Episode 54. 18:53 Working Tools Series - Robert E. Denfeld

This week, our friend and Brother Kevin Hendrickson shares some of his insightful research into Robert Denfeld, Past Grand Master of Masons in Minnesota (1914). 

Well-known for his tireless commitment to public education, civic engagement, and Freemasonry, Denfeld’s legacy is a true inspiration. Kevin recaps the foundation of Denfeld’s pioneering efforts: from establishing the state’s first free textbook system, to the academic training programs which eventually became the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and more. 

Robert E. Denfeld, servant leader, educator, and devoted Freemason, said in his final days “…I only wish I could do more.”

Transcript

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Welcome back to another episode of Minnesota Masonic Histories and Mysteries. My name is Reid Endersby, and I'm excited to revisit our 1853 series today. Now in our prior episode, I may have failed to mention that 1853 was the year in which our Grand Lodge of Minnesota was formed. keeping that number in mind, we want to do some shorter episodes of this podcast that may focus on education. History anecdotes having to do with the Masonic fraternity, specifically in Minnesota and that number of 18 minutes and 53 seconds. Well, these episodes will not exceed that for a little shorter episode here and there. My guest today was born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota. He lived there all of his life until 2019. When he moved to Minneapolis, he graduated from Denfeld high school in 2014. Study music and political science at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. He is currently a board certified optician and manager at Warby Parker Ridgedale. He is a very active Freemason having joined Minneapolis Lodge 19 in 2022 where he serves as Tyler, also active member of the Scottish Rite in the Minneapolis Valley. Achieved his 32nd degree in 2023 and has been very active with KSA of late. Welcome Kevin Hendrickson. You have a very busy schedule, both professionally and Masonically. Thank you for having me. having graduated from Denfeld High School in Duluth, you made a discovery as a young man, a little more something specific about who this school is named after and the historical component that goes with that. You tell us a bit more about how this all came to be. Yeah, so in 8th grade was the initial kind of genesis of what this project started. It was for Minnesota National History Day, for a project that we had to do research on an innovator in our community. And the person I chose to do was, This is the person that our high school is named after, Robert Denfeld, who was former Grand Master of Masons in Minnesota in 1914, and a very prominent educational figure in Minnesota. Did you know that about him going into this, or were these all, was this all new facts and new perspective on who, who this guy, the school is named for this guy named Denfeld, and was this a whole discovery process? Uh, the Masonic side of it was a discovery process. I knew about his career as an educator and former superintendent in Duluth and the Masonic piece kind of came later. The 33rd degree Mason thing popped up a lot his York right affiliations popped up The Grand Lodge piece I knew a little bit about but at the time that was in eighth grade So I don't really know what any of that meant, but that makes sense And then also his impact he had on the education system in general both locally in Duluth throughout the state You Is it safe to say that some of the things he pioneered ended up being emulated in other states? Absolutely. Yeah. So in making these discoveries, you have really have, is it safe to say an affinity for his story and the impact he had, both as a man, a mason, a community leader, and an educator? Very much, yeah. He's definitely left a lasting impact on me, both as a man, as a mason, just how I conduct myself in life. So as part of our 1853 series, I asked you to condense the presentation that you had put together. I know you're traveling to a handful of lodges these days to share a recap of a little more insight as to Robert Denfeld, the man, the Mason, the educator. Please share an excerpt of your presentation. Absolutely. Robert Denfeld, a prominent educator of Freemason, and in 1914, the Grand Master of Masons in Minnesota, was born on June 29th in 1853 in Westboro, Massachusetts. He married his wife Helen in 1882 and had six children together with many of their descendants still living to this day. After graduating from Amherst College, Brother Denfeld served as principal of multiple high schools in Southboro and Westboro, Massachusetts. In 1881, he took a brief time away from his career as an educator to study at Boston University, where he was admitted to the bar in 1882. After finishing law school, brother Denfeld went back into education, serving again as principal for three more area high schools in Massachusetts. In 1885, he accepted the superintendent's position in Mankato, Minnesota, which is what first brought him here to our state. Amazing to think that, how would you even hear about a job opening like that back in those days from Massachusetts to Minnesota? Yeah, that was always kind of a weird thought of mine too. just a year later, Brother Denfeld would become superintendent of schools in Duluth, my hometown, and would serve there for a total of 31 years. his notable accomplishments as an educator include opening Duluth's first night school, inventing Minnesota's first free textbook system, and helping start the Duluth Normal School, which housed a two year training program for elementary school teachers and eventually grew into what is now the University of Minnesota Duluth. As a Mason, Brother Denfeld had arguably as extensive a resume as well. in 1878, he was raised a Master Mason in Salome Lodge in Westboro, Massachusetts, later transferring his membership to Nahoyden Lodge, also in Westboro, before moving here to Minnesota. Once in his new home, he would affiliate with Mankato Lodge No. 12 in 1884, and in 1889 to Palestine Lodge number 79 after moving to north to Duluth Brother Denfeld would demit from palestine that same year to become a charter