What Is High Twelve International?

I've written about several Masonic appendant bodies over the last few years, and I thought I'd tell you a little something about a group I recently became involved with, and have enjoyed a great deal--High Twelve International.  I'm paraphrasing most of this information from the group's website. 

High Twelve is a social extension of Freemasonry. You could most easily describe it as a lunch club, which is how it got its name.  Long ago, noon was known as “high twelve” and the time to call workmen from labor to refreshment.  Accordingly, many High Twelve clubs – but not all – meet at noon.  It's very casual, and there is no ritual.  While there is a lot of variety from club to club, High Twelve usually meets at a restaurant, they have lunch, and perhaps listen to a speaker. 

High Twelve was started in 1921, and today boasts a membership of approximately 9,000 members in over 250 clubs nationwide and in foreign countries.

But High Twelve is much more than a lunch club--it's an association dedicated to bringing Master Masons together, and dedicated to service to the fraternity--High Twelve adheres strictly to the Masonic Laws of whatever jurisdiction it's in.  

And as with all Masonic groups, there is a philanthropic aspect as well. The Club's two primary focuses are on youth and education and it strongly supports the Order of DeMolay, Rainbow Girls, Job’s Daughters and the Wolcott Foundation that was established to provide scholarships for students at George Washington University who seek public service careers in government.

Illini High Twelve

Charter members of Illini High Twelve

As I said, I've recently gotten involved with High Twelve. One of High Twelve's newest charters in Illinois is the Illini High Twelve, which serves the Champaign-Urbana area (home of the University of Illinois.)  I'm very proud to have been elected as the Charter President of that group. We started as a small group of Freemasons who all worked at the University of Illinois who got together occasionally for lunch.  We decided to set a regular monthly lunch date and location, and invite more Masons to join us.  It went from three or four meeting for lunch, to about twenty in a very short period of time.  We decided it was time to take it to the next level--to charter a High Twelve club.

Our club is very casual--come as you are. Spouses are invited. All Masons are invited.  We even encourage our members to bring friends they think would make good Master Masons and give them a chance to meet a few Masons.  

It's something we all look foward too each month.  If you're interested in joining a High Twelve group, visit the High Twelve International website, and there you'll find a listing of all the groups in your area.


~TEC