History of Texas Grand Assembly, International Order of the Rainbow for Girls
The Order of the Rainbow for Girls was organized in Texas on April 6, 1922, when Mrs. Daisy Cushing, wife of Dr. Daniel N. Cushing, Past Master of San Antonio Chapter No. 2, was appointed the first Supreme Deputy in Texas. It was through her efforts and the Masons and Eastern Stars of Texas that Rainbow was accepted, and approval was given to the Assemblies in their sponsorship. Mrs. Cushing was elected Supreme Inspector in June 1923.
The first Assembly in Texas was Sherman No. 1, Instituted July 10, 1922. Their sponsor was Indivisible Friend Commandery No. 13. Yoakum Assembly No. 2 was the second Assembly. The San Antonio Assembly No. 3 charter is signed by William P. Freeman, Supreme Worthy Advisor, and W. Mark Sexson, Supreme Recorder of Supreme Assembly, Mother Assembly of the World. Its seat of authority is in McAlester, Oklahoma. The charter instituting date was May 13, 1922, and constituting date was June 2, 1923.
During the next years many Assemblies were instituted and sponsored by Masonic bodies, Eastern Star chapters and groups of Masons and Eastern Star members. Many of these early Assemblies are active today and many other Assemblies have been instituted.
Texas Grand Assembly was organized August 20, 21, 22 in 1924 in San Antonio and in 1925 the Grand Assembly Session was held in Houston. History was in the making for Rainbow in Texas.
In El Paso at the 1941 Grand Assembly session, Mrs. Cushing was ill and Mr. Victor C. Whitfield was appointed Chairman of the Grand Executive Committee. Mrs. Cushing passed away September 5, 1941. Dallas had been selected as the site for the 1942 Session and Mrs. Roberta Kendall, Mother Advisor of Oak Cliff No. 67, and Mr. Whitfield went to McAlester to talk with the Reverend W. Mark. Sexson regarding the Session. Rev. Sexson declared Mr. Whitfield as the General Chairman and his Deputy. At the Session, Mr. Whitfield was made Chairman of the Grand Executive Committee. He was also Chairman of the Grand Cross of Color until his passing away February 4, 1973.
Mrs. Martha Marie Whitfield was appointed Special Deputy at the 1941 Session. She was appointed Supreme Deputy in 1942, promoted to Supreme Inspector in 1950 and later was elected as Supreme Faith in 1972. She then advanced to the office of Supreme Worthy Associate Advisor until her passing away on April 7, 1989.
Thousands of girls have been initiated into the Order in Texas with Masons and Eastern Star members being their friends and serving on Advisory Boards. Each Assembly has charitable, financial, and social activities that they may carry on the beautiful Ritualistic work in the manner provided by the Founder.
Through financial projects, donations have been given to the Masonic Home for the Aged, now the Texas Masonic Retirement Community. Contributions were made for the Chapel at the former Masonic Home and School. Texas Rainbow made contributions to help with the furnishing of the chapel at the former Eastern Star Home.
Two funds were active several years by Assemblies and individuals. The W. Mark Sexson Loan Fund to be used by Rainbow Girls to further their education and the Let’s Be Thankful Fund. This Fund was used to help through contributions for rent, food, clothing, medicine, hospital expenses, emergency travel and every need for members and friends.
Those funds were combined with the Martha Marie and Victor C. Whitfield Scholarship Fund into what is now known as the Texas Pot of Gold Foundation (501 C 3).
In 1950 at the Annual Session in Mineral Wells, a life size portrait of Rev. Sexson was unveiled and presented to him during the meeting that he attended. The artist was Mr. Dimitri Vail, and to complete the portrait, Mr. and Mrs. Vail gave the beautiful gold leaf frame. The portrait hangs over Reverend Sexson’s desk in the library at the International Temple in McAlester, Oklahoma.
Rainbow Members, in becoming Majority Members, have taken their place in church, community and civic affairs, many of them serving on Advisory Boards and many of the Past Grand Worthy Advisors have served as Mother Advisors.
Grand Assembly Session is an annual event looked forward to from the closing of Installation until the following year as is Supreme Assembly Session which is held every two years. Our attendance at Grand and Supreme Assembly is excellent and every adult glows with pride at the interest and respect shown by the girls.
These Sessions are of utmost importance, but local Assembly meetings are the ones planned and conducted by the girls with their Advisory Board, being their friends and advisors.
