Telegraf. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1909-1951, 1946-05-03
Golden Jubilee.

Last Sunday, April 28th, we
were present at a rare celebra-
ton, that of the Golden Jubilee
of the foundation of the Society
of Our Lady of Levoc, Branch
Al of the First Catholic Slovak
Union of the United States of
America. The program for the.
morning consisted of a Solemn
Higm Mass in ST. Wenceslaus'
Church at 1880 a. m. celebrated,
by Rev. Joseph F. Vetrovec,
C.SS.R. Rector, assisted by Rev.
l.. Vidra, C.SS.R., as deacon
and Rev. Joseph Coshan, C.SS.R
as sub-deacon. The members
of the local society accompa-
MED by the Supreme President,
the Supreme Secretary and the
Supreme Treasurer of the
Union, and led by two tiny
flower girls who carried yellow
snapdragons and jonquils, left
the School Hall in a procession
to the Church where they as
sisted at Holy Mass. The affairs
were t~astefully decorated with
yellow snapdragons, and the
golden vestments worn by the
priests wildly portrayed the
spirit of the occasion. Rev. j.
Vetrovec preached the sermon
in the Slovak language in honor
of the membership.
After the services photographs
were taken of the entire group
concentrating the celebration
using the church buildings as
an appropriate background.
Tn the evening a grand banquet
was held at the Lyceum Build
ing for the members, clergy,
guests of honor, representatives
of the various societies connect
ed with the parish and mem
bers and friends of the Society.
Father Vetrovec as postmaster
introduced the speakers with
appropriate witticisms as when
he alluded to the fact that we
should bear in mind that every
thing was under control even
though languages were con-
stantly switched from English
to Slovak and also to Czech.
His Excellency, Governor Her
bert R. O'Conor sent a telegram
of congratulations, and his re-
grets at being unable to attend.
Mayor Theodore R. McKeldin
was amongst us for a brief
space of time and also extend
ed his congratulations.
Congressman Thomas Dale
sandro, Jr., who arrived shortly
after the evening program com
menced was appropriately in
troduced as the Congressman
of all the Americans, consider
ing no individual too important
or too insignificant for his no
tice. He felicitated the mem
bers on their splendid achieve
ment, and reminded us that the
aims and purposes for which
this Society was founded fifty
years ago are sadly needed in
the world today.
A brief address was also
made by City Councilman
Frank Bocek in the Czech Ian
guage congratulating the group
and reminding them of the
high opinion in which they are
held by the various City Execu-
tives.
The Supreme President Mrs.
Helena Kocan in her Slovak
address urged the members to
carry on the spirit of fraterna-
lism, and to remember their
duties to God and country. She
presented the Society with a
monetary gift, and individual
gifts for each of the three re-
naming charter members and
the officers of the local unit, in
appreciation of their years of
service. The Grand Secretary
and Grand Treasurer also in
Guided their good wishes.
Last but not least little Lydia
sang her Slovak songs and re-
cited her verses after which she
made a presentation of several
new members as a gift to the
Grand President.
After the closing remarks
and the hymn of Thanksgiving,
we all joined in the dancing
until the wee hours. And SO
ended a grand occasion to be
tucked away in our memories
in the years to come.
It would be amiss were we
not to remember the Chairman
Mrs. Antonio Shimanek and