1916

Samuel R. Rinkard, thirteenth Master of Broad Ripple Lodge, was born in Allisonville, Marion County, on March 4, 1886.

His parents were Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Rinkard, farmers, who lived in or near the Broad Ripple community all of their lives.

He received his common school education in the district schools of Marion and Hamilton Counties. In 1907, he graduated from the Castleton High School. The following year he entered the Indiana State Normal School at Terre Haute and began his preparation for the teaching profession. After teaching one year in a district school, he became principal of the Broad Ripple Grade School. He earned his way through school by teaching in the winter and attending the Indiana State Normal during the summer. He graduated from that institution in 1917.

In 1918 he entered the service at Camp Taylor in preparation for the World War. He was promoted from the ranks to sergeant, and made application for and was admitted into the Field Artillery Officers’ Training School, from which he was honorably discharged in December, 1918.

Immediately after being discharged from the service, he accepted a teaching position in the Hopewell High School in Johnson County. The following year he was advanced to principal, in which position he remained for two years. He was then elected to the principalship of the Edinburg High School and has continued in that position to the present time (1937).

He continued to study at the Indiana State Normal, which is now the Indiana State Teachers’ College, during the summer months, and received his A.B. degree in 1925.

In 1922, he was married to Ruth Harper, a teacher in the Hopewell School. They purchased a home in Edinburg, where they have continued to reside to the present time (1937).

He was made a Mason in Broad Ripple Lodge during January, 1912. The following year he was appointed to the Senior Deacon’s station and was advanced in turn each year, serving as Master in 1916. Upon becoming a Mason he became intensely interested in Masonic work and proved to be a loyal worker in all departments of the Lodge.

He was a member of the Broad Ripple Chapter, the Indiana Schoolman’s Club, the Southern Indiana Schoolmen’s Research Club, a past president of the Johnson County Teachers Association, and a member of the Christian Church at Edinburg.

Although his profession took him out of the Broad Ripple community, he continued his membership in Broad Ripple Lodge and always managed to attend lodge a few times during each year.

Lodge Events of 1916

The rapid increase in membership reached its peak duuring the year nineteen hundred and sixteen when the astonishing total of forty new Brethren were found worthy and received the Degrees of our Order.

It was during the early months of this period that the Lodge graciously extended to the Broad Ripple Methodist Church the use of the dining room while their building was being remodeled.

The Trustees were authorized to purchase a flag of our Country that it might grace the Lodge Room.

Hosbrook Lodge No. 473 complained that we had intruded into their jurisdiction by accepting the fee of one residing in their territory. After having satisfactorily established the validity of their claim, the matter was harmoniously settled when we agreed to remit to them the fee which we had unconciously, but nevertheless unlawfully, accepted.

Brother Past Master Wm. C. Moffitt was appointed by the Lodge to represent it as a Delegate to the Centennial at Corydon, Indiana. He was presented with a gavel made of wood taken from the Old Constitutional Elm.

The Worshipful Master, Bro. Samuel Rinkard, had the misfortune of being ill during a considerable portion of his year as Master, and the duties of his office were discharged by Bro. Past Master G.A. Lehman, then Senior Warden.

A home coming for members and friends was held during the month of November, and it was about this time that the decision was reached to place in the Lodge a picture of all Past Masters.

The several equipment additions made during this year included the following:

1. The recovering of the Holy Bible.

2. Installation of phone service by an extension from the Broad Ripple State Bank at rental of ten dollars per year.

3. Purchase of an American Flag to be placed in the Lodge Room.

4. Purchase of an appropriate uniform for the Way-Faring Man.

Those raised as Master Masons in 1916 were:

Admitted by affiliation was Lyman C. Tont.