Organized 1916
I have the most enjoyable task of writing this column on the History of The Directors Staff. I am new at this sort of writing, and compared to most members of The Directors Staff, I am new there too.
This is our 50th Anniversary for Alzafar Temple, and the Directors Staff has the honor of being part of this.In the year of 1916, when Alzafar Temple was chartered, a group of 12 men were then known as the Wrecking Crew. Their purpose was for the initiation of Novices into the Shrine, and for the entertainment of the Nobility. Between 1916 and 1922, the Wrecking Crew put their shows on in the building at the corner of St. Mary's and Convent Sts. During the lean years, when there were only 6 or 8 Novices, our Crew Members would act as Novices to make a better show for the Nobility. A few of our present older members, (who were not members of the crew at that time) would often help build the stunts that were used, these stunts were all made of lumber and paper, because in those days they did not have the cardboard tubing we have now.
All the old timers that I have talked with say they always had lots of fun and enjoyed preparing for each and every Ceremonial, it seems in those days more tricks and stunts were accepted, but today are outlawed.
On December 8th 1942, our first By-Laws were adopted.
At this time I would like to refresh your memory, by giving you the names of our Past Directors (hope I don't miss anyone) so you can stop and think of the entertainment you bad at the time he was Director. These names are not printed in sequence by years they served, this I do not know.
Noble Bob Michael, Noble J. Zoeller, Noble Porter Loring, Noble S. X. Callahan, Noble Matt Markusich, Noble Pat Welch, Noble P. M. Hocker, Noble Louie Murdock, Noble Louis Silvers, Noble Turberville, Noble Ben Utz, Noble A. C. Lacey, Noble Tommy Mangum, Noble T. H. Boothe, Sr., Noble Bill Raborn, Jr., Noble Harry Wharton, Noble A. A. Jacobson, Noble H. F. Baker, Noble Guy A. (Buster) Shaw, Noble Roy Akers, Noble Frank Barnett, Jr., Noble Cliff Bruce, Noble Bob Badders, Noble Bob Bourgeois, Noble J. D. Bryant, Jr., Noble Dave Oates, Sr., and last but not least, our present Director Noble Tom Boothe, Jr., and his assistant, Noble Albert Finnley.
