The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-13

sI nrfspela ku mesta Bridgeport.
 Mayor Lee, City Clerk Buckingham. Tax Collector Donnelly, Sheriff Flaw ley. City Attorney Cullinan, President George E. Hill of the police board and a. dozen other officials of the city, past and present. paid visit to East Bridgeport aad learned a. great deal ~xnore about that section than they knew about-the section and its peo- pie. They took part in the dedication of Sokol HaTl, a ,$25,000 structure built fin Hallett street. between Maple and Arctic streets, for the instruction Of young men, young women and chil- dren in gymnastics, music and htera- ture.
 The parade formed at Darak Hall, another new han situated in Hallett street, near Boston Road, and 10000 people turned out to see 1t as 1t pro- ceeded- as far south as Hallam street and covered all of the principal streets between Hallett and Pembroke street.
 Arriving at the hall the guests found themselves in a building with a seating capacity for 2,000 people and more fioor space on the main. floor than any building in the city outside Of the Park City Rink and the Ar u1ory. There were more people in the gallery They were the wives, grown np daughters and the beoies of the xnennbers or the organization All were pfettily attired in white and the hall was draped in the Stars and Stripes offset by the red, white and pale blue of downtrQdden, but not conquered
 The guests saw the entire assembly of foreign born people rise when the American band struck up 'HThe Star Spangled Banner" and saw them stand aSf After some speech making a banquet was served by F. Cassidy, the Barnum ave nue caterer in six courses in room on the lower floor. Then came the treat of the evening, calisthenics by a. class of young men and another class of little girls. The latter in neat blue sailor costumes, with bloomers and large red silk scqrfs, were heartily ap- p1auded as they went through a dumb bell drin in perfect unison. The young men all had arms on them that would make good advertisements for any physical culture institute. After the drill with the dumbbells tn young men formed some excellent pyramids, showing twenty young giants in feats of strength and in forms that were truly statuesque. All of the exercises were performed under the direction of George Halapin, aged IS years,a young man with arms that showed evidences of much acquaintance with the paral- Tel bars.
 There are 200 young men enrolled in the solol, also 64 young women and 37 little girls who are drilled in gym nastfcs. The number will be increas- ed, now that the organization has the room to accommodate more members.
 In closing the entertainment for the guests a. "Chardos'' was danced by the entire assemblage. Elmer H. Ravens of the Board of Education, with Will liam R. Muirhead, the carpenter who built the structure, were the only two ukc,x r11rS fn1 D1, Dn, ter this endurance contest, called a dance, and which starts slowly with a series of high steps and ends in a whirlwind that makes each dancing pair look like a miniature typhoon.
 While the speechmaking was in pro- gresS the guests were seated upon a commodious stage fitted out with sev- eraf sets of artistic scenery from the brush of Alderman Louis Brock.
 The chairman of the meeting and master of ceremonies was Policeman George F. Simon. The first speaker was Mayor Henry Lee. who said in part:
 q am agreeably surprised to come over here in East Bridgeport and find that we have a beautiful building for our people to gather in. Any city can well be proud of the representatives of any race that comes over here from Europe and in a few short years erects such a structure. It is a monument tc your thrift and industry and I hope that you will enjoy it. Only do not become club crazy and forget that the home and children require your first attentions. but I think that you all realize that judging from the smiling faces see before me-
 Stefan Erhardt of this city, was the next speaker. He is the National President of the Slovenian Gymnastic Sollo1 UnioH- He spoke in the Slovak tongue, telling how the local society had striven for IA years to have a building of it's own and how it had been hampered through the fact that Its objects had never been thoroughly understood. The school. he said. is non sectarian and it's membership open to all the Slav nationalities without restriction to creed He said the Dramatic Club. the singing branches and the gymnastic classes are open for membership to all young men who desire to join.
 Frank Stas. financial secretary of the National organization, who came from his home in Perth Amboy to be pres ent was warmly greeted. He spoke 1Ipon the work of the national society.
 President George E. Hill, of the po- lice board, was honored to the extent of having the Star Spangled Banner played whez, he rose to speak He spoke in a patriotic vein and greeted the Ratherink e his fellow citizens of Slovenian 1l-th- He congratulated them upon 4&11r Final building and nnf1 their 9t&x nd persistency had