Thanks to Charlie Niles, Bob Zander and Leon Moffett for their written and remembered history. The Murat Clown Unit is the result of a perceived need by Ben Roberts, Director Emeritus, for an activity for the Directors Staff between the two or three ceremonials each year. An unknown noble from New Albany, who belonged to Hadi Temple, suggested to Ben as early as 1969 that Murat should have clowns.
During the 1970 Imperial Session in Indianapolis Bob Stewart and Sam Huffman attended business meetings of the National (now International) Shrine Clown Association. Bob and Sam also learned of the Clowns of America and joined that organization. Ben Roberts announced (after acceptance by then Potentate Bill C***s) at a meeting in late 1971 that the Directors Staff would form a clown group within its unit. There followed a meeting of 22 members of the Directors Staff, a following meeting of 13 members, and one of 11 members. Ben realized that the desire to be a clown was not present in sufficient directors to provide a workable group and established within the Directors Staff Unit an Honorary Membership for clowns, which permitted non-directors to join the clowns. Growth in numbers resulted. Robert O. Stewart was then appointed as the first “Boss Clown”. October 13, 1971 the first rules of government for the clowns within the Directors Staff were adopted. These rules provided for the two active grades, regular members and apprentices, plus honorary members form the Divan. The rules of conduct were adopted from the Clowns of America’s Seven Clown Commandments. There was also provision for all regular clowns to be members of the National Shrine Clown Associations. A cornerstone of the organization was carefully oriented, squared, leveled, and plumbed at the beginning: “All Murat Clowns Shall have Excellent Make-up”. Ben Roberts appointed Charlie Wilkerson as Assistant Director in charge of Clowns in early 1972 and Charlie acted as “Boss Clown” from then until early 1974. His efforts to instill pride in quality continue within the unit. Practice through the latter weeks of 1971 and early 1972 finally prepared the clowns for their first public appearance outside the Shrine Club Oasis Lounge. Appropriately, this “first” was participation in a “Circus Parade” from the Mosque to the Fair Grounds promoting the Shrine Circus in April 1972. Other “firsts” followed in 1972:
First Parade – Zionsville
First Shrine Ceremonial – at Horse Patrol
First Out-of-State – Tiffin, Ohio
There were 22 total appearances in 1972. Activities continued to expand in 1973. More “firsts” were:
First hospital visit – Masonic Home Hospital
First participation in Shrine Circus; in Spec. Parades
First participation in Imperial Session, Atlanta
First participation in Great Lakes Shrine Association, Cincinnati
First award in contest: Bob Stewart GLSCUA Parade Clown, Cincinnati
First participation in Children’s Christmas Party. Growth continued in 1974. Principle events were:
Permission was granted to elect officers and wear “Clowns” on fez. Subsequently Sam Huffman was elected president and established that that officer shall govern the clowns in all activities. Ben Roberts effectively aided the young organization by ordering that the Directors Staff with the Clowns would share Shrine Circus sales commission. Host to the Great Lakes Shrine Clown Units Association Clownerama. Stewart was again made Boss Clown until 1975 when that position was deleted from the organization.
1975 was the year that the Clowns became a Unit of Murat Temple. Shortly after Joe Woodfill was installed as Potentate he granted them a charter. Wilfred “Bob” Zander was elected president of the new unit (re-elected in 1976 and again in 2000) and proceeded with a strong will and determination to establish the Clowns as one of Murat’s most active and visible units. During the 1975 Shrine Circus the Clowns invited Ronald McDonald and his friends to celebrate Ronald’s 25th anniversary. The clowns separated from the Directors Staff and became a Unit of their own. At that time the Directors Staff gave the clowns $500 to start their treasury and a parade vehicle called the “Benny Buggy”, a converted Roberts Dairy truck that was stretched so it would carry 20 – 30 people. This was used in many parades. Through the years the Clowns acquired other parade vehicles: The Fedder Bug, an old Dodge pick-up truck donated by John Fedder and built by the members into a parade vehicle complete with sound system; and the secondhand school bus rebuilt complete with kitchen, toilet and air-conditioning by Charles Stitzer and Charles Johns and decorated with clown faces and fancy lettering. Charles Stitzer, Charles Johns and Harry Bertram built a photo booth on top of a farm wagon that was used at the circus and German Park, complete with lights and a sound system. The “Jumping Johnnie” was purchased when Dave Burkhart was President in 1984. This is the one most familiar to you. It is a 1925 Mode T Ford.
