Mount Saint Marys College - Eagle Yearbook (Orchard Lake, MI)

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ALLIA IIE UF PULE5 UF AMERICA CLEVELAND, OHIO 'Q A .fi '. 'i1 The Alliance of Poles of ance's Anniversary of Founding on Septem America QZwiazek Polakow w ber 22nd of each year. Ameryce1 was first established in October of 1895 and bore the title of Alliance of Poles of Ohiof' On September 22, 1895, the Alliance's first organizational meeting was held, and Messrs. Theodore Zolnowslci and Joseph Der- anek constituted the first membership roster. It was not until the third meeting that staff officers were elected, and they were: lVlr. Theodore Zolnowski, President, lVlr. Thomas Rutkowski, Secretary, and Mr. Joseph Der- anek, Treasurer. The Allianceis beginnings proved to be slow and difficult. Nevertheless, the Alli- ance was incorporated in the state of Ohio on December 22, 1895. In January of 1897, the Alliance of Poles of America held its First Convention, the place was St. Stanislaus Church, the mem- bership totaled 259. The same year saw the establishment of the first Alliance group out- side of Cleveland: the city was Lorain, Ohio. The aims of the Alliance are: Q11 to fos- ter unity among Americans of Polish and other Slavic extraction professing the Roman Catholic faith, Q21 to provide members with life insurance, Q31 to maintain cul- tural ties with Poland, Q41 to uphold a spirit of unity and cooperation with other Polish patriotic, educational, and social organiza- tions, Q51 to protect immigrants from ex- ploitation, Q61 to awaken in today's Polish youth the desire to study and love the lan- guage and culture of Poland, Q71 to publish a news weekly, and Q81 to observe the Alli- u. Of the thirty Polish dailies and weeklies published regularly in the U.S., nine are owned and operated by Polish-American Fraternal groups. The Alliance of Poles of America has a membership of 15,080, with 12,622 in Ohio 2,358 in Michigan, and 100 in other sections of the United States. ln 1955 membership was distributed among 96 lodges. Various forms of insurance issued by the Alliance are: whole life, 20 year payment life, 20 year endowment, 30 year payment and paid up at the age of 70 certificates from 3300 to 355,000 Certificates issued for Ohio number 12,622, for Michigan 2,358 and elsewhere 100. Benefit certificates for the year 1955 amounted to 15,080. Deaths per 1,000 benefit certificates for 1954 was 9.8fQ.. The mortality ratio for 1955 was 51.594, the interest rate realized was 2.99f4 The valuation ratio was 1l3.59CZp. The financial standing of the Alliance as of January 1, 1955, included assets of 352 Ccontinued on page 2121 rf , Jr ,Let . A- 11 49 ff' .1 X if ?

