On May 29th during their awards day presentation, brothers from around the county presented a portrait of George Washington to Mabry Middle School. WB Steve Pinker, RWB Eddie Mitchell, RWB Doug O’Shields, WB Paul McWilliams and Brother Steve Setzer presented a large, custom framed portrait of George Washington painted by Gilbert Stuart in 1796 to Mabry Middle School as part of the “Put George Washington Back In Our Schools” project. This project is being spearheaded by RWB Sam Turner, III of Roebuck Lodge and RWB John King of Cross Hill Lodge. “In 1932 congress mandated that a portrait of George Washington be hung in every school,” Brother Turner explains. “By the 1980s, the portraits began to disappear. They have taken many things out of our schools over the years. We are just trying to get one of them back.”
So far, the project has placed over 60 portraits in schools across the state, with these two brothers attending as many of the presentations as possible. “By presenting these portraits to the schools,” Brother Sam says, “it allows Masons to be seen in public schools to possibly spark interest in young minds.” Some schools have even placed two to three portraits in prominent locations around their campuses.
The proceeds from each portrait purchase of $150 goes to Juvenile Diabetes Research. Contact RWB Sam Turner III at 864-590-7405 or RWB Jason Traxler at 864-909-6003.