A Winning Spirit...

Underdogs they might have been, but the Mighty Mites learned to have a winning spirit. The '08 issue of the Masonic Home Ex-Student Association quotes Joe Ray Hogan '48 who played football w/ Doug Lord, in fall of 1944 played against Riverside. He felt, as a freshman, he was playing among Giants, "a great privilege. I felt dwarfed. Yes, Riverside won, but the next day the Fort Worth Star-Telegram said we were "outweighed" (always were), "out-manned" (always were), but "never (bold) out-fought."

The can-do winning attitude was carried out into life by Home kids. Teachers such as Marie Glick who taught for 41 years at The Home, was told by her husband "You're married to the Masonic Home." Glick continues to return to reunions (at age 100 she attended a special celebration held for her in Houston) and holds an special seat whenever she shows up. "She was our mother, she would help us out," said one former student in a documentary The Eyes of Texas. "She was just an awesome, awesome teacher," Opal Worthington Lord remembers. Glick was present at the Twelve Mighty Orphans book publication kick-off at the Masonic building in downtown Fort Worth. She loved greeting former students.

The Masonic Home in Fort Worth closed in 2005 but it produced nine U.S. judges, four army generals, 47 doctors, five ministers, lawyers, church leaders and university presidents.

What the 12 Mighty Orphan story reminds us is that in the midst of a horrible depression, anyone, no matter what their circumstances, could be a winner.