Volume 100 Number 37
ˇ ´ VESTNIK S P J S T Benevolence
H E R A L D
★ Humanity ISSN —07458800
★ Brotherhood
September 19, 2012
Lodge 15, Buckholts Member Paints Komensky School Play Actors
From the moment an envelope was placed upon a Temple city secretary’s desk, the forgotten story of a rural Czech school started to unfold. Inside the envelope was a photograph of 13 people dressed in the style of the Old West, and at the top of the photo was written the words, “Komensky School 1919.” Newspaper clippings for two plays were included, one written in Czech and the other entitled The Texas Ranger. Thanks to the kindness and foresight of a Corpus Christi resident, Bob McKinley, a slice of Czech history has been re-revealed. He found this photograph and the newspaper clippings in an old trunk that had belonged to his mother Julia Huckabee McKinley. As a young woman, Miss Huckabee taught at Komensky School which had been located within East Bell County bordering Little Flock, Lost Prairie,
Lodge 15, Buckholts member Lamerle Zajicek, right, and Martha Daniel, daughter of the youngest member of Komensky School in 1919, display Lamerle’s 20inch by 24-inch oil painting. Martha is pointing to her father Walter “Ladis” Kamas.
Seaton, and Oenaville. The Komensky School remained open thanks to the assistance of local Czech families as opposed to state taxes or funds, and as
of 1937, the school taught 38 children ranging in age from six to 17. “Komensky” was a common Czech name, the most well-known belonging
to Jan Amos Komensky who was a Czech-Moravian teacher and bishop. The first illustrated textbooks are attributed to him as is the extending of comprehensive education to both males and females. The Czech families within the Komensky School’s jurisdiction were both strong supporters of their homeland as well dedicated patriots to their new country, the United States. Komensky School, for example, reported 100 percent participation in support of the Red Cross. During the time this photo was taken, World War I had only recently ended, and the world was facing a new and very different enemy: the influenza pandemic of 1919. In the spring of 1919, Miss Julia Huckabee presented The Texas
Continued on Page 6.
Tribute 2012 August State Top Sales Producers
Carlos Eureste Lodge 171, Lockhart District One
Insurance Issued Earned Premium
Jerry Kucera, FIC Lodge 6, Cottonwood District Three
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Interest Rates.......................................3 Important Dates ...................................3 Tribute 2012 Updates ..........................4 District News .......................................6 Lodge Section......................................8 Reunions ............................................14
Career Agent
Associate Agent
Earned Premium
Insurance Issued
Associate Agent
Mark Childres Lodge 196, Houston-West District Five
Inside This Week’s Vestnik
In Memoriam ......................................15 Youth Section.....................................16 Czech Culture ....................................18 Advertisements..................................20 Lodge Calendar .................................22 Cookbook Order Form ......................24
SPJST Smiles!
Page 7
Lodge 30 Taiton honors Mike and Kathy Ahlstrom
Janet and Cortni Ashcraft attend the Lodge 24, Cyclone appreciation dinner held September 10 at Oscar Store. More pictures on page 11.
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Page 13
Rothermels celebrate 65 years of marriage
Page 16
State Duke reports on first royalty appearance