SEATTLE and THE EASTERN STAR

1969

Before Alf and I left to begin our long overseas trip, one of my US cassette taping friends asked me to join the Eastern Star which is a Masonic group. She was a member of that group in Buffalo and if I was also a member she would like to take me to her group when we visited her. As both our husbands were Masons I thought that it might be a good idea. So I contacted our Auckland group and asked what their meetings entailed. I was told that no information couldn’t be given until I became a member. I took a few days to consider this as I like to know what is expected of me before I commit myself.
I decided to join however, and went through some formalities with my actual inauguration taking place a few days before we left New Zealand. Our first stop was Seattle and after a few days I made enquiries about Eastern Star Meetings. I was invited to attend, and as the address given to me was only a couple of blocks from our apartment Alf walked me there and I was to phone and let him know when I was ready to return home. The foyer was full of elegantly dressed ladies. I was told that there were several Eastern Star meetings that night, each one being held on a different floor in that building. Two ladies urged me to visit their particular group, but I said I must find the lady who I had spoken to on the phone. So I was directed to the third floor. When the lift doors opened I was met by several ladies who were there to greet me.
We chatted for a few minutes then one lady said, “Come with me. Our committee will want to question you to be sure you are a member.” “But I have a letter of introduction from my group” I said. “Yes, but they will still need to question you” was the reply. Realising that I had never attended any meeting apart from the inaugural I walked into the room wondering how I would manage to answer their questions!
Eight or nine people were sitting around a table and I was shown to an empty chair. They were very friendly and their questions were no problem so very soon I was welcomed to join their meeting. I was taken to a huge room which looked like a temple. It had many distinctive pillars and a large area in the centre where ladies were standing in beautiful formation. They all wore long, soft filmy dresses, each row in a different pastel colour and as they slowly walked and intertwined the effect was magnificent.
I was taken to the visiting members’ gallery which gave a very clear vew of proceedings. The ceiling was sofly lit and I felt I was looking at the sky as clouds drifted across it most realistically. It was an amazing scene that I shall always remember. When the meeting was over I was escorted to the dining room where a sumptious supper had been set. Introductions were made to many people and I was given several small gifts to remind me of my visit.
Eventually I said I would like to phone my husband to tell him I was ready to leave. “Do you have a car?” I was asked. “No,” I replied, “I don’t need one as our apartment is only two blocks away” I said. The reaction was amazing! “We shall take you home by car and see you safely inside” one person said. Before I could answer a lady showed me what looked like a lipstick which she said was a high pitched whistle. “You must get one of these - we all carry them to attract attention if we are mobbed.” She pointed to several ladies who had their arms in plaster. “This is what happens” she said.

At that time in 1969 we had heard of an occasional mobbing in Auckland, but it was obviously happening on a much larger scale in the US. Before I left Seattle I was invited to a lunch party and given a “Farewell and come again” from these lovely friendly ladies. I found all Americans very friendly and warm and very good company.