Our Fiftieth Anniversary was in 1974 and it was fitting and proper that San Antonio was again our host. Mrs. Rosalie Kohler Bell, P.G.W.A. presented a beautiful program to honor our fiftieth year. Texas was pleased and honored to have been chosen to host the Thirty-fourth Biennial Supreme Assembly “Follow the Spirit” Session in Fort Worth, Texas in 1992. We were honored with the presence of many distinguished guests.
Mrs. Pearl Mills was appointed Supreme Deputy in 1982 by Mrs. Agnes McLeod, then elected Supreme Inspector in 1990. Later she was appointed Supreme Chaplain in 1992 by Mrs. Margaret Kofoed and then appointed Supreme Drill Leader in 1996 by Mrs. Linda Freimann. In 1998 she was appointed as Supreme Outer Observer. Mr. Hubert D. Mills was the long-time Chairman of the Grand Executive Committee.
Mrs. Marlene Dibrell was selected by Supreme Assembly as Supreme Deputy in mid-1999 and was installed on June 16 at Grand Assembly session in Corpus Christi. Mrs. Mary Muhs, Supreme Worthy Advisor and Mr. Joe Blair, Supreme Parliamentarian, were present at the entire Texas Grand Assembly session and Mrs. Muhs installed Mrs. Dibrell, assisted by Mr. Blair. Mrs. Dibrell's husband, Mr. David B. Dibrell, was a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas.
Mrs. Dibrell was elected a member of the House of Gold and installed as Supreme Inspector in Texas at the 2008 Supreme Assembly Session in Chicago. She subsequently was appointed, at Supreme Sessions through the years, as Supreme Nature, Supreme Fidelity, and Supreme Parliamentarian.
On March 19, 2011, during the visit of Texas Grand Assembly to the Supreme Temple, Mrs. Dibrell announced that Mrs. JoAnn Weaver would succeed her as the Supreme Officer of Texas. At the close of the 2011 Grand Assembly session, Mrs. Weaver was installed by Mrs. Dibrell as Supreme Deputy in Texas, assisted by Mrs. Joanie Jacka, Supreme Faith and Supreme Inspector in Nevada. Mrs. Weaver was elected to the House of Gold in 2020, and in 2022, at the Supreme Session, she was appointed as Supreme Religion.
The 100th anniversary of IORG in Texas was celebrated with great excitement in June 2023 at Grand Assembly Session in Waco. This session recalled the memories and outstanding history of the past 100 years. It was attended by over 500 members, former members, past and present Grand Officers, Past Grand Worthy Advisors, and adult workers that have served during the previous years. It was a truly Grand Celebration full of friendships and precious memories.
The first Assembly in Texas was Sherman No. 1, Instituted July 10, 1922. Their sponsor was Indivisible Friend Commandery No. 13. Yoakum Assembly No. 2 was the second Assembly. The San Antonio Assembly No. 3 charter is signed by William P. Freeman, Supreme Worthy Advisor, and W. Mark Sexson, Supreme Recorder of Supreme Assembly, Mother Assembly of the World. Its seat of authority is in McAlester, Oklahoma. The charter instituting date was May 13, 1922, and constituting date was June 2, 1923.
During the next years many Assemblies were instituted and sponsored by Masonic bodies, Eastern Star chapters and groups of Masons and Eastern Star members. Many of these early Assemblies are active today and many other Assemblies have been instituted.
Texas Grand Assembly was organized August 20, 21, 22 in 1924 in San Antonio and in 1925 the Grand Assembly Session was held in Houston. History was in the making for Rainbow in Texas.
In El Paso at the 1941 Grand Assembly session, Mrs. Cushing was ill and Mr. Victor C. Whitfield was appointed Chairman of the Grand Executive Committee. Mrs. Cushing passed away September 5, 1941. Dallas had been selected as the site for the 1942 Session and Mrs. Roberta Kendall, Mother Advisor of Oak Cliff No. 67, and Mr. Whitfield went to McAlester to talk with the Reverend W. Mark. Sexson regarding the Session. Rev. Sexson declared Mr. Whitfield as the General Chairman and his Deputy. At the Session, Mr. Whitfield was made Chairman of the Grand Executive Committee. He was also Chairman of the Grand Cross of Color until his passing away February 4, 1973.
Mrs. Martha Marie Whitfield was appointed Special Deputy at the 1941 Session. She was appointed Supreme Deputy in 1942, promoted to Supreme Inspector in 1950 and later was elected as Supreme Faith in 1972. She then advanced to the office of Supreme Worthy Associate Advisor until her passing away on April 7, 1989.
