The History of Rainbow: Then & Now
Reverend W. Mark Sexson founded the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls in 1922. Rev. Sexson, an ordained Christian minister and active member of the Masonic Lodge, spent much of his life dedicated to both fraternal organizations and to his ministry, and became aware of the need for a youth organization for young women who were from a Masonic or Eastern Star home.
The order was created in 1922 when the Reverend W. Mark Sexson was asked to make an address before South McAlester Chapter #149, Order of the Eastern Star, in McAlester, Oklahoma. As the Order of DeMolay had come under his close study and observation during his Masonic activities, he decided that another Order for girls, setting forth some of the principles of Freemasonry, would be welcomed if it did not have to have a Masonic parent or grandparent as a requirement, as the Job's Daughters did. The first class of girls that was initiated into the Order consisted of a class of 171 girls, on April 6, 1922, in the auditorium of the Scottish Rite Temple in McAlester.
Today, membership is open to any girl regardless of Masonic affiliation.
The History of New Hampshire Rainbow:
It began in 1924. Much of the world was still reeling from the aftermath of World War I. But Mr. Harry Leighton, Past Grand Patron of New Hampshire, Order of the Eastern Star, had proposed an idea that would change the lives of young women in New Hampshire forever: To begin an Assembly of the Order of the Rainbow for Girls.
Having relayed the information about the Order of the Rainbow for Girls to Mrs. Sara E. Otis, Worthy Matron of Epiphany Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, she was so impressed with the Ritual of Rev. W. Mark Sexson that she instituted the first Assembly in New Hampshire: Concord Assembly No. 1 in Concord, NH.
Forty-six young women and numerous members of the Order of the Eastern Star and Freemasonry converged at the Concord Masonic Temple in Concord, NH on October 30, 1924 to witness the initiatory degree work. Barbara Philbrick became the first Worthy Advisor, and Mrs. Sara Otis became the first Mother Advisor of the state.
New girls were initiated at almost every meeting, and for the next year, under the guidance of Concord’s second Worthy Advisor, Ruth Lord (Mansur), the young members of Concord Assembly No. 1 exemplified the degrees before their Sponsoring Bodies, the Order of the Eastern Star and the Masonic Lodge, and participated in many local activities.
So enthused by the service they performed, the officers of Concord Assembly No. 1 instituted Portsmouth Assembly No. 2 on October 2, 1925. Thirty-none young women came through the doors of St. John’s Lodge No. 1 and were initiated into the Order of the Rainbow for Girls.
That same month, Concord Assembly voted to join the New England Grand Assembly held on October 27, 1925 in Boston under the direction of Massachusetts Supreme Deputy, Mrs. Lulu H. Gobrecht. Three Concord members serviced as Grand Officers, though it is not detailed who participated and what offices they held.
The first Supreme Deputy was Mrs. Mary Senior Brown, Past Grand Matron on NH, appointed in June 1935 and elected to the House of Gold on June 20, 1946. She was appointed Supreme Drill Leader on September 16, 1948 and elected Supreme Faith on July 10, 1960, and advanced to the office of Supreme Worthy Associate Advisor. She passed away on April 17, 1966.
By 1939, at the Supreme Assembly Session in Oklahoma, New Hampshire reported nine Assemblies instituted and a total membership of 630 girls.
The Grand Assembly of New Hampshire was formed on May 3, 1941 under the direction of Mrs. Mary D. Senior Brown, hosted in Concord, NH. The first Grand Assembly was attended by Mrs. Norma D. Studley, Past Grand Matron of the Grand Chapter of New Hampshire, and Governor Robert O. Blood of New Hampshire.
“People of this state look to organizations like the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls to aid them. You cannot fail to be better women because of the fine examples you have before you.”
Governor Robert O. Blood, 1941.
Ruth French (Bemis) of Portsmouth No. 2 was the first Grand Worthy Advisor to be installed in 1941 and held the post until May 1942. She was also Supreme Chaplain of Supreme Assembly that year, with Betty Travis, Grand Immortality, of Concord serving as a Supreme Page, and Lois Truax, Grand Worthy Associate Advisor, of Nashua serving as Supreme Representative. The year 1941 appears to be the first time Supreme Assembly utilized Grand Worthy Advisors and Past Grand Worthy Advisors from different Jurisdictions as Supreme Officers at the biennial sessions.
Although World War II was in full force by 1942, New Hampshire saw an increase in Assemblies.
Records of the Order of the Rainbow for Girls are not as specifically detailed during World War II. However, it is easily understood that when the United States entered World War II in 1941, the Order of Rainbow for Girls, as well as all other Masonic fraternities, felt the effects and the patriotic responsibility.
