Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-02-18

On Sunday, afternoon our reporter
dropped in on the Juvenile Templars, by
invitation of Maj. J. W. Newton, at theil
hall on Augusta street. 1t was very
pretty sight and quite excited one just
as we got in, for the little banditti who
made the collection raid in the town last
week were making their returns to the
Major, the prizes for the three highest col.
lectlons being three richly trimmed rega-
las. While waiting the result, we en-
ployed the time watching two young gen
tlemen about nine years Of age who were
engaged in comparing their muscle. One
athlete managed with great muscular reich
ing to raise one about the size of hick-
DRY nut, which seemed to impress his more
delicate companion with tremendous idea
of his power, and a minute or two after we
heard the delicate boy tell another boy that
''Sammy McCorkle's got muscle as big
as my head" How early we learn to be
SSxact in our statements. The Major-after
settling with the collectors, a settlement
Hlich resulted in ascertaining the fact
that $60.94 had been collected, and that
the prize regalias were due to the follow
( ing young gentlemen in the order named:
Willie FL. Hardy, Willie S. Hyde and
CLARK Strasburg-took his stand for super
vising the proceedings of the evening,
which included the initiation of some can
didates varying in height from two feet to
three. The Chief Templar, Master Ar
mand Miller, remarkably bright and
manly youngster Ia son of Rev. J. [. Mil
ler), took his chair, and the other chairs
were filled, all the officers and members
having assumed their regalias, consisting
of very pretty red collars for the officers
and blue for the privates.
The sight was very pretty, indeed; the
neatly dressed and orderly little ones
their discipline is wonderful arranged
around on benches, not one-third of their
little legs long enough for their feet to
touch the floor. The singing, led by Mr..
r. 0. Haine3, of some simple odes, was a
part of the ceremony, and was sweetly
done. Then came
THE INVITATIONS.
There was the usual knock at the door,
and the most mysterious communications
between an Inside Guard, about six years
old, and the outside. And then little
girl, one of the Supporters, Strengthened
up some part of the ceremony that was 60
ing wrong, and looked around as if she
had just saved the world from coming to
an end. And then the Conductors marched
in with the little ones for initiation-a
pretty and well-dressed lot of children,
about half of them girls and supremely
happy, and the other half boys and su
premely miserable. The girls smoothed
their dresses and looked calmly around at
the little Templars as if they should say,
"W ell, what do you think of this for style?"
while the boys gazed wretchedly at the
carpet, as if hoping that it would open
and let them through. AS they were
marched around to the different officers
chairs to receive their instructions and
make their promises, one motherly little
Marshal Strengthened the line up and
;smoothed the boys up with great care.
She tried the same attention on the girl
candidates, and it was promptly resented
by indignant looks.
THE CEREMONY.
The ceremony is very pretty one, in
terspersed with sweet singing by the chill
dren and some good advice read from the
ritual, some of which, in print, looks on
them from the wall, being the three main
features of the order-not to take the name
of God in vain, and not to use tobacco nor
liquor. During the session the chief Off
Ger asks the question, "Who has broken
his pledge?" and Sunday all the little boys
and girls rose to their feet and placing
their hands on their hearts answered, II
have not.'' Besides the good involved in
this pledge, the order seems to be excel
lent for teaching children order, and a
graceful and precise courtesy to each other,
which is lesson well worth learning both
by old and young people. There was not u
harsh word during the evening from any
of the little ones to each other. and the de-
corum of the occasion was unbroken.
just before closing Mr.. A. NJ. Simpson
made nice little speech to the children,
which seemed greatly to interest them.
The following are the officers, members,
and honorary and visiting members of
Pioneer Temple No. /, which is the name
of the organization.
Oticers.-J. w. Newton, Superintendent;
Armand Miller, Chief Templar; Carrie
Cline, Past Chief Templar; Efiie Stiff, Vice
Templar; R. o. Haines, Chaplain; J. H
Stiff, Secretary; Fletcher Miller, Assistant
Secretary; W. G. Straughn, Financial Sec.
retary; G.. T. Switzer, Treasurer; Thomas
Cline. Marshal; Annie Blackburn, Assist
ant Marshal; Willis Hewitt. o. s. Guard
Willie Cline. I. S. Guard; Cora Hyde, E.
H. Supporter; Hattie Hardy, l.. H. Sup
porter. u,
Visiting and Honorary Mezo5ers.-R. W
England, Mrs. D. A. Risk, Mrs. B. F,
Stiff, Bette E. Miller, Mollie b. Black
burn. Matte J. Clarke, Sandy Grove, Nam
nie Sones, Mile Sones, G. W. Fretwell
Mary E. Evans, Jennie Keller, Nora A.
Lushbaugh, Rebecca Rice, Wan. O. Stiff
Miss J. O. Gibbs, Miss L. V. Gibbs, Miss
Ella Lee, w. C. Straughn, r.. o. Haines,
G. T. Switzer.
Active Me,a5ers.-Thos. A. Cline, Walter
.Steinbuck, A. Woodhouse, G. Fretwell, G.
Gibbs, Mollie Campbell, Carrie Cline, Lewis
Martin, VIM. Cline, John Fretwell, Robert
Smith, Stanley Snider, 7. Woodhouse
Robert Gregory, john Shaw, Afford Smith
Willie Smith, Eva Smith, Lucy Snider
Effiie Stiff, Walter Hyer, Alfred Gregory
Ashby Hyde, Willie Hyde, Richard Smith
Annie Sherer, Julia Ford. Annie Black
burn, Ella Blackburn, Fannie Gregory
.Jn liza Mathenay, Lydia Gregory, T. G