Aleppo Shriners

01/16/2026

01/15/2026

From the Aleppo Archives: A Drum Comes Home

(as featured in the latest issue of the Aleppo News)

Besides being your Historian, I am also privileged to be involved in the preservation efforts of a number of local historical organizations. One of those we have discussed previously is the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts. The large shared membership of the AHAC and Aleppo Temple over the years makes it unsurprising that memorabilia from one organization might end up at the other.

While working in the AHAC library, I came across a photo album from one of the renovations of Faneuil Hall, specifically the before and after photos of each room of the AHAC armory. One photo stuck out as it showed the old museum which included a stack of drums on top of a display cabinet; one of those drums sported a large Shrine symbol.

The drum was very distinctive as it featured a rare internal tensioning system meaning that the lugs around each hoop passed through the side of the shell to an internal screw mechanism. This makes the drum very identifiable even from a distance. It was distinctive enough that I knew I had seen it on display in the armory; red with green hoops (the color scheme of most of Aleppo's old drums), but no Shrine symbol, and as I had noted the first time I had seen it that it didn't match any of the other AHAC drums. Moving into the armory, I quickly found the drum, in a stack with another drum, being used as a stand for a bust of Medal of Honor recipient George Maynard. It was definitely the same drum, but it wasn't until I stuck my head around the display that I could see the Shrine symbol, hidden against the wall.

I discussed the drum with the AHAC Curator, Lt. Chuck Fazio. He pulled the record of it in the inventory and shared the background of the drum itself noting that it is a "Mastercraft" model drum made by George Stone, a prolific drum maker here in Boston. Many of Aleppo's early drums were made by George Stone. Mastercraft drums, popular with local drum corps in the 1930s, were innovative but short lived as the mechanism was complicated and prone to jamming which made the drum difficult to maintain. This makes them a rare find today.

I began researching our own records. As mentioned, the drum is very distinctive in appearance, so I was able to find it in some old photos. Two notable events pictured were the Shrine Day at Suffolk Downs and the funeral procession of Bandmaster Walter Smith Sr.

I compiled the photos I had found along with other information and presented a formal proposal to the AHAC Museum and Library Committee to loan or donate the drum back to Aleppo. With Lt. Fazio's endorsement, the committee (which included Noble Ken Sallale) approved the return of the drum to Aleppo. We are very glad to be able to display this drum in our museum room as it is now the oldest snare drum in our collection!

01/14/2026

Earlier this evening, the Minutemen were pleased to receive a check for $5000 from Union Lodge (D) for the Aleppo Shriners Transportation Fund. This fund provides for the transportation of patients from all around the world, many of whom required specialized med-flights, to our hospitals, especially the Boston Shriners Hospital which specializes in pediatric burns.

01/14/2026

01/12/2026

Dues card required for annual meeting 1-27-26
Wear your fez.

01/09/2026

Shriners Children's Boston is deeply grateful to the members of Harvard Lodge for their generous gift of over $5,000 in support of our work. Their commitment to our mission strengthens our patients’ journeys of hope and healing and fuels our impact.

Thank you, Harvard Lodge, for standing with us and helping make a difference. Together, we are building a brighter future, one child at a time. ❤️


Shriners International

01/08/2026

From the Aleppo Archives: Thank you!

As we've taken to doing over the past few years, we like to pause early in the new year to take a moment for one last thank you to all of our donors and supporters from the previous year. So a big thank you to all who supported us in 2025! Here are just some of the many awesome items we added to our collection last year; and we already have a lot of great new items to share as well as new stories about some of the items already in our collection, so stay tuned each Thursday as we continue into 2026!

01/05/2026

Who's ready for SHRINER FUN in BRANSON ?

01/04/2026

Today's ceremonial was a great success! Congratulations to Ill. Cliff Critch on finishing his fantastic year in office! We wish Ill. Roger Gardiner the best of luck as he begins his year and welcome to our new Nobles!

01/02/2026

FREE STUFF!!!

You need stuff? We got stuff!

Drop by the lobby during our ceremonial this Saturday and grab something from our free table!

Through the generosity of our many supporters, the Musuem and Archives ends up with many duplicates as well as some unrelated items, so we offer them up to you in hopes that they can be of use.

Thank you for your continued support!

01/01/2026

Happy New Year!