
                  DR. JOHN W. BOETTJER, 32, KCCH
              Managing Editor, THE SCOTTISH RITE JOURNAL
        1733 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20009-3199


  IMAGINE YOU are an eighteen-
month-old  child.   Imagine  a
sudden hearing loss.  Imagine
seeing your mother's lips move,
but hearing no sound.  Imagine
what it would be like if your
world suddenly turned silent.
   This was the case for Emily
Jones.  Struck by meningitis two
years ago, she experienced neuro-
logical damage causing profound
loss of all communication skills. 
No sound.  No interaction.  No
understanding at all of what had
happened.  Only confusion, loss,
and silence.
   As Carol Jones, the mother of
Emily, related this incident to 57
representatives from Scottish Rite
Valleys across Virginia, many were
visibly moved.  Here was the reali-
ty of what we so often talk about
but seldom experiencehandi-
capped children cut off from the
world and struggling with their
families to return to health and
happiness.
  In Emily's case, the first, hardest
battles are over.  An ear implant
to bypass the defective nerves,
dual hearing aids, and two years
of therapy have helped her change
from a frightened, alienated child
to a smiling little girl who can
now communicate with her family,
attend school and grow into a
young woman of ability and prom-
ise.
   Why?  Because Scottish Rite
Masons cared.  Because in 1985
the Valleys of Alexandria, Roa-
noke, and Richmond began sup-
port of treatment and training
through the Speech and Hearing
Center of James Madison Universi-
ty in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  Be-
cause today valleys across the "Old
Dominion State" contribute to the
Scottish Rite Foundation of Virgin-
ia to continue and expand this
significant work.
   In that first year, 1985, ten
children were treated.  As of to-
day, over 100 young people have
been significantly assisted.  To
celebrate this fact, Virginia Breth-
ren, many with their wives, met in
Harrisonburg on July 15, 1990, to
share JMU's "Scottish Rite Appre-
ciation Day."
   The festive, emotion-filled day
began with a visit to the Scottish
Rite Summer Language Program
where guests observed children
participating enthusiastically in
one of two large group language
sessions.  In addition, guests met
the children personally and had
hands-on experience with several
types of special communication
devices.  
   These experiences were fol-
lowed by a delightful luncheon
and informative program hosted
by Dr. Maynard Filter, President of
JMU, and attended by over 30 uni-
versity therapists and graduate
clinicians at a nearby Sheraton
Inn.  Half of the clinicians are
from Virginia and will return to
their hometowns to work with
local clinics or Scottish Rite Cen-
ters.  Among them are three Scot-
tish Rite Fellows supported, re-
spectively, by the Charles E. Web-
ber Fellowship, Patsy Perry Kruger
Fellowship, and C. Fred Klein-
knecht Fellowship.
   Dr. Filter made introductions,
Dr. Barbara Castello described the
joint JMU-SR program and Carol
Jones gave a mother's view of
having a language-impaired child. 
Video tapes of her child, Emily,
both before treatment and after,
revealed how much can be accom-
plished even for a severely handi-
capped child.  

  Dear Lord, thank you for the opportunity to conveneas
professionals, parents, teachers, students, administrators, and
friendseach of us bonded by a common goal, the language
growth of a child.  And for every moment of exasperation we
may experience, for every time we frown at fatigue and efforts
not always immediately rewarded, forgive us.  And for every
new word, every new behavior, every new language stage that
reflects the efforts of each of us in this room, for every smile
(those directed out to others and those directed in to self),
thank you.  Keep us ever mindful that the power of language
is communication, and the gift of communication is the gift of
love.  Thank you for the gift provided by the Scottish Rite of
Freemasonry of Virginiaour colleagues and our friends.
     Invocation by Brenda Seal, Speech-Language Pathologist
        Speech and Hearing Center, James Madison University
   Responding to the program,
Judge James B. Wilkinson, Repre-
sentative, Valley of Richmond,
noted that the start of the new
Richmond Center (see story page
63 of The Journal's October issue),
like the James Madison University
program, proves "love still lives in
this world."
   Then Ill David Kruger, 33,
SGIG in Virginia, congratu-
lated everyone involved in this
excellent program for the many
personal triumphs made possible
for children because of their dedi-
cation and hard work.  As evi-
dence of Virginia's statewide com-
mitment to the cause, he present-
ed checks totalling $35,000 from
the Virginia Foundation, the above
noted Fellowships, and The Su-
preme Council, 33.
   Emily Jones was in class and
not at the luncheon, but if she had
been there she could have heard
the applause and words of praise. 
Why?  Because when Emily's
world fell quiet, Scottish Rite Ma-
sons heard the silence and re-
placed it with the sounds of life
and love!


