History of the Hillbilly Degree

History of the Hillbilly Degree

Many years ago, shortly after I became a Shriner, I was exposed to the world of side-line degrees. Now to reach this point in life, a man must first become a Mason. That is a member of the Masonic Lodge. This is a very great organization, so like my father and brothers, I was very proud to become a
member.

Now that I was a Mason; I was promptly informed that I must go on up." Some urged me to take the York Rites, and some said take the Scottish Rites; some
even said to take both. This some of the best advice that I have ever had that I followed. Now I was able to petition and join the Shrine. Shrine Temples are in all areas of North America and apparently these fellows have fun.

So I became a Shriner. A Shriner is permitted to wear the red fez and join in the many social and charitable activities. He can join the Clown Unit, the Marching Patrol, Oriental Band, or other groups and participate in the colorful parades and be seen in many public places. The social activities are many and always proud to be helping support the Shriners Hospitals. What
could be finer than to have fun and help the crippled and burned children at the same time?

At this point I was beginning to acquire a billfold full of cards. Each of the Masonic organizations issues their own annual card, and they soon add up. Then the Temple issues a card; and each of the Units also issues their own annual cards. Now a Shriner becomes exposed to the world of side-line degrees. Many Shriners loved to join as many as possible in order to be able to display the membership cards-sometimes dozens and dozens, and he is always proudest if he has more than the other Shriner. It is quite common to
see Shriners have special card cases; which they will flip out at the faintest hint to unfold a strip of cards a yard or two long. This is the world of the side-line degree.

Side-line Degrees came under many names: the Horse Traders, Swords of Timbuktu, Yellow Dog, Mandarin, Mad Dogs of Lebanon and many, many others.
Often I would wonder where the money that myself and others paid out for these small pieces of cardboard [the valuable membership card was going to.

Why I even joined the Old Bastards. The money went and the number of membership cards grew.

Slowly into my world of awareness came the realization that all of this money paid out for the side-line degrees was going to Shrine clubs, groups
of individuals and sometimes to single individuals. The money paid for fine banquets and parties, material objects, and sometimes went into an individuals pocket. Furthermore, some of the Rituals left me rather cold or in disgust. This could not be right.

What the Shriners needed was a new side-line degree, one that had a new and interesting ritual, and above all a purpose namely that all profits would go
for a worthy cause, to help the children who were admitted to the Shriners Hospitals. The members of this new side-line degree must have some fun and
enjoy the activities so that he wanted his friends to also participate, and help spread the word of the new Degree. Rules must be drawn up to assure
that all profits went to help those crippled and burned children of the Shriners Hospitals and for no other purpose.

After discussing side-line degrees with a friend one day back in 1969, 1 decided to see if I could put something down in writing to establish such a new degree. I could only draw upon my own experiences--born and raised in the Hills of West Virginia and now living in the hills of Kentucky. I could recall the outhouse moon; which closely resembled the Crescent, a symbol held in the highest esteem by all Shriners. This somehow reminded me of corn cobs, moonshine, etc. So I sat down and wrote. Slowly the new Degree took substance and form

Now the Hillbilly Degree did not take form in a few days; it really took several months and several rewrites. The truth is, if I had it to do over, there are a few other changes I would make. However, it finally looked
pretty good. Much better than most of the other side-line degrees that I had taken.

Then I wrote a Constitution to assure that no one made any money from this Hillbilly Degree--all profits must go to help those crippled and burned children of the Shriners Hospitals. Now we are ready to go, and a couple of friends agreed to help me try out the new Degree.

With the help of a couple of friends, it takes three to put on the Degree work, we initiated a few of the Shriners of El Hasa Temple in Ashland,
Kentucky and everyone seemed to enjoy it. So we realized that the new Hillbilly Degree would be accepted at least as well as the many other
side-line degrees.

The next step was to obtain a copyright, so that no group could come along later and put on this degree and not abide by the rules that the profits
must go to help the crippled and burned children. This was what it was all about. Thus copyright No. 23370 was obtained in 1970 which can and will be
renewed after it expires. Now all that these first Hillbillies received upon initiation was the membership cards. Now we found a source for Hillbilly Hats, and everyone started to wear theirHillbilly Tuxedos," the overalls to all meetings. The more worn and patched, the better they were accepted.

