The Masons from the Grand Lodge of West Virginia will conduct the time-honored cornerstone dedication ceremony for the new addition to Clay County High School on Saturday, April 10, at 1 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Clay County Superintendent of Schools, Joe Paxton, will welcome guests and former Superintendent Jim Dawson will speak at the ceremony.
The corner stone ceremony will be led by Grand Master Danny Garber, of the West Virginia Grand Lodge AF & AM. Masons representing the lodge will conduct the centuries-old rite of dedicating the new Clay County High School addition using the organizations symbolic laying of the cornerstone ceremony. A vault containing new memorabilia and several items from the past will be placed in the cornerstone. It will be sealed and positioned in the building at a later date. Artifacts from the CCHS’ old cornerstone casket that was laid on September 26, 1970 and opened on September 26, 2020 will be on display.
David Pierson, Vice President of the Clay County Board of Education and member of the Masons, is helping to coordinate the event. If a community member or organization has suggestions for what should be included in the vault, they should contact him or the board of education.
The Masons are a civic organization which has served West Virginia since the 18th century. West Virginia Freemasons have sought to unite good men of all backgrounds and make them better husbands, fathers, and citizens by encouraging and cultivating the masonic principles of friendship, morality, and brotherly love. There is no definitive singular definition for Freemasonry. Freemasonry means many different things to each man who joins the fraternity. Among the many meanings is a place to form friendships and acquaintances, a place to engage in introspection or discuss philosophy. It is also a place to practice charity and goodwill. Through each of these derived meanings as well as countless others, Freemasons strive to make our world a better place for all people.