member of ionic number 186 in Duluth Where he served as their first senior warden and their second worshipful master Brother Denfeld held memberships in other masonic bodies as well Which included the scottish rite where he received his 33rd degree And he was also a member of the osmond shrine in st. Paul the odd shrine in Duluth and the masonic veterans association of minnesota He was also a member of the York Rite, where he was a member of Keystone Chapter No. 20, Duluth Council No. 6. and Duluth Commandery Number 18. Brother Denfeld also served in the Grand Lodge of Minnesota beginning in 1908, where he, over the course of seven years, It serves as Grand Order, Grand Marshal, Junior Grand Deacon, Senior Grand Warden, Deputy Grand Master, and finally in 1914 as Grand Master of Masons in Minnesota. Brother Denfeld also served as Chairman of the Grand Lodge Committee of Research and Study up until the day he passed. As a well known figure in public education and in masonry across the United States, Brother Denfeld is often remembered for his beautiful and impassioned style of public speaking and incredible work ethic, with his only regret in life being, quote, I only wish I could do more, unquote. Shortly after returning home from a trip to Montana, Brother Denfeld passed away in his Duluth home on December 22nd, 1921, at the age of just 68. His loss was a notable one felt by his colleagues, his family, and his brother Masons in Duluth and across Minnesota, and arguably across the whole of the United States. I first discovered what Masonry was, or is, I should say, by learning about Brother Denfeld's story back when I was just in eighth grade. He continues to be an inspiration to me in my day to day life, and more especially now that I have become a Mason myself. My hope from doing this project is to encourage others to draw inspiration from key figures in their lives and to turn those inspirations into actions that make the world a better place. As the only Mason in my family, I never had the family legacy type of connection to our gentle craft like many of our brothers here too. But now I realize that through my connection with Robert Denfeld and the alumni connection I shared at the high school with my family back home, that connection wasn't really missing at all. It was just, I had yet to discover it. As Brother Denfeld did in his own life, we should all Mason or not strive to make the world a better place. So long as each of us continue to live and work in it through the special harmony we create amongst ourselves as men and as Masons, we find the strength and support we all need in this world, especially now more than ever. Thank you for sharing an excerpt of your presentation that I know is far more lengthy and involved than you have some images of School of Duluth, of the University, of Denfeld himself, It's very much inspiring to stop and think about how some of our forefathers contributed not only to their community, in their areas of study, but also to Freemasonry and their devotion to our gentle craft. amazing to think that with the level of involvement he had, he still at the end just wished he could have done more. Yeah. Amazing. Yeah, and that's something I definitely take into my day to day life. I get that from my dad, honestly, towards, even though I've accomplished X, Y, and Z over the years, I'm always thinking, okay, what's next? What else can I do? What, how else can I better myself along the way? So it's, And I think that's definitely a virtue of his that I take into my day to day life. Well, it's so easy to feel overwhelmed, busy. We all have a lot going on. There's many layers of life, so many things happening at once that it's easy to say, I don't think I can do much more, or maybe I shouldn't take on much more. to really have that level of dedication to be constantly seeking for, not to be more busy, but more effective. And how can I be that better version of myself? As we, as Freemasons have set out to do by taking that slow, sustainable progress, as we say, chipping away at the rough spots of our lives and wanting to be a better version of ourself, whatever that looks like, a better colleague, a better neighbor, a better spouse or partner. that's, it's really interesting to learn about him. I had no idea that he spent so much time in his home state of Massachusetts before just So we've There was an opportunity out in Minnesota, and that had to be a pretty bold move at the time, in the, what, 1885, or in the late 1800s, to just say, Well, it looks like we're packing up and going west. Moving from Massachusetts all the way up north to Minnesota. Yeah, that would probably be arguably a daunting task for that time frame. A little more of an arduous journey than we would ever be able to conceive of as of now. There had to be some stagecoach involved, no? Probably. Who knows? Well, Kevin, I appreciate you being here today. And again, part of the 1853 series of this podcast is we occasionally look at a shorter topic of Masonic education, history, something pertaining to Minnesota. And I'm still in search of additional topics. I want to have guests come in and share things like you have done today with your admiration for our past Grandmaster Denfeld. But who else out there would like to be a part of this sometime? I'd love to hear from you. It could be a non Masonic education piece, very much wide open As we look at sharing a topic in a shorter timeframe in this 1853 series. How important do you think it is for us to continue identifying certain members of the Masonic fraternity, both Minnesota and elsewhere, and study their background and not lose their legacy? And I think you phrased it perfectly there with legacy. think it's very important just in the aspect of referencing back to the history of our brotherhood and learning from the lessons that they themselves learned, our brothers in the past, and taking those into the future I think is a good way to carry on their legacy, their memory, We definitely stand on the shoulders of giants and Robert Denfeld being one of the top of Minnesota Freemasonry. Absolutely. Kevin Henderson. Thank you for being our guest today. This has been another episode of Minnesota Masonic Histories and Mysteries.