THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 1, 1995 TAG: 9501310201
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
In last week's issue of The Citizen, incorrect information
concerning Smithfield Union Lodge 18 was inadvertently included in
the cover story about the masonic lodge.
In a section discussing membership, the story said that while
anyone may ask to join a masonic lodge today, this was often not so
in the past. ``There are Masonic lodges organized by
African-Americans because they were unable to join white lodges.
Neither were Jews or Catholics generally accepted,'' the story said.
The lodge president, Ed Douglas, is then paraphrased as saying
that, although this is no longer so, his lodge has no members from
these groups.
That is incorrect. In fact, Douglas told The Citizen that the
Smithfield lodge does have a Jewish member and at least one Catholic
member, though no black members.
Because of a technical, computer problem, the correct information
was not published.
The Citizen regrets this error and apologizes to members of
Smithfield Union Lodge No. 18.
by CNB