This September, California Masons’ Public Schools Month celebrations return with a focus on the fraternity’s historic support of education.

During Public Schools Month, the Masons of California, led by our local Public Education Advisory Committees, will host celebrations in communities statewide to show support of our local schools, teachers, and students, and to help champion the importance of child literacy and college success. All Masons are invited to attend these events!

Started 102 years ago by Grand Master Charles Adams, Public Schools Month is one of the fraternity’s oldest and longest-running public campaigns. What began as a way for local Masonic lodges to support schools in the wake of the first World War, when teachers were in short supply, has evolved over the years into a constellation of programs to support childhood education. Among them are partnerships with the national literacy nonprofit Raising A Reader, which provides expert-vetted and age-appropriate reading materials to students in the lowest-performing classrooms in the state, and the annual Teacher of the Year Awards, recognizing standout teachers from around the state. The California Masonic Foundation’s Investment in Success and Masonic Youth Leadership Award scholarships make college accessible to deserving high school students who are typically ineligible for other such awards; while the newly launched Working Tools scholarships offer students a pathway to a livable wage through vocational education.  Additionally, lodges throughout the state support students through a range of local programs and scholarships.

Join us in celebrating Masons’ historic bond with—and ongoing support for—public education. Details and RSVP forms are below. All events are open to the public and free to attend.