Where and When:  St. John’s Lodge (Portsmouth Masonic Temple), 351 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH.  at 9:00 a.m.  masonictemple-2

                                      So, is it the Trestleboard or Tracing Board ?
                                     Is there a difference and if so, what ?

This class will discuss Trestleboards (TB) which will answer those questions and much more.

The Master’s Class is designed for those who will, or might, work their way to the East but also contains important information for any MM. All are welcome to join the circle for an open and free discussion. This is not a class room setting with a lecture. It promises to keep you awake !

If you are traveling to the East one of your best resources (outside the other PM’s and the Secretary) is the Trestleboard .

Do we only send the TB to active M M’s ? If not, then who else should receive one ?
Is only the information about the next Stated meeting included in the TB ?
Can we mention names in the TB ? Who is o.k. and who is not ?.
If a Special Meeting is needed, what does “Sufficient Notice”: state about the time before the meeting date ?
With the cost of postage rising (and now no Saturday delivery) can we just send by email ?
Can we list the Officers and their Ladies names in the TB ? Is it a good idea ?
Can this task be assigned to a new Brother or should it be done by a committee of old timers ?
Bulk rate postage is cheaper but slower. Is this o.k. ?
Since it is the main means of communication with the members of the Lodge, can we include other items in the TB. Maybe the minutes of the last meeting but would that be allowed ?
What about changes to the Lodge By-laws. Can they be included in the TB ?

A trestle board is a framework consisting of (usually 3) vertical, slanted supports with one or more horizontal crosspieces on which to hang or display an item.

Today, it is better known as an “easel”.

Some jurisdictions around the world call it a tracing board. It would be somewhat of a “circular logic” task to argue the difference, as, while neither can be fully proven (in historical writings), the “Tracing board” may very well have predeceded the use of the word “Trestleboard” because lodges in Europe (which pre-date American lodges), use the word “Tracing Board”.

Hiram’s Tracing Board: Hiram Abif’s tracing board is believed to have been made of wood, covered with a coating of wax. Each day he would draw his Master architect’s measurements and symbols into the wax in order to instruct his Master Masons of the work that was to be accomplished.

At the end of the day, he would simply scrape off the wax and pour a new layer of hot wax onto the board to ready it for the next day’s work.

The program is set in a round table format with comments from all.

Please join us for the Master’s Class in Portsmouth, Saturday the 18th of February starting at 9 am with coffee and donuts.