Initiatives like the International Conference on the History of Freemasonry, the Worldwide Exemplification of Freemasonry, and UCLA's "Freemasonry and Civil Society" demonstrate an ever growing interest from the academic community in the history and philosophy of our great fraternity. It is gratifying to witness this increased attention from the non-Masonic community, and it presents a challenge for us as Masons to provide a balanced view of the fraternity from those who have experienced Masonry from within our fair Craft. The most significant aspect of this challenge is that few Masons hold the same level of knowledge and abilities as those in the academic community. To help rectify this discrepancy, The Masonic Society (www.themasonicsociety.com) and the Masonic Library and Museum Association (http://www.masoniclibraries.org) have joined forces to establish The Quarry Project. Phase one of this endeavor will be the Conference on Masonic Research and Preservation to be held at the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia on September 27-29, 2013. The conference is open to anyone interested in Masonic research and preservation but will be specifically targeted toward two groups: members of Masonic Lodges of research as well as authors, writers, and researchers (both published and aspiring) and Masonic librarians and museum curators.
The conference will draw from both the Masonic and academic communities to provide detailed instruction on Masonic research and the editing of same. In addition, the recommendations of a committee created to establish a set of voluntary standards for future Masonic research, writing, and editing will be introduced. Professional librarians, museum curators, and experts on display and preservation will address that area of interest. Multiple concurrent presentations on both fields of endeavor will be offered on all three days. Along the way, participants will be enthused and inspired by stories from successful Masonic library and museum curators and from published Masonic authors.
Program details and conference registration for this event, along with hotel reservation information, is now available at www.thequarryproject.com. Make your arrangements today to join us in Alexandria, Virginia.
John R. "Bo" Cline, President, The Masonic Society