The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-08
GYMNASTS OF SOKOL SOCIETY
 EXHIBIT SKILL
Big Crowd At Labor Day Ex-
 erciSeS of East Side Organization.
Teams From New York and NOrwaIk Societies Also
 Take Part

Solkol Hall was thronged yesterday afternoon and evening to witness the Labor Day gymnastic exercises of the men and women members of the So<o1 gymnastic organization. Hundreds of S1avonians flocked to the hall It was the first exercises of the kind that Bridgeport has ever been given an op- portunity to witness and the resfd dents of the East Side turned out in a body to support them.
 The days entertainment opened early in the afternoon with 8 dance. To this hundreds of the younger set Hooked while as the time for the gym nastic entertainment drew near, the older people of the section made their appearance.
 Brtdgeport's Slovenian population anticipated Labor Day because of the gymnast1c exhibition, and nearly a. hundred. children, and grown men and women participated. Societies from South Norwa1k. New York and the To- cal Soko1 took part in the exercises
 Seven members of the New York gymnaSdc team and seven of the To- cal team performed upon the hori- zona1 bars, horse, and the parallel bar with such skill and precision that they appeared to be parts of mechanical contrfvance. While both teams per formed well. popular opinion declared 
 of Robert Hirl, Joseph Garlic, Joseph Haniska, John Pavnitzky. Andrew Yarosh, John Roman, and Joseph Tomish, was the best. John Matcu, instructor and director of the Bridge port Soko1 was congratulated for the wond derfu1 showing of his pupils, who have been praCttcing but g. short time.
 A number of girls whose ages rang ed from to 10 years drew the ap- p1ause of the large audience. They performed the simpler gymnastic exer- cises. Of the smaller boys participant ing in the exercises, those from the Portchester Sokol were the best A pyramid, in which the children stood three deep upon one another drew great applause. A number of girls, representing the Bridgeport and South Norwakk Soko1os also performed gym nasttc exercises with flags, and they presented 8. pretty picture as they went through numerous exercises without the slightest fa1ter.
 The performance of Director Mat cu's entire male class evoked much applause from the audience. They went through drills that are in vogue in the armies of the old country, and they. went through them with great ease Instructor Matcus is a graduate of the great Soko1 hall in Prague and is considered one of the best gymnasts in this section of the country.
 Following the exercises brief speeches were made by Theofel Cudy, president of the local Sokol. Stephen Frhart, president of the national Soko1 Gymnast societies, and Dr. J. H. Krasnye, in Slovenian, in which they congratuIated the S1avonions in pre- senting such an interesting exhibition with such small amount of practice.
 President Cudy expressed the hope that when the international tourna- ment is held in Prague next year, it will be possible for Bridgeport to be represented in the American team. Among prominent Slavonians present to witness the exhibition were Joseph Bayus, supreme treasurer of the as- sociatfon and Stephen Began, supreme controller, of Brooklyn, N. Y. Follow ing the speeches, the remainder of the evening was spent in dancing.