Our purpose in delivering patriotic public addresses during Polish national holidays is to elevate the sleeping spirit of our compatriots, to stimulate and encourage them to be religious, to awaken in them a love for progress, enlightenment, and the homeland, and especially to present historical facts to the young people born on American soil. These facts are presented in their true light, without warping them for dishonorable political purposes or making caricatures out of them.

Our people attend these celebrations enthusiastically, because they want to hear about their forefathers, a thing which was prohibited to them under the Muscovite and Prussian yokes. These people thirst for information about olden times, listen with pleasure to patriotic addresses, and are generous in their expressions of appreciation for the speakers. They return to their homes encouraged in spirit and mind, stimulated and strengthened for further labor, and look forward to a brighter future after their sojourn on this 2earth. Public addresses exert a great influence upon our people, especially when the speakers, priests and laymen, are in accord and work toward the same noble aim.

It is a very good thing to have school children and young people recite poems and sing during commemorative exercises, as in this way they are encouraged to attend, thus becoming acquainted with Polish history and traditions. The parents are very pleased when they hear their children singing or reciting in their native language.

Such national commemorative exercises are an encouragement and stimulus for those parents who neglect to bring up their children after the Polish fashion.

It would be a good thing, worthy of imitation, if the local priests were to give little gifts, just candy, to the little children on such days, so that the latter may remember these dear days, hallowed by high ideals and the blood of our fathers. Many beautiful and idealistic benefits may be gained 3in a parish where the pastor, with self-denial, works for the people and with the people. Then the pastor will see to it, in advance, that the speakers are worthy and honorable, that their addresses will raise the masses entrusted to them.