The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-19

;lers from the North. Thus all we're
on equal footing cconomicaly and by
occupation.
Churches and Schools.
MI worked with the common pur-
pose of achieving success in farming
- large majority of the Bohemians are
Roman Catholics. and in all towns
where there are a sufficient number
they have their own church and a
resident priest. In other sections
| they have church. but no resident
priest. and in such cases servlcesarc
{, held only once a month. Some of the
| catholic churches situated usually on
the top OF hill. are built of bricl,
| others of stone. but the majority are
of wood. One of the most expensive
| OF these churches crowns hilltop in
| the midst OF wilderness: the land
as far as the eye can reach is sparsely
settled only twenty farms being Wis
iblc yet the congregation scattered
over large radius, was able to fur
i nish $4,000 to build this brick church
On Sundays all the Bohemlans come to
! mass, some from distance of twenty
miles.
| The Bohemians send theirchildren
| to the district schools. and in many
towns a parochial school is also main
tatned. thus a0ording the children
an ample opportunity for education. In
some localities the school attendance
! Of the children is said to he small and
! irregular. and that parents arc not in
clined to better the situation Many of
| the children have only a few years
| schooling, giving up all education as
l soon a s they are able to work on the
/ farms. a very small percentage pur-
sue their education beyond the gram
I mar grades
Citizenship.
| Many Of the Bohcmians have become
naturalizcd and exercise their privi-
iese OF voting. \ large proportion Of
! the children are american born. while
others left Europe TOO early to rcmcm-
| Der 1t. a large majority of them.
! therefore, have no definite connection
with Europe. y few OF the old people
! desire 10 return to Europe TO see
! their old friends. Numbers of the 30.
hemians have held public Office in the
| counties whcre their race is numerous
and others have been sent to the State
| Legislature. Little can be said against
! the settlers on the land on the ground
Of their honesty and general morality
1t is the opinion of all that in these
respects the Bohemians arc equal To
| tho natives or to the Germans
In large and definite way the
Bohemians have been benefit In
building UP the agriculture OF the
areas within which they have settled
! Although they have not introduced
any new variety Of crops. they have
initiated the agricultural practices Of
the natives. and 10y working hard they
have been able to compete OH favor
|. able terms with the original settlers
raising. in many cases. larger crop
| from given area than the native
farmers. Their farms are we'll Guilt
| waited. the buildings and live stock
we'll kept and the farms are found
generally in a prosperous condition.
The localities in which the largest
groups OF Bohemians are found have
bcen developed largely because of tho
satisfaction of the first settlers. who
spread abroad the reports Of their
| success This has caused MANY 70
! locate in Texas who might have
moved elsewhere but for the material
progress reported by the first Bohe-
mians.
Doubtless many of tho Bohemian
immigrants of the present time enter
mills and factories and settle in
mining localities. because they are not
supplied with enough money to locate
In agricultural regions. A large nor.
centage Of the men thus forced into
shopwork were farmers in Europe. and