Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-08
TEL JED SOEOL CELEBRATE
Twsnty-Fift Anniversary Of Bohemian
Society is Pleasantly Observed.
ONE OF THE CHARTER MEMBERS PRESENT
Speeches b. X. W. Bsrtos Joseph Mil
and E. Rosewater, Athletic Exer-
ciseH. Music and Play
on the Program.

themselves together under the name OF
Tel Jed Sokol, for social enjoyment and
physical and intellectual Improvement. In
the years that have elapsed that organlsa-
tion has experienced some visclssltudes
but yesterday a society numbering 140 &C
tive member entertained its friends in
honor Of the twenty-hfth anniversary. The
entertainment was given in the Bohemian
Turner's hall on Thirteenth street, near
Dorcas.
For this occasion the hall was attractively
decorated with American flags and wreaths
and ]festoons in which the red and white
Of Bohemia were tastefully intertwined. At
the front of the stage ported palms and
other green foliage furnished a pleasing
decoration and in the middle we're placed
portraits of several of the more prominent
members of the society. At one side Of the
stage was hung a handsome silk American
flag and on the other the banner Of the Tel
Jed Sokol.
Oldest Member There.
When the exercises began at 2:SO there
was seated upon the stage Frank Jelen,
ST., who was one OF the original twelve
members of the society and still takes an
active interest in its affairs. He has three
sons who are active members. With MT.
Jelen sat John Sokol and John Konvalin,
who were among the charter members, but
do not now belong to the society. Others
who occupied seats upon the stage were
the speakers. X. w. Bartos, Joseph Mix
and z. Rosewater, and Councilman Hascall
and City Clerk Elbourn.
After an overture by Korisko's orchestra
an address OF welcome was delivered in the
Bohemian language by X. w. Bartos, who
is next to Mr.. Jelen the oldest OF the pres
/ ant - -
marks were followed by a song by a chorus
OF young men and women under the direc-
ton Of Prof. Korisko.
Joseph Mix delivered an address in the
Bohemian language, in which he dealt with
the history of the organization and it's
varying fortunes in the course Of it's
twenty-five years Of existence and at the
close of his speech there was a brief in
Permission.
Part second OF the program was intro
duced by an orchestral number, after which
Joseph Mix introduced e. Rosewater, who
addressed the gathering in English.
speech by MT. ROsewater.
Mr.. R~osewater said in part:
II have been asked this afternoon to tell
you what I saw of the people Of Bohemia
when / came here thirty-nine years ago,
and / would be glad to do so. but the fact
is there were no Bohemians here at that
time. When l landed here we stopped at
a place which l judge was not more than
100 yards from this spot, and / may say
that l made my entrance into Omaha head
first, for the stage coach upset.
That was the Omaha Of 1863. Since
that time | have seen this city grow al
most into Sarpy county, where, to be sure.
1t Is known as South Omaha, but. it is
nevertheless a part of the growth of this
city. 1t has in that time grown from a
population of 1000 to more than 100, 900.
There were at that time two or three fam
lilies OF Bohemians in the state. Today
there are nearly 10000 in this city and
South Omaha and fully $4,000 men and
women of Bohemian birth and origin In
the state of Nebraska, reckoned among the
most thrifty and prosperous OF our citi-
zens. / rejoice to be with you on this &C.
casion of your twenty-hfth Anniversary.
and although you are an old society, / can
lap over your twenty-five years and 20
fourteen years farther back than that.
BOheminns Are PrOgFesaIve.
18th first Bohemian families to settle
in Omaha lived below here in two ravines
and some OF them in dugouts. underground.
with sheetiron chimneys to their dwell
ings, but now we find them among our
most prosperous citizens. They came
from Bohemia because of the advantages
offered by this land OF promise and many
OF them went from here to the fertile val
ley of the Platte or the Elkhorn and are
now prosperous and wealthy farmers. IN
Bohemia but few can own great farms az
so many are able to do here. In that land
Of Imperialism and autocracy they have
not even their own language when the
Austrian power can be exercised. was
back there to my old home eleven years
ago and my heart throbbed for those peo-
pie, as 1t always did and always will for
anything that is Bohemian.
II greatly regret that IL should have
oeen ihtimated-and by one who was once
my friend-that l was coming here TODAY
merely because we are about to have an
other election. l am sorry that any at.
tempt should have been made to have II
appear that / came for any other reason
than to congratulate you that your society
mas successfully passed through a quar-
ter OF a century Of history and that YOU
nave here the finest hall OF any branch of
the foreign population Of this city.
Hall and Society Credit to City.
This is a fine hall and | wish we had
as good in other parts OF the city. ana
yours Is a society which is a credit to
you and to the city. Two years hence
Omaha will celebrate the hftieth ami
yersaTy Of its corporate existence and
then II l am here you and I will gather
together to observe that event"
One OF the pleasing features Of the pro-
gram was the presentation to Frank Jelen.
ST., OF a handsome medal in recognition of
the fact that he is the only remaining one
Of the charter members Of the society. The
presentation speech was made by Josepb
MIX. In the Bohemian language. The medal
Is a fine piece OF work and is inscribed
with the name OF the recipient, the dates
1877 and 1902 and the monogram of the
Tel Jed SokOl.
On behalf Of the society Mr.. Mix aIso
presented Mrs. Jelen and Mrs. John Kon-
valin each with a handsome bouquet in
recognition OF their valuable services 10
the organization. The bouquets were tied
with ribbons Of white and red. on which
was printed in letters Of gold the name of
the society.
A class OF fifteen young men OF the or
ganization gave an interesting athletic ex-
hloiton on parallel bars. under the direc-
ton OF b. W. Bartos, athletic instructor.
The program closed with one act of the
play "Vzletem Sokolim," which is illus
tratiye of the life OF a turner.
In the evening the association enter