"Chodsko" is a part of southwestern Bohemia. One of the foremost traits of its indigenous people is honesty of conviction. This characteristic has been lifted upon a poetic pedestal in the "Psohlavci," a drama by Alois Jirasek, of which Kozina is the hero. The straight-forwardness and inflexibility of the convictions with which Kozina is portrayed in the drama is reflected in a native son of the "Chodsko" land, a Chicago Czech named Karel Vondras. He was born January 1, 1864, in Klenc, the son of a fairly prosperous farmer. In his native town he attended the public school and later, also a German school. When he had passed school age, his father sent him to Munich, Germany, where, by his own choice, he was to learn the bakery trade. Young Vondras showed great diligence in his work. He had to suffer all the usual hardships and humilations of an apprentice. After two years he returned, presenting his father with fifty German marks, the savings from 2his scant earnings. The father was overjoyed, true enough, yet he became very much concerned over the future of the lad. The bakery trade held good promise of earnings in the old homeland, but knowing his boy's enterprise and also his incipient dislike of general conditions, the father thought of America, the land of promise.

It was in the year 1879 that he and his wife, with much reluctance, allowed their son to start the journey over the ocean, with Chicago as the goal. Young Vondras found work in the bakeshop of August Lichtenberger at Kramer and Halsted Streets. Here he learned the methods of American baking and became a first-rate baker.

In 1889 he married Miss Therese Holar and opened his own shop on 18th and May Streets. The space soon proved to be too small, and as the owner of the house insisted that Mr. Vondras buy the building at an exorbitant price, the master baker purchased a house at 1540 West 18th Street, where he equipped his business with the most modern conveniences and up-to-date machinery and implements.

The business expanded so rapidly that it has now become one of the leaders in the community. One of its best-known products is genuine home-baked bread, and the famous crisp saltsticks.

In his relations with his help Mr. Vondras never flaunts the air of an employer, but always the comrade and friend. He lives a happy family life and is the father of several children. He is active in the various societies of the community.