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

Page 148 text:

PULISH ALMA MATEH UF AMERICA CHICAGO, ILLINOIS It was the Reverend Vincent Barzynski, C.R., a Chicago priest, who first struck upon the idea to form the Alma Mater, which would serve as a medium to keep alive among the Polish youth an interest in things Polish. Reverend Francis Gordon, C.R., took to Father Barzynskiis idea and brought it to fruition. Being the moderator of a Polish Falcon group at St. Stanislaus Parish in Chi- cago, Father Gordon in due time trans- formed it into the first group of the Alma Mater. The ideology of the new association was patterned after the Alma Mater in Po- land. ,mhough the American Alma Mater was H 0 q n 1 a social and cultural organization, It ,g ames an insurance program -on May 4, 1910, at which time the Alma Mater com- menced business as a fraternal insurance so- ciety. Today the aim of the Polish Alma Mater flVIacierz Polskaj is to unite Polish people professing the Roman Catholic religion in the United States for the purposes of KU up- serves to 351,231,326, and unassigned funds to 361,002.93 The amount of insurance in force as of January 1, 1955, was 353,900,- 437g benefits paid in 1954 totaled 3B80,698.59. The different types of insurance that the Alma Mater offers are ordinary life, 20 year payment life, and 20 year endowment, while certificates range from 3250 to 355,000 Deaths per 1,000 benefit certificates in 1952 amounted to 17.57, in 1953, 16.224, in 1954, 19.604, Benefits paid in 1952 amounted to 380,072.71.g in 1953, 374,344.- 45, and in 1954, 380,698.59 The Home office of the Polish Alma Mater of America is located at 1645 Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago 47, Illinois. The Officers as of 1955 were: Mr. Joseph Nykoza, Presi- dentg M's Harriet J. LeBr0ck, Secretaryg Mr. Waltel' A. Knapczyk, Treasurer, B. Ta- tarowicz, MD., Medical Examiner, and Mr. Julius T. Skrydlewski, Attorney. D. CI-ILEBOWY holding Christian morals and the cultivation ' of civic virtues, C2j providing opportunities X for higher learning and the fostering of pa- . triotismg f3j giving fraternal aid in times of li' ' f need, and f4J offering insurance policies to 'J 2 its members. il, -1 The membership of the Polish Alma Mater Alf. , of America numbers 6,843 and these are 4 u grouped around 105 lodges. ' 1 The assets of the Polish Alma Mater of Scouting Plays an important 'L A America as of January 1, 1955, amounted to glrtmxylhff Yagi xiii? -- 3B1,344,677.13g liabilities to iB52,34-8.20, re- tions. V ' 1 ng A lil f 1 t .1 ',,,.- Q Q2 515, cy, f Q,- 144 P, .A is

Page 147 text:

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.

Page 149 text:

PULISH ASSIIIIIATIU UP AMEHIII!-I MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN n the middle of the 1890's, several lVIilwz-tukee societies belonging to the Polish Roman Catholic Union became dissatisfied with the general aims of this national associa- tion. The first organizational meeting took place in the parish hall of St. Hyacinth,s Church on August 4, 1895. Subsequent meetings were held in the parish halls of St. Stanislaus, St. Josephat, St. Vincent, and St. Hedwig. A joint meeting of all societies involved was finally held on November 18, 1895, in St. Stanislaus' parish hall. At this meeting, the Associatiorfs Constitution was approved, and the following were elected officers pro tempore: Mr. Ignatius Czerwinski, Presi- dent, lVIr. Ignatius Corski, Secretary, and Mr. Andrew Dich, Treasurer. Since this time, the Polish Association of America fStowa1'zyszenie Polakow W Amery- cej has grown slowly but steadily in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio. Total membership as of 1955 number- ed 7,096 and lodges 1.50. The Association issues insurance to both men and women. It issues certificates from 35500 to 355,000 Issued are policies for whole life, life paid up at 70, 20 year pay- ment life, and 20 year endowment. As regards its financial standing, the as- sets of the Polish Association of America as of January 1, 1955, amounted to 351,537,- 499.62g its liabilities as of January 1, 1954, totaled 3l370,024.92g its reserves SlS1,244,370g contingent reserves 1lS96,000, and unassigned funds, 3l51.27,104.70. In 1954 the amount of insurance in force was EB3,828,191g in 1955 it was 353,752,709 In 1953 the Association paid 380,236.21 in benefits. The following year the amount of benefits paid was 3591,- 088.941, With regard to the distribution of certifi- cates, Wisconsin claims 5,324, Illinois 645, Ohio 353, and Michigan 205. In 1954 adult benefit certificates numbered 6,500g jun- ior 851. In 1955 adult benefit certificates numbered 6,372g junior 724. The number of deaths per 1,000 benefit certificates in 1952 tcontinued on page 2127