  If you click here, you'll find the program notes and some comment on the event. Here is Dan's thank you note to the Lodge: Gentlemen and Brothers, Thank you so much for the beautiful evening. Shakespeare Lodge is fortunate  to have such a dedicated and talented crew and indeed I am the beneficiary of your efforts. My recollection of such a meeting will never fade away. Dan
	Under the category of history, we received the following from the grandson of our 1925 Master, W Morris Moses Beskind: "By accident, I came across your web site. My grandfather Morris M. Beskind was your Lodge's Master in 1925. Not surprisingly, I was fascinated by your history section. Perhaps one of my earliest childhood memories was of the beautiful grandfather clock given him after he served as master. You may be interested to know that after his death at age 100, the clock passed to his oldest son, D. Herbert Beskind (age 86), who lives in Washington, DC and takes excellent care of the clock.... Donald H. Beskind"
	I was fortunate enough to have a chance encounter with our original Great Lights. That's right, the Holy Bible, Square and Compasses which Shakespeare used when it was first constituted in 1874. W  Michael Gold, DSA, is holding it in safekeeping, and displayed it while on a recent visit to his home. It was such a moving moment! This was the bible used by our founding Lodge members. I have included a photo of it in the Lodge's Photo Album, with a copy here.

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