“Firsts” in 1976:
First year in which members of the unit performed with the professional clowns in the circus acts. This continued through 1981. First visit by the unit to a Shrine Crippled Children’s Hospital, Chicago. A tradition was started in 1980 of initiating the reigning potentate as an honorary clown during the intermission of one of the circus performances. Harry Harmon started what has become a long line of honorary members who have made their first “clown appearance” at the Shrine Circus. This event has proven educational for potentates, fun for the Unit and entertaining to the nobility. The 1982 Shrine Circus was the first one in which the Unit presented an act using only its own members. Under the leadership of William Meadows, the Unit provided all of the clowns for the Shrine Circus clown acts in 1983. President Bob Caudell appointed Gary Lewis to re-work the Unit’s By-Laws in 1987. The Units’ name was changed for the third time from Murat Shrine Clowns to Murat Shrine Circus Clowns. There are now 23 Clowns, 4 Apprentice Clowns (all required to make 24 appearances per year) and 20 Veteran Clowns. Potentate Philip Thrasher appointed Gary Lewis to the Divan in 1992, a first for the unit. Then, in 2000 Potentate Gary (BUBBA) Lewis appointed William (ODIE) Wimmenauer to the Divan – the second member of the unit to be appointed to the Divan. Gary was elected Potentate in 2000. William (ODIE) Wimmenauer was elected Potentate for the year of 2006. Continuing the line of the Clowns, Potentate Wimmenauer appointed Charles (FLATFOOT) Crabtree as Outer Guard. Charles (FLATFOOT) Crabtree was elected Potentate for the year of 2012. Again continuing the
Clown line in the Divan, Charlie appointed Charles (ZERO) Shull as Outer Guard. The year of 2001
The Clowns visited Lexington, Chicago and Cincinnati Hospitals, other non-Shrine hospitals, mini clinic, nursing home, schools, parades, circus, and many other events. As of July 31 the Clowns had made 64 group appearances. Within that number 391 individual appearances were made, and the year was barely half over! Jim Kaufman served that year as President of the Great Lakes Shrine Clown Unit Association Men like John Fetter and Bob Zander who were there when the unit started with the Directors Staff. Leon Moffett, Jack Carver, Bob Caudell, Charles Fitzgerald, Bob Hensley, Charles John and Charles Niles were there when the charter was given. All nine of these clowns are on the roster today! These men are the first to receive the award for at least 25 years of service, making them life members. That’s a minimum of 225 years experience and smiles from these gentlemen. In the year of 2003 the unit decided to change the logo fromto. The unit felt that an updated was necessary. In 2004 under the direction of President Don (Cosmo) Waters, the Clowns held the first BIG SCHNOZZOLA degree. The degree was inferred upon worthy men to join the ranks of the Murat Shrine Circus Clowns. Mike Nelson was installed as President of the GLSCA. In 2006 Don (Cosmo) Waters was elected to the Line of GLSCA. In 2007 Jim (Kopo) Kaufman was elected to the Line of ISCA. In 2009 Don (Cosmo) Waters served as the GLSCA President. In 2009 while hosting the GLSCA convention in Indianapolis Charles (Zero) Shull was elected Sgt. Of Arms for GLSCA. For all years
No matter how hot or cold the weather, it always warms the heart to bring a smile to a child’s face-or anyone’s; and piece of mind to know that you have helped one of the Shrine Hospitals provide care for a child.
