History
The Texas Pythian Home for children is called the ‘Castle on the Hill.’ It was built with the architecture style of a castle due to the sponsorship of the Knights of Pythias. The Knights of Pythias is a Fraternal Order founded by Justice Henry Rathbone. Mr. Rathbone was a musician and versatile writer. He was also employed in several departments of the Federal Government, in Washington, D.C. from 1861 to 1889. He possessed a great deal of dramatic ability and performed in many plays. One of which was the story of Damon and Pythias who were members of a mystic brotherhood established by the ancient Greek philosopher, Pythagoras. The outstanding features of this brotherhood were strict morality, absolute truthfulness, complete honor, impeccable integrity and marvelous friendship and loyalty which bound the members together. These are the principals that formed the basis of the Knights of Pythias. The foundation of Friendship, Charity and Benevolence was put to practice in Texas through the Texas Pythian Home for Children in Weatherford, Texas.
The Texas Pythian Home began on March 1, 1909, as a home for widows and orphans of Knights of Pythias members. The Pythians made the decision to build the Home in Weatherford, Texas, due to the amount of land given as well as the support of the community. Three hundred acres were donated to the Pythians to build the castle-like structure. The castle was designed to house 250 people. At one time, a Pythian connection was required for placement but now a child can be placed by meeting the criteria.
The administrative staff had their offices and quarters on the first floor. The second floor housed orphaned children, matrons and teachers along with classrooms and a large auditorium. The basement was divided into apartments for widows with children. The castle was designed with the intention of adding additional wings for housing as needed and soon there were so many boys that it became necessary to build a boy’s only dorm. In 1914 all of the boys were moved into their new dorm and the orphaned girls moved to the basement. A girl’s only dorm was built in 1925. By the early 70’s the last remaining widow had died and there was no longer a need for widows to live at the Pythian Home due to the completion of a retirement home for aged Pythians in Greenville, TX.
The Pythian Home School was designated an independent school district on August 1, 1910 and area children attended as well as children from the Home. It was later decided that the grades 6-12 would attend Weatherford Independent School District so in 1937 the last High School graduating class walked across the Pythian auditorium stage. The 1st through 5th grades continued to have classes at the Pythian Home until 1972.
From the beginning, the Home was designed to be totally self sustaining. The Home had a large dairy operation and livestock was raised to provide meat for the residents. There were also huge vegetable gardens, orchards, a laundry, a hospital with a fulltime Doctor and nurse on staff, a power plant generator and a water tower. The staff and children living at the Home kept busy maintaining all of the operations. Extra produce, fruit and milk produced by the Home was sold and provided substantial regular income.
Government regulations soon changed and in 1972 the amount of work done by the children was limited so many of the operations changed. The FDA made regulations that did not allow “canning” of the produce and fruit and finally the dairy was closed in 1976 due to more FDA regulations. The Home continues to raise a small amount of beef for occasional income and meat for our freezer.
There were hard times through the years. Land was sold to various developers. Interstate 20 was built through the South end of the Pythian Home land. We now have approximately 164 acres.
Staff to child ratios has changed through the years also. At one time, one little matron could be responsible for up to 35 children. Our ratio is now eight children to one adult. Children under the age of five have the ratio of four children to one adult. The dormitory is no longer institution style with many beds lining the walls and filling one large room. Texas Minimum Standards for childcare facilities now requires sixty square feet of bedroom space per child. The “Castle on the Hill” is now a Residential Childcare Facility, not an institution.
The Pythian Home is here to meet the individual needs of every child in our care. To complete an application for placement, click on PLACEMENT APPLICATION and return it by e-mail or mail it to the Home.
