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

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' v npr ' si 1 5' f l Y 'w'i, 'E' m, , F 'Q' JI at F-aero -4' -' -' j. 192 ' A -4112 ,,, PULISH WIIME 'S ALLIA IIE , f CHICAGO, n.uNols , 5 139 ,, fx! KN Miss Adela Lagodzinska President The Polish Women's Alliance of America QZwiazek Polek w Ameryce1 was born in 1898 when a group of women met to found a club which would unite the Polish women of Chicago for the effective pursuance of pa- triotic and cultural ideals and for the pro- vision of mutual aid in times of need. The Alliance's foundress and first president was Stefania Chmielinska, and on August 5, 1898, thirty women formed the first member- ship roster. As membership in the Club grew, it was decided to make national its scope by found- ing chapters in various cities and states, with headquarters remaining in Chicago. Follow- ing the recommendations of its First Conven- tion, the Club was reorganized, and its offi- cial title became the Polish Women's Al- liance of America. The ever-increasing membership of the Pol- ish Women,s Alliance has made this organ- ization the largest in its field. As of last l f L .-- -. 1 'C ,K 13311. g a 5, a- ag, Q f 5 E 3 5 5 is 1 Efehftin fril l , r,t ,t . Headquarters of the Polish Women's Alliance is at 1309 North Ashland Ave- nue, Chicago. year, the Alliance boasted a total membership of 85,532 Of these, 85,41-07 were benefit members and 125 were social members. Al- though members are scattered throughout seventeen states, the largest percentage is found in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York respectively. In 1954, 1,187 lodges were counted, in 1955 they increased to 1,196. The aims and objectives of the alliance as discussed in the Polish text of its Constitution are: Q11 Utrzymanie ducha narodowego wsrod Polakow w Ameryce wraz zu usilna praca nad utrwaleniem polskosfci w m'l'odszej generacji i ksztalceniu jej w jezyku ojczystym, historji i literaturze, przez zakladanie szko- l'ek i bibliotekg Q21 Utrzymanie stalfego kon- taktu z Ojczyzna, by naszym wspoludzialem starac sie uwydatnic sily naukowe i artysty- czneg Q31 Stac na strazy honoru i bronic opi- nji narodowej W swietle faktow historyczynch, jak rdwniez starac sie o utrzymanie dobrego imienia, i 0 ile bedzie mozliwem bronid przy- sladowanych rodaczek, i honorowym sposo- bem podtrzymae ich prawa w uzyskaniu spra- wiedliwoscig Q41 Dazyd do zalozenia stalego emigracyjnego komitetu i opieki nad opus- zczonemi dziedmig Usposabiad kobiety do zycia samodzielnego, zachecacf i dopomagari zdobywanie wyzszego wyksztalcenia, a wobec roQvnouprawienia, do czynnego udzialu W po- lityce krajowejg Q61 Dazyc do zalozenia biura informacyjnego i domu dla samotnych pracu- jacych kobietg Q71 Laczyc sie we wszystkich pracach i manifestacjach narodowych dla po- dtrzymania wspolnej idei solidarnosci. The English gist of the above-mentioned ends is this: to keep the Polish women of America ever-mindful of their cultural and patriotic heritage, to offer opportunities for higher education to Polish youthg to pro- vide financial assistance for the aged and those hospitalized, and lastly, to work for the liberation of foreign-dominated Poland. The special insurance features provided by the ,Polish Women's Alliance are very nu-

