i-IFRALD Official Organ Of The Slavonic B nevolent Order Of The State Of Texas. Founded 1597. HUMANITY
BENEVOLENCE
VOLUME 55 — NO. 18
BROTHERHOOD
Postmaster: Please. Send Form 3579 with Undeliverable Copies to: SUPREME LODGE, SPJST, FOB 100, TEMPLE, TEX. 76501
MAY 3, 1967
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER cans Are Living Longer . . . The trend of death payments on older life insurance policies dramatically reflects the fact that more Americans are living to older ages, according to the Institute of Life Insurance. Protection held for 30 years or longer accounts for a sharply rising proportion of death claims paid on "ordinary" policies: —Last year, about 38 per cent of the death claims were on policies issued in 1936 or earlier. —In 1962, about 35 per cent were on policies issotl in 1932 or earlier. —In 195 bout 28 per cent were on p dcies issued in 1925 or earlier. Longevity was a major factor. People who bought life insurance through the 1920s and early '30s have reaped the benefit of medical progress since then, and have lived longer as a result. Had it not been for this progress, many who have survived 30 or more years after buying a policy would have died sooner. There, has been no significant improvement in longevity since the mid1950s, but the cumulative effort of earlier progress shows up in today's statistics. - The trend may also indicate that relatively more people are keeping their life insurance in force longer.
IF YOU KNEW ME . . . If I knew you and you knew me — If both of us could clearly see, And with an inner sight divine The meaning of your heart and mine— I'm sure that we would differ less And clasp our hand in friendliness; Our thoughts would pleasantly agree If I know you and you know me. If I knew you and you knew me, As each one knows his own self, we Could look each other in the face And see therein a truer grace. Life has so many hidden woes, So many thorns for every rose; The "why" of things our hearts would see, If I knew you and you knew me. —Nixon Waterman The proportion of death claims on policies in force less than 10 years has also risen slightly, from about 20 per cent in 1955 to 22 per cent in 1966. This reflects the fact that life insurance
Mut- Tatil
coverage has nearly tripled since 1955. The proportion for policies in force between 10 and 30 years has declined. . . Especially Women When a 22-year-old man marries a 20-year-old woman, the bride can normally expect to outlive the groom by about eight years, according to the Institute of Life Insurance. But many women are widows for much longer than eight years. If a woman becomes a widow at age 65 she can expect about 16 years of widowhood. About one out of every three women who are 65 can expect to live another 20 years. The reason for the nation's large number of widows is simply that, on the average, women live 1^r oP r than men. If historic trends continue, there will be 10 million widows in the United States by the end of 1975, based on an Institute projection of Census Bureau figures. Latest Census Bureau estimates show more than 8.87 million widows throughout the nation last year, or about 56,000 more than in 1965. Everybody To The Task. In life's scheme of things, we know that not everybody is endowed with the same abilities, temperament, or desire to work. One kind of work fascinates some people, repels others. What is