Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: April, 1958 Volume 10 Number 1, Page 24

Order of the Rainbow for Girls

Hilda E. Heagy

Page 24

Great Valley Assembly, Order of the Rainbow for Girls, was instituted May l6th, 1953 in the Tredyffrin-Easttown High School, Conestoga and Howellville Roads, Berwyn, Pennsylvania. It was sponsored by the General Anthony Wayne Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, Berwyn, and consisted of girls from 13 to 18 years of age. At the time of the institution there were sixty girls from this area to be initiated, twenty-four of whom were officers.

There is an Advisory Board made up of Masonic and Eastern Star members and a Mother Advisor elected by the Advisory Board. During 1953 the meetings were held in the Berwyn Fire Hall on Bridge Avenue.

Mrs. Allen, the Supreme Inspector of Pennsylvania, asked if the meetings could be held in some church. The later part of 1953 the Advisory Board started investigating and found that the Educational Building of the Trinity Presbyterian Church, Berwyn, was available. The assembly has been meeting there ever since the early part of 1954.

In 1956, Great Valley Assembly choir won the choir competition at Grand Assembly, Order of the Rainbow for Girls, which was held at Pennsylvania State University. In 1957, at Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star they sang one number for the banquet and then joined with a choir made up of girls from the various assemblies of District Seven, Order of the Rainbow for Girls.

Since the Rainbow assembly started in 1953, there has been an increase in membership of the Assembly at the rate of seventeen girls per year. At least ten girls have received their majority on age or marriage.