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History of Monsignor
Cramers Assembly
By
Truman 8tacey
Prologue
The Fourth Degree was authorized by the Supreme Board of Directors of
the Knights of Columbus in 1899, and the first Exemplification of the new
degree was held in New York City on Washington's Birthday, February 22,
1900, when 1,100 Knights were received into the new degree.
Southwest Louisiana became aware of the Knights of Columbus in late 1906
and early 1907 when recruiting for a new council was carried on in Lake
Charles. Primarily through the work of W.E. Krebs, editor of the Lake
Charles American Press, and the Rev. Hubert Cramers, Pastor of Immaculate
Conception Parish, the idea became a reality with the organization of
Calcasleu Council 1207 on March 10, 1907.
The Fourth Degree was first conferred in Louisiana on October 14, 1906,
with the institution of what was to become Blenville General Assembly. For
a number of years it was the only assembly in Louisiana, and members of
Calcasieu Council 1207 made the trip to New Orleans to become the
council's first Fourth Degree members. Thomas C. Plauche, Wade E. Plauche
Sr., Celement A. Helbling, J.J. Dubourg and P.D. LeBleu were received into
the degree on April 23, 1916.
In 1917 a second assembly was formed in Lafayette, which took the name
of Loulsiana's second Bishop, William DuBourg. In 1919 Adolph LaGrange and
Paul Zimmermann were received into the new assembly.
In 1923, thirteen more members of Council 1207 advanced to the Fourth
Degree: Walter P. Hebert, Thomas L. Huber, Harry W. Huber, Albert J.
LeBleu, John W. McNamara, Rudolph L. Richard, Vance Plauche Sr., Dr. R.R.
Areeneaux, Andrew J. Rybiski, Edward T. Buford, J.A. Landry, Pierre F.
Coco and Isaac Comeaux.
It was not until after World War II, however, that Southwest Louisiana
was to have its own Fourth Degree Assembly, and this was due primarily to
the industry and enthusiasm of Harry T. Floeter.
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Toward the Third
Millennium
As Columbianism and the Fourth Degree expanded in Southwestern
Louisiana,
paradoxically
enough, the scope and influence of Msgr. Cramers Assembly shrunk. In 1987,
Father Eugene C. Veillard Assembly was organized with headquarters in
Sulphur. A total of 69 members of Msgr. Cramers Assembly were transferred
to the new assembly, including three Past Faithful Navigators. The two
councils in Sulphur, plus councils in Maplewood, Carlyss, Westlake and
Vinton were withdrawn from Msgr. Cramers Assembly's area and assigned by
the Worthy Master to Father Veillard Assembly.
In 1990, Father Shahrigian Assembly was organized, to be domiciled in
DeRidder and Oakdale. At this time, 30 members ofMsgr. Cramers Assembly
were transferred to the new assembly, which was assigned councils in
DeRidder, Oakdale and Oberlin.
Thus, within three years, Msgr. Cramers Assembly lost 99 members by
transfer. This did not mean that the "glory days" had departed.
It just meant that the competition got tougher.
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In 1992, Vice Supreme Master, George E. Harvey, appointed Former Master
and Past Faithful Navigator Robert Kline to chair a committee of five
Former Masters to develop a system of assembly and individual recognition
awards for BienviUe Province (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas
and Tennessee). The committee recommended the establishment of the
following recognition awards for the province: Tile George E. Harvey
Award for Excellence, to be presented annually to the district with
the most outstanding record of patriotism, fraternalism and membership in
the province; The Bishop Ott Memorial Award for Excellence, to be
presented annually to the assembly with the most outstanding record of
patriotism, fraternalism and membership in the province. The committee
recommended that The Charles (2. Jaubert Memorial Award be
recognized as the most prestigious of the province's individual
recognitions. All recommendations were accepted.
At
the 1994 Bienville Provincial meeting, Master O'Reilly was further honored
in receiving the George E. Harvey Provincial Award for Excellence, which
recognized the fact that during the year the Louisiana District was the
leading district in Bienville Province. The award was presented by the
succeeding Vice Supreme Master, Marvin E. Lott.
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