Foreign Language Press Survey

Achievements of the Cesko-Americka Narodni Rada

DennĂ­ Hlasatel, Jan. 31, 1915

The Cesko-Americka Narodni Rada (Bohemian-American National Council) has broken the ice of disfavor and indifference toward the Bohemians where not even an attempt to break it had been made.

It has succeeded in its efforts to introduce the Bohemian language as a subject of instruction in Chicago's high schools.

It has assured the preparation of suitable readers and textbooks for Bohemian instruction in high schools, and has published them on its own account.

It has caused the preparation of an English translation of the Bohemian National Anthem, "Kde Domov Muj" (Where Is My Home), which translation has been accepted by school authorities as suitable for use among the national anthems of independent nations, and for publication in school song books. It has succeeded in having this translation sung. The anthem is now being sung by three hundred 2thousand pupils. This is one of the most effective single acts of propaganda in Chicago.

It has caused thirty lectures to be given in Chicago schools and other institutions. These lectures have been accompanied by the projection of beautiful colored stereopticon slides, purchased for that purpose, and have given the proper kind of information about the Bohemians to twenty thousand non-Bohemian and Bohemian children. By this act, it has made the life of Bohemian children more agreeable among the children of other nationalities, and has awakened in them the Bohemian national feeling which is an unmistakable attribute of good character.

It has introduced into the English-language press a collection of selected Bohemian fairy tales under the name of "Bohemian Folk Stories," which will soon appear, and will be used in schools throughout the United States. The publishers will use them in the so-called "Holiday Edition," which is popular reading matter in American families.

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It has completed an activity on behalf of the Yugoslavs which has brought about a closer rapprochement between us and the Yugoslavs, and yielded considerable financial support, of which they were sorely in need, to our fighting Yugoslav brothers.

It arranged for three presentations of the play, "Prastky" (Spinning Bees), the net proceeds of which, amounting to $611.68, were sent to the old country for Bohemian schools in the Germanized parts of Bohemian, Moravia, and Silesia. The Ustredni Matice Skolska (Central Scholastic Association), the Narodni Jednota (National [Scholastic] Association) at Olomouc, and the Moravska Matice (Moravian [Scholastic] Association) at Brno have received one thousand crowns each, the balance of $53.37 being equally divided between the Matice Skolska at Holice, and the Matice Osvety Lidove (Association for Popular Culture) at Polska Ostrava.

In co-operation with the Cesko-Americka Tiskova Kancelar (Bohemian-American Press Bureau) it arranged the lecture of Dr. F. Zahradnicky, chief surgeon of 4the hospital at Nemecky Brod, concerning the wars of the Yugoslavian peoples.

It has arranged an important lecture about Bohemia and the Bohemians at the teachers' training school in Chicago, which was attended by more than five hundred students. The lecture was illustrated by slides and selections of Bohemian music.

In these stirring times it has put over a powerful campaign, resulting in the acceptance of informative articles by newspapers which, prior to this, had not been printing anything about the just Bohemian cause.

In addition to this, it has had informative articles published in the Chicago Daily Tribune, the Herald, the Chicago Daily News, the Evening Post. In the Chicago American, it has published an article about Professor Tomas G. Masaryk and his fight against the Austrian bureaucracy. (Clippings are available in the office of the secretary of the Narodni Rada.)

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It arranged for a lecture at a meeting of the Chicago Press Club about the demands of the Bohemian nation. This was the first lecture about the Bohemians ever addressed to the Press Club. It was presented by the secretary of the Narodni Rada, Professor J. J. Zmrhal. The lecture paved our way to continued work among the wider American public. We are glad to state that this lecture and the lecture concerning the French have been considered the best of the series given under the auspices of the Press club. Professor Zmrhal's lecture was published in the Scoop, the organ of Chicago newspapermen, distributed throughout the United States.

As a result of this lecture, the Narodni Rada has received invitations to arrange for lectures at Evanston to the North Side Association of Commerce; at Morgan Park, at Hyde Park, and at nine other places.

There are excellent indications that the Narodni Rada will be asked to present lectures at the University of Chicago, at Northwestern University, and at the University of Illinois.

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The Narodni Rada merits fully as much credit for its organization of the Chicago Bohemian colony for work for the old country in these most critical times.

It has acted as a clearing house for information to Bohemians in the United States and to those in the old country.

It has secured a great deal of information from and for Bohemian colonies in other parts of the world.

The accomplishments of the Narodni Rada have been great; particularly so, considering the small amount of money it has had at its command. Almost one thousand dollars was spent for the stereopticon slides, alone; and over five hundred dollars for the Bohemian readers and textbooks, for high schools.

What else, you ask? Much important work remains to be done. There are hundreds of places and institutions in Chicago where the greatest ignorance concerning 7the Bohemians still prevails; to wit, in three universities, in some fifty high schools, in two hundred and thirty-one public schools, and in many lecture, art, and literary clubs.

Good translations of Bohemian literary works, both poetic and prose, are needed. These would be acceptable for insertion in juvenile lists, containing reading recommended for the young.

We are planning (a) to induce the City Council to devote a part of its book funds to the purchase of Bohemian books; (b) to see to it that branches of the Chicago Public Library, located in Bohemian neighborhoods, be equipped with Bohemian magazines, newspapers, and books. This would obviate such oversights as the members of the Narodni Rada found in the branch library on Millard Avenue. It contained no Bohemian newspapers, and not more than a dozen Bohemian books.

Our program is too extended to be published in full in this article.

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It is necessary to be constantly on the lookout in order to prevent the repetition of such occurrences as the disgusting affair of Professor Ross.

How can we do all this? Only through a strong, firm organization, commanding such respect as the Cesko-Americka Narodni Rada should have. It is quite erroneous to think that all our work has been done, or can be done, by a few individuals. Just as a handful of officers are powerless without an army, so a few individuals among us, no matter how able and unselfish they may be, cannot work successfully without the moral and financial support of both the individuals and the associations of the general public.

For this reason we invite all Bohemian-American organizations, and all individual Bohemian-Americans, to whom the honor and the welfare of the American branch of the Bohemian nation is sacred, to become members of the Cesko-Americka Narodni Rada.

The annual dues are five dollars for active members, and two dollars for 9contributing members.

Only if our invitation is properly complied with, shall we be able to maintain an honorable position in this country, to obtain a wider sphere of influence among the American people, and continue our work for the Bohemian people in this country. This we can do only by dignified and efficient opposition to our foes in this country. They have much money to spend on their attacks against us.

All of you who recognize the usefulness of our cultural work, no matter to what political party, to what church, or to what position in life you may belong, do become a member of our organization. Those few dollars spent for the uplift, the welfare of our nation, are being spent for your very own benefit, and are a bit of capital that will yield a very high rate of interest.

The Cesko-Americka Narodni Rada is an institution among the people, of the people, and for the people. Do not tarry; become members now!

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You may direct your application either to our president, Mr. John A. Cervenka, 2438 Lawndale Avenue, or to our secretary, Professor J. J. Zmrhal, 1869 Millard Avenue, or to our financial secretary, Mrs. Stanek-Bujarek, 1539 West 19th Street, or to any of our members.

Financial Report

Income:

Cash on hand $167.46
Net from the "Prastky" 661.68
Collection at Dr. Zahradnicky's lecture 52.82
Sale of books 125.00
Dues and donations 273.25
Total $1280.21
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Expenses:

Donation to the Ustredni Matice Skolska $ 52.82
Slides and sundry expenses 562.02
Other expenses 665.37
Total $1,280.21

(Signed) The Cesko-Americka Narodni Rada

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