A Legacy of Growth and Resilience

In 1894 Stone Square Lodge No. 22 was charted in Middletown, Delaware. The Lodge members met in the Rhoades House located at the corner of Lake Street and Jefferson until 1955 when the Louis L. Redding Comprehensive High School was built, and the Lodge vacated to make room for 5th and 6th grade students. The Lodge members reached out to several black churches in the area to hold their meetings but were turned down until Mount Calvary Baptist located at 300 New Street, Middletown, Delaware agreed to allow Stone Square Lodge No. 22, to meet in their basement; rent was $25.00 a month, but shortly after that the lodge members recommended an increase to $50.00 per-month. The lodge members took pride in helping the church maintain the building. The Lodge re-paneled the entire basement, purchased tables and folding chairs for the area used as a dining hall. Prior to 1990, the only way the Lodge raised funds was an Annual Dance. Everything seemed to be going great until a new pastor arrived in 1992, and shortly afterwards there were rumors the lodge meetings at Mt. Calvary was causing division among its members. The Lodge anticipating it may have to move. Around 1993, under the leadership of Worshipful Master Randolph Reed, Senior Warden Abram Watson and Junior Warden Clarence Saunders, Treasurer Walter Boardly Jr., Acting Secretary Bro. William Saunders and lodge members voted to form a Property Search Committee.
In June of 1994, Senior Warden Watson and his wife made a $2,000 down payment at a Sheriff’s Sale to purchase a property at 208 East Lake Street in Middletown Delaware. The property came with a double wide trailer and needed repairs but could be renovated into a suitable place to meet. Senior Warden Watson offered to turn the property over to Stone Square Lodge No. 22 if the lodge wanted it and was able to secure a loan to purchase. Brother Ernest Saunders and his wife agreed to secure the loan from his General Motors Credit Union Account to complete the purchase. The craft voted to reimburse Brother Ernest Saunders monthly to pay off the loan amount and in the early spring of 1995, the lodge members began the internal renovation phase. But, after six months the Lodge spent most of the money on the building fund and was unable to finish the repairs needed to make the space suitable for lodge meetings. Approximately Twenty- Eight (28), active members pledged to donate sixty dollars towards the building materials. All labor, except the electrical work, was done by members who volunteered their time. In late fall of that year Stone Square Lodge #22 notified Mount Calvary that it was ready to make the move into the new location. To make the move official, Worshipful Master Clarence Saunders, Secretary, Past Master Randolph Reed and lodge members notified the Grand Lodge of the move and set the date during the springtime. Grand Lecturer John Conway and Most Worshipful Grand Master Solomon Henry planned a Lodge Dedication Ceremony. One Sunday afternoon in February of 1996, The Grand Lodge, Stone Square Lodge #22, and several visiting lodges lined up in Stone Square Lodge’s parking lot at the corner of East Lake Street and 300 New Street for a procession west on Lake Street towards the Lodge’s new address at 208 East Lake Street. The Dedication Ceremony was performed by Most Worshipful Past Grand Master Marvin I. Gray, the Worshipful Master, and Junior Warden of Stone Square Lodge.
In 1998 Stone Square Lodge No. 22 lodge members awarded the first scholarship of $200 to a deserving student during the Middletown High School graduation ceremony. The lodge members voted to increase the scholarship amount to (2) $500 awards. In realizing a significant increase in funds were needed to meet that goal, the lodge members added an annual Christmas Bazaar and Auction Fundraiser to raise money for the scholarships. In the following year the lodge members voted to add a Penn Relay Youth and Adult trip they had planned and coordinated with another organization.
In 2003, under Worshipful Master Ernest Saunders Stone Square Lodge No. 22’s loan/mortgage was paid in full.