Hillbilly Information

Hillbilly image vital part of American heritage
by Walter Ferch

Although not a native Kentuckian, I am familiar with many of the
down-to-earth people of your commonwealth, having spent some time in your
state as a soldier, as a civilian and at times, during the past 15 or more
years, as a Shriner.

To me, the hillbilly image is a vital part of our American heritage. To say
that a barefoot, ill-clothed hillbilly creates a negative image is like
saying slavery never existed in America.

Time was when that image may have portrayed that poor, rugged individual
who, because of poverty was denied the privilege of higher education. But to
me, that image depicts a man from a group of plain, common, God-loving and
God-fearing folk whom, in spite of severe economic hardships, overcame hard
times and still survived.

I believe that survival was due to their strong family and clan ties-those
family ties that are so sorely missing and so badly needed in other parts of
our American society today.

Just over a quarter of a century ago, Jim Harris, a Shriner from Ashland,
created a special Shrine Degree for Kentucky Shriners. He called it The
Grand & Glorious Order of the Hillbilly Degree. He declared that any funds
obtained from this degree must be used to benefit the Shriners Childrens
Hospitals, a very noble cause.

Almost everyone is familiar with the excellent works our Shriners do for
unfortunate kids. As a logo or emblem for this degree, Jim chose the
portrait or image of what was then considered to be the typical Kentucky
hillbilly.

Shriners in other states soon heard of this Hillbilly Degree as a way for
them to raise funds for the hospitals. They asked Jim for permission to use
the degree and to form Hillbilly Clans in their areas.

There are now about 140 clans in North America, stretching from coast to
coast, and from Canada to Florida and California and this degree with its
hillbilly image is still growing.

The official Hillbilly paper, The Hillbilly News, still features that
typical hillbilly on its masthead. Many Shriners hold that hillbilly image
in high esteem.

The biggest attraction in eastern Kentucky is Pikesville's annual "Hillbilly
Days" and it is probably second only to the Kentucky Derby for bringing
people to Kentucky. Hillbilly Days began as a spin-off from our Hillbilly
Degree. Howard "Dirty Ear" Stratton, and Grady "Shady Grady" Kinney, both
Shriners, are largely responsible for establishing this famous hillbilly
event.

It has now evolved into a community affair, but still owes most of its
success to the outstanding support given to it by the Shrine Hillbillies.
They travel to Pikesville each year in mid-April from all over the United
States and Canada.

If that hillbilly image created an unfair stereotype, it never would have
gotten that fantastic support from our Shriners. I am mighty proud to be a
Shrine Hillbilly, and our native Kentucky friends can be mighty proud of
their hillbilly heritage. It is a part of real America.

Jim Harris did a great service to the people of Kentucky, and to hillbillies
everywhere, when he developed the Hillbilly Degree. His efforts helped many
unfortunate children to throw away their crutches and become useful
citizens. Men such as Stratton and Kinney, who have toiled in humble
poverty, have shown the world that the hillbilly image has undergone some
change. Through the efforts of gentlemen such as these, hillbillies are
becoming known as unselfish, caring and benevolent American citizens.

Webmaster's Note: Wally Ferch is a member of Shriner Wisconsin, Badger
Hillbilly Clan 50. He lives in Monomonee, Wisconsin.

The above article was written in answer to an article reprinted from the
local newspaper at Pikesville, Kentucky in the June 1994 issue of Hillbilly
News. The article was titled "Hillbilly stereotype attacked by group". This
answer was written by Wally Ferch as shown, by request from Howard Stratton,
one of the founders of Pikesville Hillbilly Days, and was published in the
August 13, 1994 edition of the Ashland Independent Newspaper.

We reprinted this article from the October 1994 Hillbilly News in the
September 1995 Sahib Shrine Temple Reporter newspaper. Sahib Hillbilly Carl
Allen suggested running the article.