Thousands of girls have been initiated into the Order in Texas with Masons and Eastern Star members being their friends and serving on Advisory Boards. Each Assembly has charitable, financial, and social activities that they may carry on the beautiful Ritualistic work in the manner provided by the Founder.
Through financial projects, donations have been given to the Masonic Home for the Aged, now the Texas Masonic Retirement Community. Contributions were made for the Chapel at the former Masonic Home and School. Texas Rainbow made contributions to help with the furnishing of the chapel at the former Eastern Star Home.
Two funds were active several years by Assemblies and individuals. The W. Mark Sexson Loan Fund to be used by Rainbow Girls to further their education and the Let’s Be Thankful Fund. This Fund was used to help through contributions for rent, food, clothing, medicine, hospital expenses, emergency travel and every need for members and friends.
Those funds were combined with the Martha Marie and Victor C. Whitfield Scholarship Fund into what is now known as the Texas Pot of Gold Foundation (501 C 3).
In 1950 at the Annual Session in Mineral Wells, a life size portrait of Rev. Sexson was unveiled and presented to him during the meeting that he attended. The artist was Mr. Dimitri Vail, and to complete the portrait, Mr. and Mrs. Vail gave the beautiful gold leaf frame. The portrait hangs over Reverend Sexson’s desk in the library at the International Temple in McAlester, Oklahoma.
Rainbow Members, in becoming Majority Members, have taken their place in church, community and civic affairs, many of them serving on Advisory Boards and many of the Past Grand Worthy Advisors have served as Mother Advisors.
Grand Assembly Session is an annual event looked forward to from the closing of Installation until the following year as is Supreme Assembly Session which is held every two years. Our attendance at Grand and Supreme Assembly is excellent and every adult glows with pride at the interest and respect shown by the girls.
These Sessions are of utmost importance, but local Assembly meetings are the ones planned and conducted by the girls with their Advisory Board, being their friends and advisors.
Our Fiftieth Anniversary was in 1974 and it was fitting and proper that San Antonio was again our host. Mrs. Rosalie Kohler Bell, P.G.W.A. presented a beautiful program to honor our fiftieth year. Texas was pleased and honored to have been chosen to host the Thirty-fourth Biennial Supreme Assembly “Follow the Spirit” Session in Fort Worth, Texas in 1992. We were honored with the presence of many distinguished guests.
Mrs. Pearl Mills was appointed Supreme Deputy in 1982 by Mrs. Agnes McLeod, then elected Supreme Inspector in 1990. Later she was appointed Supreme Chaplain in 1992 by Mrs. Margaret Kofoed and then appointed Supreme Drill Leader in 1996 by Mrs. Linda Freimann. In 1998 she was appointed as Supreme Outer Observer. Mr. Hubert D. Mills was the long-time Chairman of the Grand Executive Committee.
Mrs. Marlene Dibrell was selected by Supreme Assembly as Supreme Deputy in mid-1999 and was installed on June 16 at Grand Assembly session in Corpus Christi. Mrs. Mary Muhs, Supreme Worthy Advisor and Mr. Joe Blair, Supreme Parliamentarian, were present at the entire Texas Grand Assembly session and Mrs. Muhs installed Mrs. Dibrell, assisted by Mr. Blair. Mrs. Dibrell's husband, Mr. David B. Dibrell, was a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas.
Mrs. Dibrell was elected a member of the House of Gold and installed as Supreme Inspector in Texas at the 2008 Supreme Assembly Session in Chicago. She subsequently was appointed, at Supreme Sessions through the years, as Supreme Nature, Supreme Fidelity, and Supreme Parliamentarian.
On March 19, 2011, during the visit of Texas Grand Assembly to the Supreme Temple, Mrs. Dibrell announced that Mrs. JoAnn Weaver would succeed her as the Supreme Officer of Texas. At the close of the 2011 Grand Assembly session, Mrs. Weaver was installed by Mrs. Dibrell as Supreme Deputy in Texas, assisted by Mrs. Joanie Jacka, Supreme Faith and Supreme Inspector in Nevada. Mrs. Weaver was elected to the House of Gold in 2020, and in 2022, at the Supreme Session, she was appointed as Supreme Religion.
The 100th anniversary of IORG in Texas was celebrated with great excitement in June 2023 at Grand Assembly Session in Waco. This session recalled the memories and outstanding history of the past 100 years. It was attended by over 500 members, former members, past and present Grand Officers, Past Grand Worthy Advisors, and adult workers that have served during the previous years. It was a truly Grand Celebration full of friendships and precious memories.