Wor. Bro. SAMUEL H. TOPPER (i.e. Sam Topper) was the long time Chemistry teacher at Hendrick Hudson H.S. in Montrose, NY. He was also Worshipful Master of Courtlandt Lodge in 1956, a year when we Raised more new Brothers than at

anytime in the lodge's history. Sam was an active Brother of our lodge right up until his

sudden death in 1985 when he dropped dead from a sudden heart attack.

 

Beginning in the late 1940s and continuing for over 30 years, Sam organized Courtlandt Lodge’s Annual Basketball Dinner where we hosted a recognition dinner for the basketball teams from the four high schools in our area.  Sam was also a long time high school basketball referee and would use his personal contacts to bring in very notable guest speakers, including some names from the collegiate coaching like Bobby Knight and Lou Carneseca.

 

Sam was the Brother who convinced our Lodge to start giving graduation awards each year beginning around 1950.  Some time after Sam’s death, the lodge voted to rename the award in his honor.

 

The Samuel H. Topper Award traditionally was awarded to a graduating Senior from Hendrick Hudson, Lakeland, Peekskill and Walter Panas High Schools. The winners from each school were selected by the school’s Guidance Office based on the student's Scientific achievements.

 

Beginning in 2008, the Brothers of Courtlandt

Lodge voted to increase the amount of the Topper Award to $1,000. As a result, the award now has a single winner making the award competitive.

Students from Hendrick Hudson, Peekskill and Walter Panas Highs Schools are invited to submit applications.  A winner is chosen each year by the Lodge Scholarship Awards Committee and approved by the Brothers.

 

Each application is reviewed independently by each committee member based on the academic and extracurricular activities of each student. Excellence is Science is still the major criteria for the award.

 

The winner is then chosen by the committee in late May. The winner must demonstrated the same qualities of service which emulates Masonic life. The winner and his/her family is then invited to a June meeting for a presentation ceremony and pictures.