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Ritualistic Unit
By Noble Ross A. Johnston
oble friends . . . another year of fun . . . is now almost done. This
year — our golden anniversary (1963-2013), we have fond memo-
Nries of some of the intriguing moments of this period.
The Ritualistic Unit was constituted as the “Ritualistic Divan of
Khartum Temple” on June 12, 1963. The first officers were Nobles A.E. ‘Al’
Ritchie, president; W. R. ‘Bill’ Irwin, secretary; and Graeme C. Norman, Ritualistic
director, who was instrumental in preparing the ritualistic presentation,
much the same as we know it today, and ’acted’ as the first potentate.
The constitution stated “The primary purpose of the unit shall be to
provide ritualistic work of the highest possible standard at Ceremonials of
Khartum Temple.”
The first Ceremonial took place at the Lakehead on September 7, 1963;
and the second followed on October 17, 1963, in the Winnipeg Auditorium
(now Manitoba Archives) while many patrons were simultaneously enjoying
the roller rink below.
Members of the Ritualistic Unit at the 2013 Ceremonial at Shrine House on
September 27, 2013
In 1964, the use of the word ‘Divan,’
previously restricted to the Imperial
Divan, was changed. Earlier, the June
1965 issue of Khartum News included
the first report by “Ritualistic.” Thereafter,
the nobles in the unit were simply
called “Ritualistics” until about 1968 when the
name became the “Ritualistic Unit.”
On December 7, 1968, “Mr. Scrooge,” a
light-hearted musical version of Charles Dickens
“A Christmas Carol,” was presented to
three capacity audiences at the Playhouse Theatre.
The ‘noble’ cast included the following
nobles:
Tom Sumner as Scrooge,
Earle Forshaw as Bob Cratchitt,
Bill Snell as Marley’s ghost,
Graeme Norman as the Ghost of Christmas
Past,
Doug Howat as Mr. Fezziwig, and,
Cam Pratt, Lowell Wallace, Bruce Evans,
Art Riehl, and Del Law.
Also during the 1960s, many unit members
worked diligently on the Shrine Circus management
committee, including the following
nobles:
John D. Cameron
Bruce Evans
Duncan Fraser
Les Garside
Norm Gorman
Kemp Keeble
Bill Irwin
Drew Lauder
Harold Plant
Tom Sidebottom
Ed Skene
Tom Sumner
Harold Thom
Ernie Vialoux
J. Mac Wilson
In 1970, Ritualistic Unit activities included
selling Circus programs and guiding wheelchair
patients. In 1974, they had their ‘miniature
Mecca’ float in the Circus parade. Then on
June 14, twenty-four members flew to the Thunder
Bay Ceremonial and returned the same evening
in a 1946 DC-3 which performed well
despite its age! The first Circus breakfast was
enjoyed at the Paddock in 1976, with strenuous
fall Ceremonials in Thunder Bay, Brandon, and
Winnipeg. In 1979, the Midwest summer sessions
in Winnipeg demanded much energy,
and after Noble Reesor Bingeman became the
sixtieth member, Noble Ernie Vialoux
remarked “We do have some good Masons!”
During the early 1980s, Noble Peter
Proskurnik built new costume cases to resolve
the wardrobe problems. The first mixed steak
fry and charity auction at Carter’s Auction realized
$1,000 for the S.B.I. The 1983 fiftieth anniversary
of the Shrine Circus meant new beige
Ph. 888-7110 . . . continued on page 13
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