The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
These Speak Always for
and Believe in Cali
fornia.
How the Order of Native Sons
Grew From Very Small
Beginnings.
Written Tor THE CALL
By...HENRY LUNsTEDT.
Grand Secretary and Member of the Visiting
Board.


benefit, mental improvement and social
intercourse Of its members: to perpetuate
in the minds of all native Californians the
memories of one of the most wonderful
epochs in the worlds history-''the days
of 49,; to unite them in one harmonious
body throughout the State by the ties of
friendship mutually beneficial to all and
unalloyed by the bitterness OF religious or
political differences, the discussion Of
which is most stringently forbidden in its
meetings; to elevate and cultivate the
mental faculties; 10 rejoice with one an
other in prosperity and to extend the
':Good Samaritan" hand in adversely.
The members must bear good reputa-
ton for sobriety and industry; they must
follow some respectable calling by which
to make living, and, as a vital principle
of the association, it encourages tenn
perance among its members ana recon-
mends total abstinence from all intoxicat-
ing drinks.
Upon these principles and with these
purposes II view the first constitution of
the first parlor, then known by the simple
appellation of Native Sons of the Golden
West, was drafted.
General A. NJ. VIM, who conceived the
idea of the formation of the society,
drafted the first constitution; it was SIM
pie instrument that, at the time, scarcely
contemplated the formation of branches
outside of San Francisco; true, some of.
the older heads saw the possibility
OF extension at some future time, but
their earlier efforts were solely devoted
to the cultivation of their own organiza-
ton.
The society, in the beginning, outlined
its purpose TO join the benefcent sister,
hood of fraternal societies in agreeable and
profitable social intercourse and under
conditions that should develop and i'm
prove the young minds of its ambitious,
patriotic and enthusiastic members.
Under that guidance and the inspirations
OF those surroundings how many minds
were turned to better, higher thought and
led to emulate the pursuits and accom-
plishments of the noblest OF the heroic of
California no one can tell now. That
great good has come out of it the later
lives of those Native Son Pioneers elo-
quently afirms, and what influence it may
yet exert on the commonwealth only the
future of these same men flew OF whom
are yet in the prime of life and none in the
meridian) can tell to the generation that
writes their history after they are laid
away with their progenitors, the original
Pioneers.
The original constitution has passed
through the variation of many changes
and additions since then; the first great
change was made when after months of
experience the members found that adj
L. :
the society the character OF an organiza-
ton of boys, and the controlling minds as
plred to recognition as dignifed body
OF young men, of whom California might
expect much in the near future of their
maturity; it was then determined to raise
the age of admission to Is years. Fred
Fem, then the eloquent chaplain, opposed
the proposed amendment with all the
force and fervor for which he was then so
much admired. but the judgment of the
older heads triumphed and the amend
ment was adopted. The next radical
change was the abolition of honorary mem
bership.
The next important change was the ex-
tension of the jurisdiction to all the States
and Territories west OF the Rocky Noun
talns. This, however, was soon changed
again and its membership confined exclu-
sively to the natives OF California.
In 1878 the name parlor was adopted. |
1t was the aim to secure name different |
from the usual designation of subordinate |
branches, and the fertile imagination of |
Veteran John E. McDougald supplied the |
significant designation.
By this time parlors had been organized |
in Oakland and Sacramento. The consti- |
tuition of No. /, known as Charter Parlor. |
governed the other two parlors, but no |
change in the general law could be made |
without the consent of ali the parlors. In |
1878 the Charter Parlor called for the cleo |
ton OF five delegates from each parlor to |
form Grand Parlor, to meet in San Fran |
cisco, November 30, 1878. The delegates |
met on November 30, 1878, and formed |
Grand Parlor, but no constitution nor form |
OF law was adopted and the officers did not |
assume the functions of their Offices The |
Grand Parlor, however, met again, June |
10, 1879. a constitution was adopted, but |
it provided that it should not take effect |
until the next session.
The name Native Sons OF the Golden !
State was adopted at the first meeting.
held June o, 1875. AS soon as an organ |
ization was effected and officers chosen. |
which was on July II, 1875, the name was
changed to Native Sons of the Golden |
West. Efforts were made in 1888 and 1884 |
at the sessions OF the Grand Parlor in San |
Francisco to change the name of the |
order to Native Sons of California, but the |
sentiment Of the Grand Parlor was so de- |
cidedly opposed to any change that no |
attempt has since been made to alter the |
name under which the order has risen to /
such prominence.
Let us glance now at some of the more |
material changes that have been made as |
the order grew from its small beginnings |
TO its present strength.
The first and second Grand Parlors, held |
in San Francisco in. 1878 and 1879, were |
composed of five delegates from each of |
the three parlors then in existence. The I
constitution adopted in 1879 declared that
the Grand Parlor should be composed of
two delegates-at-large and one additional
delegate for each fifty members or fraction
IF fifty over twenty five from each parlor
The Grand Parlor in Sacramento in 1882
adopted the amendment reducing the rep
eSentation to one Geleoate-at- large and |