The little red schoolhouse is passed at every meeting of Fellowship High Twelve to raise funds for the Wolcott Foundation Scholarship Fund. Wayne Long, the club's Wolcott Representative, offers the schoolhouse so Lewis Schoener can stuff the chimney. Quentin Keath waits his turn to contribute.

High Twelve International, whose clubs are active in Pennsylvania, combines fellowship with helping others in their quality of life pursuits, particularly young adults and youth. The clubs' two philanthropic objectives are youth and education, strongly supporting the Order of DeMolay, Rainbow for Girls, and Job's Daughters and the Wolcott Foundation that it established to provide scholarships for students at George Washington University who seek public service careers in government.

High Twelve, which is a social extension of the Masonic experience, is so named because long ago, noon was known as "high twelve" and the time to call off from labor for refreshment. Accordingly, many High Twelve clubs ­ but not all ­ meet at noon. There's no ritual; but it strongly encourages its members to be active in their lodges.

The birth of High Twelve was in 1920, when a former minister, E.C. (Wallie) Wolcott, who was the YMCA's General Secretary, and eight business associates who were Master Masons met in Sioux City, IA, for fellowship and camaraderie. The first club in Pennsylvania, which is still active, is High Twelve No. 50 in Philadelphia. Today, there are about two dozen clubs in the state that operate in the Pennsylvania Association of High Twelve Clubs under High Twelve International.

Although only Master Masons can join High Twelve, anyone is welcome at the meetings. A typical High Twelve meeting is brief in its business, full of fellowship, and includes a program, usually a speaker, on a limitless range of subjects. Some clubs have ladies at all of the meetings, while others have ladies on special occasions.

Passing the "Little Red Schoolhouse" is an important part of most every High Twelve Club meeting. As the name implies, it is a miniature red school house with a chimney that blows no smoke, but accepts folded contributions for the benefit of the Wolcott Foundation that awards fellowships to U.S. citizens who are attending George Washington University. In considering the grants, the Wolcott Foundation requires the candidates to undergo High Twelve scrutiny of social and moral values akin to those required to become a Mason. After graduation from George Washington, he or she must serve in a government or international affairs position for four years for the scholarship to be considered a grant; otherwise, only the portion served is considered a grant and the remainder is a loan which must be repaid.

To learn more about High Twelve, whether it is the location of clubs, joining, forming a new club, the Wolcott Foundation, or service to youth, contact Homer Swarner, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Association of High Twelve Clubs, 152 Pigeon Creek Rd., Pottstown, PA 19456.

It was "wild shirt day" at Fellowship High Twelve Club No. 669, Reading, when the Pennsylvania State Association of High Twelve Clubs was having its quarterly meeting at the same location, so they all joined together at "high twelve" for food and fellowship. Pictured are High Twelve International, State and local officials (l-r): Seated, front - Bill Potashnick, a trustee of High Twelve International and President of the New Jersey Association; Warren Bolton, the International Wolcott Representative; David Jacobs, Past International President and New Jersey State Secretary-Treasurer; and Grant Roth, Past President and Secretary Emeritus, Pennsylvania State Association. Middle row -- Richard Showalter, PA State Treasurer; William Stackhouse, PA 2nd V.P.; Fred Engel, PA President; Homer Swarner, PA Secretary; and William Heckman, PA 1st V.P. Back row ­ John Miller, Jr., Fellowship 1st V.P.; John Tumolo, Fellowship Secretary; Joseph Sullivan, Fellowship 2nd V.P.; and Dennis Rahn, Fellowship President.