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- -. I .xi A' in i i ! ,,v' The Reverend John Pitass THE PULISH UNIUN UF AMERICA BUFFALO, New YORK x ,,, 'fu Founder The history of the Polish Union of Amer- ica fUnia Polska w Amerycej is a stormy but fascinating one. It begins with the year 1889, when at the Sth Convention of the Pol- ish National Alliance in Buffalo, New York, a defeated motion to ammend the constitu- tion and thus exclude all non-Roman Catho- lics from the Polish National Alliance, created the moment for the Roman Catholics present at the Convention to organize a new Polish American Roman Catholic Fraternal Organization. After leaving the convention hall, the displeased delegates gathered in the Rectory of St. Stanislaus Parish, where the pastor, Rev. Dean John Pitass, together with Rev. Dominic Majer of St. Paul, Minnesota, inspired them to organize the Polish Union of America. Under the leadership of Fathers Pitass and Mujer, the Union grew and prospered. The First Convention was held in 1893 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Delegates from Buffalo were Due to the large set- tlement of Polish im- migrants in the State - Q' of Pennsylvania the Union's next Conven- tion was held in the city of Wilkes-Barre. The following Conven- 11011 WHS in Btlf- Mr. Walter J. Lohr falo in 1906 fprob- P'e5i'1e ' ably one of the most important conventions to date as the tables of assessments were es- tablished and voted into existencej. After this Convention, the Offices of the Polish Union of America were transferred to Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylania. At the following Convention in Chicago, the unexpected happened. Since the election of officers was not in agreement with the Constitution, i.e., all were not elected from one city, either Buffalo or Wilkes-Barre, misunderstanding arose and thus cleavage oc- curred in the Organization. The Wilkes-Barre delegation refused to turn the Union's funds and records over to Buffalo. The end result was that two separate organizations were formed, thus sapping greatly the strength of the Union. In the year 1910, two conventions were held simultaneously. O'ne in Niagara Falls, the other in Wilkes-Ba1'1'e. Efforts of the Committee of the Niagara Falls Convention Rev. John Pitass, Rev. Thomas Flaczek, Rev. tconnnued on page 2151 Jacob Wojcick, Mr. Jacob Rozan, Barnard Pitass, John Mach, J. Chlehowy, and John Johnson. The Union's first national officers were elected from this group of Buffalo dele- gates, and the Administrative work of the Polish Union of America was transferred to Buffalo, New York. The Second Convention was also held in St. Paul, Minnesota. At the Convention a Mortuary Fund was established, regular monthly assessments were defined, the giving of aid to sick and aged was voted for., and death benefits were raised to 3750.00 The Most Reverend John F. 0'Hara was one of the recipients of the Polish Union's Medal of Honor in 1954.

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59' - firlf.. 2 1 ttt. 11 merous. They include whole life, 20 year payment life, 20 year endowment, paid-up at 65, and endowment at 65, and they range from 35300 to f1i33,000. As of January 1, 1955, the assets of the Polish Womeifs Alliance of America totaled .Sl515,771,070.65g liabilities 3165,372.67, re- serves S512,788,4-23.36, and unassigned funds 352,817,274-.62. In 19541 the amount of in- surance in force was valued at 3B43,847,396g in 1955 it increased to 34-5,097,310. In ad- dition to this, the surplus fund from which benefits were paid increased, whereas the ben- efits paid during the fiscal year decreased. ln 1953 the benefits paid amounted to 315627,- 891.20g benefits paid in 1954- decreased to 3B613,693.36. The mortality ratio averaged was 412.4-4-ff.. Because its financial standing is firmly Every four years the delegates of the local groups of the P.W.A. convene to elect officers and plan for future ac- tion. The National Officers of the P.W.A. rep- resent all sections of the United States. established, the Alliance is able: to spon- sor a Fraternal Youth Activity Program for the purpose of training future Alliance leaders, 121 to grant scholarships to its needy certificate ownersg Q31 to provide for the needs of the aged, K4-J to sponsor a Junior Benefit Fraternity for Polish American youth. The valuation surplus of 352,817,- 274.62 finances the aforementioned projects. The Officers of the Polish Women's Alli- ance of America for 1955 were: Miss Adela Lagodzinski, Presidentg Mrs. Marya A. Porwit, General Secretary, Mrs. Leoka- dia Blikowski, Treasurer, Felicia H. Cienci- ara, M.D., Chief Medical Examiner, and Mrs. Stephanie Cieslewicz, General Counsel. The Home Office is located at 1309-15 North Ash- land Avenue, Chicago 22, l11inois. N. ZIELINSKI Archbishop Cawlina was the key- note speaker at a special banquet held during the Detroit Convention in 1955. N, Defegatesof the: joutltsebtion of-the. Yhiftdv ifhe' f0rcha.rd .Like Sem- iiiiarywin-11955. ' T