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"Joining Hands To Touch Lives— Fraternalism for the Family and Our Nation"
ESINIK SPJST Herald
Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas, Founded 1897 BROTHERHOOD
HUMANITY
BENEVOLENCE
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SUPREME LODGE, SPJST, P. 0. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503 ISSN-07458800 VOLUME 84 NUMBER 25
Happy 220th Birthday to the U.S .A! Fireworks and flag-waving, parades and picnics — they're all part of the way we observe the Fourth of July. As we, celebrate this year, may we recall the historical significance of this observance. On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress of the United States voted to declare their independence from Great Britain. Two days later, on July 4, the Declaration of Independence was adopted. By August, fiftyfive revolutionaries had signed it, pledging "our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor" in support of independence from the world's most powerful nation. This was no empty pledge: An act of rebellion was treason. If they had lost the ar, the signers would have faced a gruesome fate. But that wasn't meant to happen. Six years later, the War for Independence ended with Lord Cornwallis's surrender of his 6,000man army at Yorktown, Virginia. Although the Americans had neither paid troops nor professional soldiers, they were fighting for a cause — in defense of their liberty. Only in defeat did the British realize the power of this fighting faith which we now celebrate as Independence Day.
What the American Flag Means to Me by Sandrallickett, Age 14 Lodge 66, Waco (Congratulations to Sandra who was the winner of the 1996 SPJST Flag Day essay contest. Her essay is reprinted here in its entirety.)
The American flag to me, means everything this country is based.upon. For example, the 50 stars represent the 50 states, united as one—after all, we are the United States of America.
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The 13 stripes represent the thirteen original colonies. Those stripes are really important on how this great nation got started. The red stripes represent the blood shed and lives we have lost in past and present foreign wars. We also lost a lot of lives in the Civil War. This was a war fought against each other. We have come a long way since then. The white represents the separation of our Mother Country, England. The blue represents the loyalty to our country. OUT flag might resemble flags of other countries, but our country is set apart from so many others. We have some thing that no one else has FREEDOM! We have the right to worship who we want, when we want, and how we want.
We can do whatever we want (just as long as no one is hurt). The flag just doesn't represent the country. Every member of our country represents our country. The flag represents me. I am so proud to be a part of this wonderful country.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE 1996 SPJST GRADUATES
SHARON BORAK
JASON HERMIS
JENNIFER LYNN BREZINA
MER1BETH NOVAK
Sharon is a member of Lodge 40, El Campo - Hillje and a graduate of El Campo High School. She is the daughter of Jimmy and Charlene Borak and the granddaughter of Martha Kulcak and Evelyn Borak. The recipient of the 1995 SPJST Merit Point Scholarship, Sharon's plans for the future include attending college.
Jason is a member of Lodge 142, Stefanik (Houston) and a graduate of Jersey Village High School. He is the son of Dennis and Elizabeth Hermis and the grandson of Frank and Dorothy Tumis and Henry and Rita Herrnis. Jason plans to pursue a degree in Business Management.
Jennifer is a member of Lodge 92, Fort Worth and a graduate of Southwest High School. She is the daughter of Jerry and Dolores Brezina and the granddaughter of Frank A. and Willie Mae Skerik and Geraldine Brezina and the late Louis Brezina. Jennifer plans to attend Tarrant County Junior College.
Meribeth is a member of Lodge 84, Dallas and a graduate of .Ursuline Academy of Dallas. She is the daughter of Dr. James and Lynda Novak and the granddaughter of Emil and Bessie Petr. Meribeth plans to go to college where she will major in accounting and economics with a minor in English. Her career goal is to become an international lawyer.