Our History

 

“The soundest investment we can make is an investment in the youth of our land, for they are the leaders of the future. From their ranks will come the statesmen, educators, politicians, ministers, scientists and future presidents of this great country, and Freemasonry must make quite sure that it provides a generous portion of that leadership.”

– Right Worshipful Past Grand Master Samuel C. Williamson

Pennsylvania Youth Foundation Established

1981

The Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation (then the Pennsylvania Youth Foundation) was established in 1981 under the direction of then-Right Worshipful Grand Master Samuel C. Williamson. Seeing a need for an organization that would put into practice the Masonic fraternity’s commitment to our Commonwealth’s young people, Brother Williamson directed the Grand Lodge to create and endow a foundation to serve Pennsylvania’s Masonic-sponsored youth groups.

Patton School Renovated into Youth Conference Center

1983

The new Foundation Board was tasked with converting the former Thomas Ranken Patton Masonic School for Boys into a conference center for youth. The facility was a trade school for Masonic-related orphans, which had closed in 1976, and had three good buildings for the purpose. The Foundation took up immediate residency there, and early conferences were held in former machine and brick shops until renovations could be made. Two major construction projects, the first in 1983 and the most recent in 1998, have turned the old Patton School into a top-grade youth conference center.

Pennsylvania Youth Foundation merges with PA Masonic Foundation for Children

2006

In 2006, the Pennsylvania Youth Foundation merged with the former PA Masonic Foundation for Children, assuming their roles in supporting prevention and education efforts among all of Pennsylvania’s children and youth, while continuing their previous mission of support to the Masonic-sponsored youth groups and other important programs.

The Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation is proud to continue making history among Pennsylvania’s youth and to be involved in the lives of the leaders who will write tomorrow’s history for all of us!