b
1-0\ 03, IC\ 6
Official Orga
C
Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order Of The State Of Texas, Founded 1897 HUMANITY
BENEVOLENCE
BROTHERHOOD
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SUPREME LODGE, SPJST, P.O. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76501 MARCH 30, 1977 VOLUME 65, NUMBER 13
FROM THE EDITOR :3 OLSK The District V meeting for spring 1977 was held Sunday, March 20th, at Lodge No 81, Needville, and what wonderful hosts they were! Everywhere you turned you could see friendly smiles and hear sincere, fraternal greetings of welcome as only the members in Needville can be and really are. They are a wonderful group to be among as fraternal rnenrbers of our So.ciety. The meeting was briefly convened at 11 am by District V President • Jerry Proehazka and Lodge No. 81 President Charlie Matcek briefly outlined the program for the afternoon and the meeting was recessed until 1:30 p.m. for the noon meal — a very deliciously prepared one of roast beef and all the trimmings. The ladies there really outdid themselves in preparing it and if there ever was a meal "just like mother used to cook" this was it! They are to be sincerely commended. We have pictures of tIwni and the meeting in general, however, due to need for space, we will publish them later. Next week, we hope. The meeting was reconvened at 1:30 sharp and handled with efficient brief dispatch by President Jerry Prochaska as usual. All of the District V officers gave brief but concise reports which made the meeting seem interesting and not tiring. We will let District V Secretary Tillie Hehncamp cover the de-
THE PRECIOUS GIFTS How little it costs if the gift is a thought, To make happy some heart every day. Just one kind word or tender smile, As we go on our way. Perhaps a glance will suffice to clear The clouds from a neighbor's face And the press of a hand in sympathy A sorrowful tear efface. It costs so little I wonder why We give so little thought, A smile, kind words, a glance, a touch What magic with these is wrought. * * Freedom is a precious thing today. Those who have it cherish it; those who fear it, want to destroy it; and those who don't have it will still fight for it. —Harvey C. Jacobs tails in her minutes which she always does efficiently. The one thing that was rather impressive was that five of their own 50 year pin recipients were present to receive their pins. They were Lodge No Si members Emily Kolaja, John Kossa, Vaclav MFacal, Joe Silhavy, and Lillie Teykl. Brother Tim Kostorn of Lodge No 88, Houston, was also present to receive his 50 year pin. Rarely do you see five such long-time mem-
bers from one lodge present after being M our SPJST for 50 years. Soon after the last district meeting for this spring we will publish our annual SPJST directory and when we do, I suggest our readers take a good look at where our first 83 lodges were actually organized. With the exception of Lodge No. 68 (which really is not in Waco proper) they were all in smaller communities where our Czech- Moravian pioneers were located. Lodge 81 is one such lodge. Needville is one community near our Gulf Cbast where the farming and industry are thriving and people lead a healthy life. It was not until Lodges 84 Dallas, 88 Houston and 92 in Fort Worth were organized that our SPJST Society began to take an active part in the larger cities of our state, so our sound progress actually stems from those smaller communities of hard-working', thrifty and sincere fraternalists who, by mutually joining hands, personal sacrifices and expense pulled our Society through some rather rough times. Now we speak of our Society as big business and we are paying large salaries to our elected officials, yet, in my mind there is always the thought of the hard work and efforts of our fraternal long-time workers, It really must be a pleasant feeling for our 50 year pin receiving members to see our Society doing well when they think back 50 years. In