Brief History of the Scottish Rite Foundation of Colorado

In the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, the first-ever Childhood Language Disorders Program was started in Denver, Colorado in 1953. Since then in nearly every State of the Union the Scottish Rite has developed similar programs. In 1963 the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America, sitting in Washington, D.C., adopted the Childhood Language Disorders Program as the flagship charity of the Jurisdiction.

How did this work get started?

In early 1952 a social worker at The Children’s Hospital in Denver approached the Scottish Rite in Denver requesting assistance for a young widowed mother who needed financial help in obtaining treatment for her 4-year-old son. The Scottish Rite Masons who followed up on this request were William G. Schewigert, 33°; Gerald L. Schlessman, 33°; and the Honorable Haslett P. Burke, 33°, Colorado’s Sovereign Grand Inspector General.

Following a detailed investigation, these Scottish Rite Masons presented an organization proposal to the Scottish Rite membership for creation of a foundation which would be dedicated to the treatment of children with language disorders. During a cold and snowy night on November 25, 1952, about 500 Scottish Rite Masons gathered in the Scottish Rite Consistory auditorium at 1370 Grant Street in Denver and approved creation of the Scottish Rite Foundation of Colorado for the treatment of childhood language disorders. On February 3, 1953, the Foundation was formally organized as a 501(c)(3) public charity.

How has the program expanded in Colorado?

In 1953, 14 Colorado children were treated for language disorders at The Children’s Hospital with Scottish Rite Foundation financial assistance. Currently, about 1,000 children receive therapy and related services each year. Through 2006, 12,495 children have been served with the Foundation’s financial assistance.

The Foundation began expanding its clinic program in 1986. Today the Foundation partners with 11 service providers serving 21 communities throughout Colorado. The clinic expansion evolved as follows:

1986 - Grand Junction, St. Mary’s Life Center
1987 - Pueblo, Children’s Therapy Center (The Children’s Hospital Satellite)
1997 - Colorado Springs, Memorial Hospital for Children
1998 - Fort Collins, Children’s Speech and Reading Center
1998 - Montrose, Montrose Memorial Hospital
2000 - Greeley, University of Northern Colorado
2000 - Cortez, The Piñon Project
2004 - Grand Junction, Rocky Mountain SER Western Slope Head Start
2006 - Sterling, Sterling Regional MedCenter
2006 - La Junta, Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center

The Children’s Hospital is the Foundation’s flagship partner. The hospital’s Audiology, Speech Pathology, and Learning Services Department has served more than 9,500 children with the Foundation’s financial assistance.

In 2003, the Foundation established the Kelley Family/Schlessman Family Scottish Rite Masons Chair in Childhood Language Disorders at Children’s. Dr. Deborah Hayes, the Department Chair, is the first incumbent for this endowed chair. Her responsibilities include oversight and coordination of all Foundation programs in Colorado. In addition, she serves on the Foundation’s Strategic Planning Committee and attends all Foundation Board of Trustees meetings.