vESTNI FIMTERIIAL11111. a family affair
Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order Of The State Of Texas, Founded 107 BROTHERHOOD
HUMANITY
BENEVOLENCE
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SUPREME LODGE, SPJST, P. O. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76501 SEPTEMBER 27, 1978 USPS — 658480 VOLUME 66, NUMBER 39
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK First things first is a well-known saying to many of us and we shall try to abide by that axiom in this issue. First and uppermost in our mind is the need for all of us SPJST members, especially those of us of Ctech-Moravian descent, to do some conscience - searching thinking about our future, not only in our Society, but in the way we approach the future of the Czech language here in Texas, because that is one of the three main reasons our SPJST Society was founded in this State of Texas, lest we forget what the Preamble in our By-Laws says, we quote: PREAMBLE The main ideal, and purpose of this Society as organized by fearless and peace loving Czech pioneers in Texas, was and is: To provide and promote fraternal and social fellowship among its members. To endeavor to keep alive the cherished traditions, customs and language of our forefathers. And generally through moral, spiritual, and economic respect, to encourage ibenevolence and humanity through the Society with sound practical life insurance for its members and neighbors, that we may better adapt ourselves to this new democratic nation as worthy citizens in the country of our choice or birth. The reason we reprint the above is to call attention to the basics of
QUOTES When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years. —Mark Twain To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice. —Confucius The days come and go like muffled and veiled figures sent from a distant friendly party; but they say nothing, and if we do not use the gifts they bring, they carry them as silently away. —Ralph Waldo Emerson It is much better to go down in defeat with pride, honor, and integrity, than to lose all three and join the winners. —Thomas Alva Edison the quote. The first purpose is fairly well taken care of, we do provide fraternal and social felloWship among our members, and so is the third; we do encourage benevolence and humanity with sound practical life insurance, etc. Now, how about the second purpose? We do try, through our local lodges and units, to endeavor to keep alive the cherished traditions, customs and language of our fore-fathers to some extent — Beseda dancing, Sokol gymnastics, etc. — however,
here is where this editor feels that all of our Czech-founded organizations (SPJST, KJT, KJZT, RVOS, SUPS, WFLA, GSA, etc., here in Texas) are faltering: We give the universities, junior colleges, etc., financial support in our conventions, however, we, as leaders in these organizations seem to feel that this is where our obligations to the Preamble ends! Allow a question to be 'posed to all who read these lines, especially our leaders: Where would the country known as Czechoslovakia (whose independence was proclaimed on October 28, 1918 by President Masaryk in Philadelphia, Pa., USA) be today if it had not been for such stalwarts as Palacky, Komensky, Jirasek, Neruda, Manes, Svatopluk Cech, Nemcova, Smetana, Dvorak, etc., who encouraged the teaching of the Czech language for the hundreds of years that the teaching of the Czech language was forbidden? They taught it through practice, song and encouragement, even though it was forbidden, and, yet, it certainly is not forbidden, here! In fact it is encouraged! Please read this — Dr. Clinton Machann and Prof. James Mendl are conducting a symposium, "The Czechs in Texas," to be held in Temple, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27th - 29th. The sponsor is Texas A&M University and the symposium is made possible by grants from the Texas Committee f