WHY DIDN'T THEY ADVANCE?
Why do candidates fail to advance after becoming Entered Apprentices? Answers
to this question can provide much information which helps to understand the
problems of declining membership and lack of interest in the activities of a
Masonic lodge.
The question has been frequently answered by guess work or snap judgments.
Recently, however, the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin undertook a serious study to
find factual answers to the question. In 1969 a Research Committee headed by
Past Grand Master Edward W. Stegner sent out a questionnaire to 729 "defaulted
Entered Apprentices" to learn the reasons for their failure to advance.
The results of that canvass are the body of this Short Talk. To the concerned
Mason, there is much food for thought in this report.
In Wisconsin, a candidate is "in default" after he fails to advance within
one year. The survey of 729 defaulted Apprentices was started in late 1969, but
it was February, 1970, before the returned questionnaires were tabulated and
analyzed.
The questionnaire was sent to each individual with a letter over the Grand
Master's signature, with a stamped, self-addressed envelope for the reply. Of
the 729 men contacted, 204, 28%, returned the questionnaire - a surprisingly
large response for such an inquiry. Even more significant is the fact the 190
responders signed the questionnaire, although that was optional. 155,
or 77%, made personal comments or suggestions, which indicates that one out of
five of the defaulted Apprentices still had considerable interest in the
fraternal organization he had become a part of so briefly.
The tabulated results of the questionnaire furnish a summary of the
information resulting from the survey; the following questions and statistics
are taken from the Wisconsin Research Committee's 1970 report.
A. Do you feel you had sufficient direct personal contact with members of the
Lodge prior to the acceptance of your petition?
162 (80% ) -sufficient
28 (14%) -insufficient
5 (2.5 %) - made comments
B. Do you feel you had sufficient direct personal contact with members of the
Lodge between your acceptance and initiation?
170 (83 % ) - sufficient
24 (12 % ) - insufficient
2 (1 % ) - made comments
C. What was the attitude of the Masonic Brethren to you?
171 (83 %) generally positive and accepting
4 (2 %) generally neutral
17 ( 8.3 %) generally negative
1 - made a comment
D. Were you able to identify with the Masonic Fraternity?
83 (40%) - Yes, enthusiastically
86 (42%) - Yes, generally
30 (15%) -No strong feeling
7 (3%) - Negative
2 (1% ) - Made comments
E. What were your feelings about the teachings of Freemasonry?
141 (70% ) - generally understood
45 (22 % ) -generally vague
8 (4% ) - no strong feeling
4 (2 % ) -made comments
F. What were your impressions of the Entered Apprentice Degree?
162 (80 % ) -well conducted
30 (15 % ) - difficult to follow
2 (1 % ) - poorly done
5 (2.5 % ) - made comments
G. What problems did you encounter in completing the degree work? (Number in
order of importance. Add any in unmarked spaces.) (The following numbers
indicate the frequency with which the problems were ranked first. )
112 (55%) -time involved
61 (3 0 % ) -memorization
31 (14%) - other activities
25 (12%) - business or profession
15 (7.25 % ) - personal attitude
10 (5 % ) - family
· (2.5 % ) - money
· (2.5 % ) - religion
(Other problems added to the list)
14- "lost interest
10 - mentioned "work." Same as business?
3 - entered the Armed Forces
9 - objected to the "posting"
7 - mentioned "health"
2 - had died
H. Do you hold membership in other civic or fraternal organizations?
12 (6 %) were Elks
9 (41/2 %) American Legion
6 (3 %) Lions
4 were members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce;
3, of the V.F.W.;
2, were
Moose; and
1 each of the Eagles or Knights of Pythias.
I. Would you be interested in continuing your Masonic work now?
137 (67%) - Yes
51 (25 % ) -No
7 - made comments
J. General Comments or Suggestions
15.5 (77 %) made some comment
12 (6 %) Lack of communication caused drop-out
7 (13.5 %) had moved
4 (2%) stated they were former DeMolays
While most of those returning the questionnaires checked answers which
indicate a favorable attitude to Freemasonry, the really significant replies are
those which point out weaknesses in a Lodge's handling of candidates or Masonic
customs or practices which "turned off" a candidate. E.g., approximately 12 1/2%
(one out of every eight!) of the replies indicated "insufficient contact"
between the candidate and the members of the lodge before and after the
acceptance of the petition. Why does that happen in a Masonic Lodge? The same
question should be asked about the significantly large number who couldn't
readily "identify" with the Fraternity.
