It is not just our history, it is who we are. The Knights of Pythias of Texas is a fraternal organization that strives to build relationships, not only with each other, but also with local organizations and schools to serve for the betterment of our communities and its children by means of various programs and the Texas Pythain Home.
Our Goal
Quite simply, our goal is to attract like-minded people who want to be good stewards in their hometowns by volunteering, actively participating in programs geared to enrich children's' lives, or other local initiatives unique to members communities.
While difficult to measure, the Knights of Pythias's efforts have impacted Texans for generations through the spirit of good will through monetary donations, volunteering, and directly through Pythian initiatives.
A program geared to generate an active interest in reading during that abilities formative years in children to increase literacy and comprehension.
The Crown Jewel of Texas Pythianism, the Texas Pythian Home is the Castle that Love Built. It provides a safe, warm, and loving place for children whose parents have found themselves in a dire situation where child rearing would be next to impossible.
To better meet the needs of mothers with children, a Family Care Center is currently being built on the grounds of the Pythian Home. It is projected to be finished within the next few months. Check back soon.
These programs fund opportunities for children, whether through scholarships or those identified as "at risk," to experience and visit college campuses for a day. Lodges either provide scholarships for students to defray costs for higher education or coordinate through Communities in Schools (CIS), which serves as a source of encouragement that higher education is a real possibility
Sponsored by the Supreme Lodge, Knights of Pythias, this contest permits high school aged children to earn cash awards for their artwork geared toward a specific subject determined by the Supreme Lodge. The Grand Lodge, as well as subordinate lodges, may offer cash prizes to artists whose work was selected to compete at higher levels of the competition.
"The “Read to Ride” program has been a tremendous incentive for my ESL (English as a Second Language) students. They were so excited to keep track of all the books we have been reading. They took accountability and responsibility for their own learning and recording. They would even remind me! Several of my students don’t always get to receive awards at school & several don’t even own bikes. This was an encouraging way to motivate them to be proud of their work, see their accomplishments on the reading log and look forward to a possible prize! The boy that won this year has come a long way since the beginning of the year. He has worked so hard on increasing his reading level, vocabulary and communication skills. This log was very important to him. He would remind me daily and kept up with it as well as added some titles from home. He turned it in to our librarian with such pride! The moment his name was announced, all of 2nd grade erupted into cheers! They knew how hard he had worked and how far he had come. The entire campus was proud of him!!! His smile was enormous and it was the best possible way for him to end his 2nd grade year. Thank you for giving our kids something to work towards, look forward to and be proud of themselves!"
Meredith Bonnett, Thomas Arnold Elementary ESL
The Knights of Pythias was originally founded toward the end of the Civil War by Justus H. Rathbone in Washington, D.C. on February 19th, 1864. Just 10 short years later, the Grand Lodge of Texas was formed in Houston, TX on April 6th, 1874 when Texas held its first Grand Convention.
It's just too easy! Contact us through our Grand Secretary or at the nearest subordinate lodge to learn how you can get plugged in and start participating in local Pythian activities. You can also learn more about affiliate organizations, such as the Pythian Sisters, or those for children.
