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

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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

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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

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PULISH BE Eljlljlfll. ASSUIIIATIU PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA Bridesburg, Pennsylvania, be- 1 fore the turn of the century, three men, Francis Jaskowiak, Julian Wessel, and Francis Chwieroth became deeply aware of the need for an organization which would provide Polish Americans living in Phila- delphia and vicinity with financial aid in cases of misfortune. They, together with the help of their pastor, Father Marian Kopyt- kiewicz, founded on December 3, 1899, the Polish Beneficial Association fPol'skie Stow- arzyszenie Kasy p.o. Sw. Jana Kantegol. St. John Cantius, whose love for the poor knew no bounds, became its patron saint. On Jan- uary 14, 1900, its constitution was completed and approved, while on April 10th of the same year, a charter was obtained from the State Legislature. Throughout the years membership in the Association grew steadily to the extent that in 1955 it boasted a total of 24,547 persons. Its members live in four states, and of these 20,228 are found in Pennsylvania, 2,960 in New Jersey, 1,174 in Delaware, and 185 in Maryland. The Organization has 133 lodges, the Home Lodge being in Philadelphia. Al- though the number of lodges has fluctuated slightly within the past three years, member- ship has increased substantially, particular- ly in the junior group. The Polish Beneficial Association issues the following insurance certificates from 35250 to 3B2,000: endowment at age 85, 20 year payment life, 20 year endowment, and endowment at age 65. The interest rate real- ized was 4.20'X,. Certificate holders are to be found in the four states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware. As of the fiscal year 1955, the financial standing of the Polish Beneficial Association shows assets amounting to S3,548,404.98g li- abilities of 3B54,318.62, and reserves of 353,- 277,948 The insurance in force for the fis- cal years from 1953 to 1955 shows an in- crease from 312,049,066 in 1953 to 312,- 190,661 in 1954, and to 312,322,705 in 1955. Benefits paid during 1953 amounted to 3130,678.74 and 35124,606.74 in 1954. The Officials of the Association as of 1955 were: Mr. Walter Pytko, President, Mr. Julian Zhytniewski, General Secretaryg Mr. Michael Branka, Treasurer, Wallace Sli- winski, M.D., Medical Examiner, and Mr. Stanley Jakubowski, Solicitor. The Home Office of the Polish Beneficial Association is located at Orthodox and Almond Streets, Philadelphia 37, Pennsylvania. G. F. RAJEWSKI imn? 4 15 .' 7 Q 'g x, I Alu A . ali :- 1 ,ri ' ' . '- u f , 5 . X 3 '-UAAA I 'A E , Yimr E -1 'f f I .g .n A I. .. 4