This fraternal organization (women have always been admitted as members)
was founded in New York in 1851. It exists today as the International
Organization of Good Templars.Its platform states:
Independent Order of the Good Templars
The first lodge of the order ever organized on the Pacific Coast was
instituted in the city of Santa Cruz on the 22 day of February 1855.
Among the charter members of this lodge are many names familiar in the
history of Santa Cruz county. It was instituted by Richard Williams
who came here from New York and was a Good Templar in that state when
the order was in its infancy. The lodge was known as Pacific Lodge No.
1. Richard Williams died in this city Oct 15 1887, but he lived to see
the order that he founded on this coast reach a membership of over 18,000
and the work has progressed until through the influence of the order,
more than 200, 000 persons in California have been obligated to total
absinance for life.
And the order for this state has founded and maintained a home for
anybody's orphans, where it has clothed, fed, and educated more than
3,000 orphaned children. Pacific Lodge No. 1 and Richard Williams planted
the seed way back in the early days of the city, which has born such
good fruit. Pacific Lodge lived and continued to be active for about
20 years, but then succumbed.
A few years later, March 28, 1892, Santa Cruz lodge No. 499 was organized
and has continued actively at work every since. It now has a membership
of 80, and is doing a splendid work more particularly among the young
people. It is safe to say that 2000 people in Santa Cruz, through the
influence of the Independent Order of Good Templars, have been obligated
to total abstinence for life. The officers of the lodge are: P. C. T.
Mrs. Ella Ichenberry, C.T. Miss Sophie Shirley, V. T. W. P. Netherton,
Chaplain, Mrs. W. P. Netherton, F. S. Eva Leonard, Treasurer, Louis
Williams, Secretary, Grace King, Assistant Secretary, Hay Stone, Marshall,
Anna Graves, Deputy Marshall, Minnie Taylor, Guard, Levy Hannah, Sentinal,
Frank Casebeer, Lodge Deputy, Lilly Boyle.
A brochure describing the Good Templar's Home in Vallejo, California
was copied for me by a Good Templar member. One hopes that it is a true
description of the Home. Here are a few excerpts.
... Purpose of Booklet ...
In presenting this little booklet we have in mind the many calls which
come to you in the course of you work for a suitable place to send a
growing boy or girl who is forced by circumstances to find an institution
that will give the proper training and at the same time be reasonable
in price. it is the purpose of the Good Temlars' Home at Vallejo to
meet these requirements.
The institution is endowed and has a separate source of income other
than the money received for boarding the children. Only a moninal charge
per month is made for each boy or girl and this money is used in conducting
the affairs ofthe Home. In no sense is it a money-making instituion.
Every cent of the income from our own endowment and the money received
for boarding the children is spent upon the children.
This enables them to have many things that they would not otherwise
receive and, in fact do not receive in insitutions charging a great
deal more.
Every child receive the most conscientious care and treatment. Improvements
are being made continually and it si hoped that the pages of tis booklet
will give you all necessary information and answer any questions that
may suggest themselves to you.
A cordial invitation is extended to all to visit the home, as a personal
inspection would convince you that the statements made in this catalog
are very conservative.
Children are accepted between the ages of 18 months and 16 years.
...Description of Home ...
Owing to the fact that the Good Templars' Home is situated on a hill
and almost entirely surrounded by a miniature forest of large trees
it is impossible to present a photograph of the Home proper. The picutre
on page on is about the best that could be secured.
The Home is a larger white, three-story building, and shining forth
in its newest coat of paint, its upper stories can be easily seen for
miles around. The residents of Vallejo have termed it "The White
Prayer Upon the Hill," and that typifies to the fullest estent
the aims and purposes of the insstitution.
Inside the Home one is impressed with the large spacious hallways and
the cleanliness and "homey" atmosphere that prevades the entire
establishment. On the first floor is the dining room, kitchen, office
and parlot, board room and nursery for the little tots. The second floor
is given over to the recreation room or auditorium, girls' playroom
and dormitory with the accompanying lavatories, bath rooms, showers,
clothes closets, etc. The boys dormitory is on the third floor.
From the windows of the second and third floors a view of mile after
mile of beautiful scenery may be had. A description of the various departments
of the Home is given further along in the booklet.
... Requirements for Admission ...
Any child of the Caucasion race who is in good health will be received
and cared for at the Good Templars Home. The minimum age limit is 18
months, and maximum is 16 years.
Children must pass a physical examination before being accepted in
the Home.
... Charges ...
A nominal charge, much lower than that of other homes, is made for
each child. In no case does it ever exceed the actual cost of food,
education, etc. We are not a money making institution, being content
to use the interest from our endowments and money received for boarding
to run the Home.
