Page never forgot how his mother had struggled in poverty to keep her family together after her husband had died. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, there were few social resources to help support orphans and widows. He knew first-hand that fatherless children often had to forgo a school education to help support themselves or their families by working full-time, getting stuck in menial jobs. Given his recent economic gains, Page began to think how he could help others caught in the situation of his own mother and family. He envisioned creating a planned community where widows and orphans could live and be supported to become more productive members of society.