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Taken together, the fourteen fraternals have a membership of 754,528 members grouped in 5,4-95 lodges. Heading the list as regards both membership and lodges is the Polish National Alliance which has a mem- bership of 338,124 members and 1,625 lodges. Next comes the Polish Roman Catho- lic Union of America which has 176,850 members, in the number of lodges, however, it stands third, since the Polish Womeifs Al- liance of America has 1,196 lodges compared with the 1,04-'I lodges of the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America. The members of the fourteen fraternals live throughout the United States but more than half reside in Illinois, New York, and Pennsylvania. In Illinois there are 162,205 members, in Pennsylvania there are 136,529 and in New York there are l09,519. ln the fiscal year 1955 the assets of the fourteen fraternal organizations amounted to 3154-,24-4-,76il.60 with the Polish National Alliance having a share of fS73,985,567. The current liabilities of the fourteen organiza- tions for the same year amounted to 354,861,- 329.00. The benefits paid to the holders of insurance policies reached a total of 3573,- l50,346.68 during that year. The activities of the fourteen Polish Amer- ican fraternal organizations are very much the same, a combination of insurance and so- cial service. There is only one exception. The Polish Association of America deals strictly with insurance and is engaged in 110 other activities. Though organized as insurance companies, the thirteen other fraternals also sponsor var- ' 1-- Each of these organizations considers a youth section a must for its growth and development. in. -. ..-.,.,-:IL ' 1 5i f-'a fl t i R 1 N 1 .5 9 ??. ,,?-. ,A Y Y: f ' RQ? 'fs -Lj,,9lg,'f,, Y.. . --:--. ,',..'-f. . : ' Ii '5a4,f ,. .ff-55 wsmuszvw - ' -.' - e v, .g g ' V' ' V - . - ' -5? - - -V1 97-52:-' L'. N- 's:fi '-'-rx On May 11, 1910, the Polish National Alliance presented to the U.S. Government a monument of General Thaddeus Kosciuszl-to which stands in Washington. ious activities: the publication of Polish pa- pers, HDziennik Zwiazkowyi' and 'izgodaf' fthe Polish National Alliancej, 6'Nar0d Pol- ski fthe Polish Roman Catholic Unionj, 6'Kuryer Zjednoczenian fAlliance of Polesj, and the Jednosc fPolish Beneficial Asso- ciationj, the maintenance of summer camps for boys and girls fP.R.C.U.J, and the offer- ing of scholarships fPolish Union of the U.S.J. The Union of Polish Women in America interests itself in juvenile deliquency. It sponsors youth entertainment and social gatherings. The Polish National Alliance of Brooklyn has a special committee to combat communism. The Polish National Alliance supports a private college and a technical in- stitute. Special mention should be made of old age homes, and choral and dramatic groups lcoritinued on page 21 li Religious, political, and cultural rallies sponsored hy the Polish-American Fraternal Organizations draw hundreds of thousands of participants.

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ASSUCIATIU UP THE SU 5 UF PUIJ-l ll JERSEY crrY, NEW JERSEY he year 1903 saw the establishment of the Association of the Sons of Poland fStowarzyszenie Synow Polskij. As of Jan- uary 1, 1953, the Association numbered 1,22 lodges, 124- in 1954, and 123 in 1955. Mem- bers are found in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, with New Jersey claiming the greatest membership. On January 1, 1955, the Association ofthe Sons of Poland registered assets of 553,- l54,213.35, liabilities of S50,415.19g re- serves of 352,910,211 and unassigned funds of 35193,581.16. The interest rate realized was 3.08f1g the valuation ratio stands at 106.54-'71, and the valuation surplus amounts to 5ll5193,581.l6. The mortality ratio is fig- ured at 60.82. Whereas the insurance in force, including juniors, numbered 39,794,- 770 on January 1, 1954, it totaled 39,824,- 918 at the beginning of 1955. The benefits paid in 1952, 1953, and 1954- were 55168,- 52124, 3'5160,982, and 3l5153,171.25 respec- tively. The Association of the Sons of Poland is- sues certificates from 3300 to 35,000 On January 1, 1953, adult benefit certificates numbered 15,260g junior benefit certificates numbered 1,961. ln 1954-, 15,164 certifi- cates were had, with an increase to 2,034 among the juniors. The 1955 records list 15,076 adult and 2,083 junior certificates. The largest amount of these certificates has been issued in New Jersey, 15,744. New York claims 1,214-, and Connecticut 201. The Home Office of the Association of the Solis of Poland is located at 665 Newark Avenue, Jersey City 6, New Jersey. The Of- ficers for 1955 were: lVlr. Joseph Pawloski, President, lVlr, Alexander Sudnik Jr., Secre- taryg lVIr. Joseph Nowicki,Treasurerg John S. Bogacz, M.D., Medical Examiner, and lVlr. M. F. Czachorowski, General Counsel. V. BIELECKI Cultural programs such as the marionette theatre pictured above are sponsored by the Polish-American Fraternal organiza- tions to acquaint Americans with the traditions of their forehears.