Children are supposed to come well supplied with clothing, but in exceptional
cases the Board of Directors will care for those who are not in a position
to supply complete outfits for themselves.
... Religions ...
The Good Templars' Home is absolutely non-sectarian. We made no distinction
and welcome any child no matter what the religion of the parents may
be. Every Sunday the children at the Home attend their own little Sunday
school where a belief and a faith in the Almighty is impressed upon
every child. No particular faith is emphasized.
... Care of Children ...
As the picture on the opposite poage will show, the children at the
Good Templars' Home receive the best of care--mental, physical and moral.
From the tiny tot in the arms of the little "girl Mother"
to the oldest boy or girl in the group, they are a healthy, happy, contented
set of youngsters.
Every child is given a physical examination upon arrival at the institution.
The Home has a regular physician who visits the Home in case of sickness
and who also examines the children periodically to see that no disease
is taking root.
The children are taught that "cleanliness is next to Godliness"
and immaculate, healthy youngsters is the result. Plenty of good healthy
exercise is provided for them on the playgrounds.
The hospital is on the second floor and a nurse is in charge at all
times. While the infirmary is seldom occupied it is always in readiness,
equipped with everything needful.
... Discipline ...
There are no lengthy sets of rules for the children to learn nor is
there ever any evidence of hard discipline. Yet there are reigns perfect
conduct and therefore peace and happiness throughout. The children are
taught by kindness and example. Their instruction comes from kind sympathetic
minds that understand the juvenile nature and its mental capacity, therefore
knowing with mature understanding how to train the child's character
into womanhood or manhood that will make them good, clean, lawabiding
and desirable citizens.
... Education ...
From the time the child is old enough to talk his or her education
receives constant attention. No children in the country receive a better
general education than do the youngsters at the Good Templarss Home.
From tiny nursery school tots to the ones old enough for High School
each one must study and learn.
As long as the children are in the grades they atten the schools on
the grounds. These schoolsa re part of the city systems and have the
same methods and the same training that is in vogue in the schools in
Vallejo proper. The school houses belong to the home but the teachers
are furnished by the city from its regular staff.
The Superintendent of the Home lays great stresss upon the proper education
of the children and no excuse, except illness, a thing prectically unknown
is considered sufficient to keep the child from the school room.
The older boys and girls attened the Vallejo High School, a mile and
a half away, and are taken to and from the school in the automobile
belonging to the Home. They come home every noon for a warm lunch. It
might be well to add in passing that the Home children have always been
among the best students at the High School.
[snip]
...Recreation ...
Realizing the truth of the old adage that "all work and no play,
etc.," is in every way true, the Good Templars' Home has tried
to mix good times and playtimes with the regular routine of the Home.
In the building is a large auditorium where the children hodl their
little entertainments. A large photographs, piano (there are three at
the Home) and an organ are constantly in use during the play hours.
The citizens of Vallejo have taken a proprietory interest in the children
and are constantly entertaining them in some manner.
Automobile rides and trips to the movies are weekly features. Never
comes a circus to visit Vallejo that the children are not taken in the
autos to their Vallejo friends. At the annual Chautauqua space is always
reserved for them.
The fraternal organizations of Vallejo have regular days each year
when they have their entertainments for the children.
During the recent Red Cros drive for memberships and subscriptions,
the children at the Home play prominant parts. They did their bit by
taking part in the Red Cross benefits and by sewing at the Red Cross
headquarters. It is suggestive of the manner in which the children are
regarded when it is stated that the children are always among the first
to be called upon to take part in tableaux, plays, etc., in Vallejo.
...The Grounds ...
The pictures on the preceeding pages give some idea of the beautiful
surroundings of the Good Templars' Home. One would have to travel far
to find a more beautiful spot or one that offered more beautiful views.
The picture on the opposite page was snapped without any particular
purpose, but it will give a fair idea of some of the country adjoining
the Home. In the left foreground is a laundre and immediately to the
right is the site of the new tennis court which the children are building.
In the center of the picture, may be seen a few of the cows belonging
to the Home dairy. In the background are the rolling hills and mountains
characteristic of this section of California.
The Home grounds comprise 170 acres. The grass covered slopes make
an idea playground for the children. It is just this kind of grounds
in which children love to roam and romp.
The Home is ideally situated. Lying as it does on the crest of a high
hill, beautiful vistas are disclosed from every window. The pure invigorating,
health giving and body building air is untainted with soot or smoke.
Freshened by its journey across the meadows, from the mountains or blowing
pure and sweet from the sea, it fills the Home with the best medicine
ever prescribed.
After reading of such an Eden, one wonders what happened to it? It closed
in 1919 according to the Solano County Geneological Society. And where
was it exactly?