The earliest mention of the Clown Unit was in 1948 when Noble Earl Cristoph Bandmaster, attempted to form a Clown Band. As the months of ‘48 went by the Clown Band seems to have formed into an Oriental Band, working with the Clowns, to prepare for a performance at the 1948 Fall Ceremonial.
However, little real progress was made until 1953 when Nobles Ozzie McCraw took over as Ringmaster and reported a busy year of appearances at the Hickam Air Force Base carnival, at Kaneohe and at our Shriners Hospital for Children.
Then, from 1954 to 1960, when Noble Warren Flagg took over as Ringmaster, the Clowns under the combined leadership of Noble McCumsey and Noble McCraw experienced a good 5 years of numerous appearances in community locales & parades, both on Oahu and the neighbor islands.
There was no busier unit in the Temple than the Clowns, and they gave unstintingly of their time and talents, entertaining the kids at our hospital. Particularly around the holidays, the Clowns would arrange dozens of appearances at events of all kinds throughout the island, often receiving a monetary consideration for their show, with every penny being turned over to the Hospital.
