Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order Of The State Of Texas, Founded 1897.
VOLUME 58 — NO. 4
B ROTHERHOOD
HUMANITY
BENEVOLENCE
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 with Undeliverable Copies to: SUPREME LODGE SPJST, POB 100, TEMPLE, TEX 76501
JANUARY 28, 1970
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK .Make a personal note; register to vote! Everyone we know is VOTING. Deadline for registration is January 31st! AND IT IS FREE: Remember, all aliens must register before January 31. There are times in anyone's life, I imagine, that thoughts in the writer's brain do NOT always fall into place in the ,7ermenee desired and I feel that your editor probably feels that way now. We lose good members from the ranks of our organization continuously, which can be attested by our "Newsbriefs" and the monthly "Death Claims" report in the Vestnik every month. And, there is no doubt that they all were GOOD members of our Society. HOwever, today, I will ask your forbearanse and indulgence and allow me to say what is in my heart and thoughts. I would not feel that I have said what I wish to say if I do not say what follows. I knew Bro. -Frank J. Olexa for many years and, rather closely, and personally. There is so much I would like to and could write about him and his life while here among us, his fellow members and friends; however, suffice it to say, that we have lost the fellowship, intelligence, advice and experience of a
NOW THE NEW YEAR, A NEW DECADE . now the name We give to time was changed. Another day Was come, another month and year. The air quivered with welcome. All we could not say Was in the sensing of our nearness there. We shall remember—yes, and we shall smile At how we cling to symbols such as these, Of day and year, when deeply all the while We know that time forever binds, not frees Yes, we shall smile in gladness, knowing how We stand together always in the Now. —Roland English Hartley VERY devout fraternalist, neighbor, lodge brother, citizen and a worker for the best of our Society. I first became acquainted with Bro. Olexa in the "Model T" and the "knee pants" era when our parents used to take us to the Czech plays and various celebrations in the "big city" of Houston. He was always so amiable and so was Sister Olexa. In 1938, I moved from PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE IN THIS ISSUE
the farm to Houston and became a member of Lodge 88. (Sister Olexa signed me into the membership of the lodge). I became better acquainted with Bro. Olexa at that time, however, in 1941, I had to leave to go to the service of the U.S. in World War II, for a period of five years. In 1947, when I became active in our lodge again, Bro. Olexa was the president of the lodge for the seventh time and desired to relax. I could write so much here let me only say that through his guidance and that of Brothers ,Joe Kalousek, Sr., and others I held the office of president of Lodge 88 for six years. I remember his words so disinctly in that annual meeting when I was nominated fur the presidency (only because I could speak both Czech and English, I imagine), and he was also renominated. He said: "Brothers and sisters, I would like a little rest and here you have a younger member who accepted the nomination. Let us work our younger members into our fraternal circle, for we will not be here forever." Indeed, he has departed from our fraternal deliberations, however, his fraternal feeling and ideas live with us and will do so as long as we live. He never failed to remind the membership that we have to build a foun-