The frequency with which certain problems were checked under Question G
suggests a number of areas for Masonic study and examination. Granted that some
candidates are making excuses for themselves in listing 'time" and
"memorization" as the principal obstacles to their advancement, the fact remains
that some of them (in their comments) challenged the archaic ritual of
Freemasonry and the posting" requirements as obsolete and unnecessary. Could
this be why 14 defaulted Apprentices "lost interest"? A thoughtful study of all
the problems mentioned would stimulate recognition of the basic fact that
candidates need more information, more Masonic enlightenment, and more
stimulation than they seem to receive at present in the first stages of
initiation.
The Wisconsin Research Committee reported that "we are more concerned in
applying the yardstick to ourselves" than to the candidates, because "our next
task is to remedy the situation." What prompted their purpose to find possible
solutions was the many frank comments from the defaulted candidates themselves.
"These comments surprised us and caused the Committee, to do some real soul
searching as to how we could improve our lodge operations, and whether we are
meeting the needs of young men today. Is time (for Masonry) a limited factor in
today's world, and if so, how can it be conserved for the candidate? Is the
problem of memorization also a factor, due to time, and how can we assist in
this regard?"
The comments are really the most interesting and provocative items in the
survey. Unfortunately, space prevents their complete reproduction here. But
since many of them are similar, they can be summarized by means of the following
composite quotations.
"I'm too busy keeping my head above water in the rat race of modem life. I
admire what Freemasons stand for, but I can't devote time to it, so I shouldn't
become just a name on the roll of members."
"Masonic ritual and ceremonies might have appealed to me when I was 12. Now
they seem childish."
"Attendance was very poor and the members were generally so much older I
couldn't identify with the group."
"There is too much emphasis on memorization. Some of the work was even taught
out of sequence and had to be relearned."
"Most of my evenings are taken up with school activities, book work, and
helping the children."
"Lodge activities are not attractive to young men. Masonic work should be
related to the present world."
"The lodge kept changing the date I was to appear again. Last time, they
called me just before the meeting. I had another commitment. A new Mason should
be better informed, and soon enough."
"My wife didn't like my joining the Masons. I have to keep peace at home."
"Thank you for your interest and concern about me. I'd like to continue, but
at present just don't have the time."
"I was much younger than most of the members, which caused feelings hard to
pinpoint. But inside I feel it's the greatest fraternal organization a man can
encounter. I hope some day to continue."
"I hope very much to continue, but lack of time and a poor memory hinder me
somewhat. My father is a Mason. I will keep trying."
"I was never called after that. I did not feel it was up to me to tell the
lodge what to do."
"After the first degree I was moved to obtain more education. I would like to
finish the Masonic work, but it will have to wait till I get my degree."
"I lost interest in the lodge because of the gentleman who was my
instructor."
"When I was working to become a Mason, the Brothers showed no interest in
helping me, so I gave up trying to join. When I considered joining somewhere
else, I was told there was a lot of red tape to go through. I'd sincerely like
to become a member in good standing if the organization itself showed some
interest in helping me to get this all straightened out."
"Your letter and questionnaire is really the first sign I have had that
Masonry is interested in me. I'd like to continue, and I'd like to meet you."
Some of these responses cry out for good Masonic rejoinders, but those must
be left to the particular Lodge whose business it is to make a Master Mason of
the individual candidate it has investigated and accepted.
One may be tempted to ask of some of these commentators, "What did you
expect?" But one should really ask the Lodge, "What did you teach him to
expect?"
The Wisconsin study of defaulted Entered Apprentices suggests that the
problem of good public relations begins "right at home" with the particular
Lodge. What does the local community expect of a Lodge of Master Masons? In
Masonic language, "Is the community convinced of the good effects of our
fraternal association?"
back to top | 