Grand Assembly Recorder Reports were no longer typed, as typewriters, paper and ink were rationed during these years. Suppers were limited as meat was rationed, and stated meetings were held months apart as gasoline and kerosene were also rationed. It appears many rules and regulations of the By-Laws adopted by New Hampshire from the Supreme Assembly were suspended during the war, specifically regarding meetings dates and times, and were reinstated later in 1946.
That said, the Grand Assembly Recorder Reports still detail that the Order of the Rainbow for Girls held patriotic tributes to their Brothers and Sisters serving in the Armed Forces, as well as flag tributes at their Grand Assembly Sessions. They also volunteered with the Red Cross, and Mrs. Brown even pledged to Governor Blood the “whole-hearted support of 800 Rainbow Girls to serve our state in Home Defense.”
From the Supreme Assembly Proceedings, it can also be noted that several Eastern Star Chapters attempted to organize Rainbow Assemblies in their areas, but most were postponed. Once example is Ellacoya Chapter No. 43 in Meredith, who began organizing a Rainbow Assembly there in 1940, but due to the linen mill closing because it could no longer obtain imported flax, many families were forced to move and the number of applicants decreased.
From 1946 to 1960, ten more Rainbow Assemblies were instituted in New Hampshire, from the southern portion of the state to the North Country.
The last two Assemblies chartered in New Hampshire came in the early 1960’s.
Mrs. Celia M. Howard succeeded Mrs. Brown as Supreme Deputy in New Hampshire in 1966, and held that post until 1990 when Mrs. Meredith (Stout) Ritchie was appointed to replace her. Mrs. Ritchie was the first Past Grand Worthy Advisor of New Hampshire to be so honored.
From 1980 to 1995, New Hampshire saw a slow but steady decrease in Assemblies. Speculation indicates that the decline began in the 1980’s when intramural sports and other activities for young girls became more prevalent in schools and local communities. Young girls started getting involved in other programs and the press that Rainbow received so heavily in the 1940’s and 1950’s newspapers decreased as well.
Though we do not have exact dates for when many of our Assemblies began to “go dark”, the Grand Assembly Recorder Reports leading up to 1990 show this trend. Manchester No. 4 appears to have gone dark in 1988 from reports in their Scrapbooks, but Concord, Laconia, Lebanon, Henniker, and many of the Assemblies in the North Country also appear to have “gone dark” between 1980 and 1992.
However, there was a silver lining. Mrs. Ritchie reconstituted Derry Assembly No. 15 after many years of being “dark” on October 18, 1997. She also tried vigorously to reconstitute Keene Assembly No. 6, though with the closing of the Eastern Star Chapter there and the sale of the Masonic building, that project was halted and ultimately stopped.
The silver lining also shone bright in the form of New Hampshire’s proudest moment since 1964. When Mrs. Ritchie became Supreme Inspector and Member of the House of Gold at the 75th Anniversary Supreme Sessions in St. Louis, July 1998, the jurisdiction was also honored to have Miss Marsha (Lapierre) Hotchkiss serve as the Acting Supreme Worthy Advisor at the 75th Anniversary sessions, New Hampshire’s second Acting Supreme Worthy Advisor.
Mrs. Kristen L. Cadwallader succeeded Mrs. Ritchie as Supreme Deputy for the jurisdiction in July 2000 and presided until July 2005. Mrs. Catherine G. Morrison succeeded Mrs. Cadwallader in 2005 and presided over NH Rainbow until July 2008.
Our current Supreme Deputy is Mrs. Joan L. Smith.
Click here to see a list of Past Grand Worthy Advisors.
For our Supreme Deputy and Past Supreme Deputies/Inspectors Biographies, Click here.
The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls in New Hampshire has ushered in a new decade of promise, with new programs instituted to gain them further recognition in the field and outside of their state borders. Voted in favor by the membership at the Grand Assembly in 2010, the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls in New Hampshire have entered into a 5-Year Contract Agreement with David’s House at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, to provide public awareness and fundraising for the organizations many needs in serving the families of children at the hospital.
NH Rainbow has also seen an increase in active membership. Only eight active Assemblies remain in the Granite State (Nashua, Plymouth, Rochester, Milford, Derry, Exeter, Goffstown and Pemigewasset), but after ten years, the organization has seen a 10% increase in member attrition. In 2011, New Hampshire ranked 4th internationally for membership increase over the 2010 annual year.
Though many are struggling, their strength and perseverance to serve those in need throughout New Hampshire guides their every footstep. They are dedicated and faithful the causes they adopt, and will surely stand out amongst the youth organizations of the country as a leader for promoting the positive development of young women.