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

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BY WAY UF 5 MMAHY Americans have been called a nation of joiners because they like to belong to numer- ous organizations. The same may be said of the Poles who have made their home in America: they, too, are gregarious. Wheth- er by nature or by intention, they, likewise, are joiners. According to the late Miecislaus Haiman, the leading chronicler of the Polish past in America, there are well over 10,000 Polish societies of all types in this country, devoted to most diversified activities: religious, cul- tural, charitable, beneficial . . .,' This was written seven years ago. Since then, a host of new organizations founded by the refugee immigrants of World War ll has come into existence to swell the total considerably. The fourteen fraternals briefly reviewed in these pages constitute a very small frac- tion of the organizations founded and main- tained by Americans of Polish descent. Nevertheless, they make up a most important fraction for several reasons. First of all, as a group the fourteen frater- nals contain more members than any other fourteen Polish American organizations that may be mentioned. Second, their combined financial assets far outweigh those of any other group of fourteen organizations in the Polish American community. Yet these are by no means the most signi- ficant facts about the fourteen fraternals. Their size and wealth are exceeded by the varied and extensive cultural activities they promote. These fraternal organizations sponsor and support most of the social undertakings among Po'lish Americans that are not directly inspired and maintained by parochial or other ecclesiastical agencies. In addition, they contribute considerably to religious projects. Two organizations fthe Polish Ro- man Catholic Union and the Polish Union of the United States of North Americaj allot a specific sum of money each year to the 01'- chard Lake Seminary, others fthe Polish Na- tional Alliance of Brooklyn, the Polish Wom- en's Alliance of America, the Union of Pol- ish W'omen in America, and the Polish Bene- ficial Associationj do this periodically. On the other hand, mentioned it should be that, irrespective whether the individual headquar- ters of an organization contribute or not, most of the lodges of the fourteen organizations respond generously whenever they are ap- proached with an appeal by the Friends of the Catholic Seminary at Orchard Lake. As a result, to quote Miecislaus Haiman again, they exert a decisive influence on all phases of Polish organized life in America. In all this, the fourteen fraternals offer a concrete illustration of the highest ideals of intercultural cooperation and free enterprise. By successfully blending business acumen with humanitarian sympathy, they make in- surance not only a means of creating wealth, but also an opportunity of putting the finer things of life within the reach of many. By transforming cultural barriers into bridges, they help to enrich America as well as the immigrant to the mutual benefit of both. On this account alone, if on no other, the fraternals deserve a lasting and honored place in American life.

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' 1 I 0 X ,jx . 1 ' 1 -FN: St. Cyril, Apostle to the Slavs and Patron of the Orchard Lake Seminary. F 'I ll Prep Hall, residence of the Lower Division stu dents of the High School. George Rajewski and Ronald Mack check advertising contracts before submitting the copy to the printer. QW All EHTISI E ff fs- 1 'A - sl I X fn. ' S ,414 it . as-W