ZajednicÌŒar = Fraternalist. [volume] (Allegheny, Pa.) 1894-current, 1956-09-19
GU SporfsEd Director Gives Account OF Americans From Croafia" On 'N
'sZAJEDNICAR"
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and embroidered, the costumes represent painstaking
work, all of it done by the women with the handicraft be-
ing passed down from mother to daughter. The female
attire is more colorful than that of the male. It is to
be noted that the Croatians did not use these costumes
for everyday wear. For daily and ordinary use they had
palmer costumes, bringing these colorful ones out of the
chest for special and solemn occasions.
y
Mr.. Braidic: The Croatians are one of the many
Slavic nations that live in the territory extending from the
Pacific Ocean in the East to the Adriatic Sea in the West.
Geographically, the Croatians belong to the South Slav
group of nations, a factor which gives lead to the name
Yugoslavia, the country which they in Europe now share
with the other South Slavs, the Serbs, the Slovenes and
the Macedonians. The B%ulgarians, another South Sav ma
ton, have their own separate country in the Balkan pen
insula.
The Croatians have lived there since the 9th century
A. D, having been recognized as a separate state as early
as $50 AID.
Further in the geographical background, may we say
that there are some 6 million Croatians in Yugoslavia's 16
million population, living in that country's area of 1858
square miles.
The country is primarily devoted to agriculture, ex-
cepting the coastal regions where the people are %seafarers.
Often under foreign subjugation, mechanization or the de-
velopment of natural resources drew a purposeful neglect
from the then rulers as did education. All these factors,
the greatest of which was the desire for political and eco
nomic freedom prompted emigration where but to
America
The first Croatians to reach America were said to
have been those in the middle of the 10th century which
became the sorrowful tale of "Virginias lost colony.
The first sizeable group, and one of 1900, settled dur
ing the latter part of the 18th century in Georgia. They
brought with them the sik industry for which the state
was later known.
Seafarers from the Adriatic Coast being more tran
sient than their agricultural brethren from the hinterland
settled in California, being there before the first Ameri-
cans. Others settled in New Orleans, which prior to the
migrations was the largest Croatian colony in America.
The heavy immigration began in 1880 and gained mo-
mentum until shut off by World War I. These Croatian
immigrants while of peasant stock fell into new and
strange means of a livelihood in factories, mines and lum-
Der camps. Along with this change they had to learn a new
language. However they took matters in stride in their
quest for a new lease on life which America offered. West
ern Pennsylvania at the start of World War I was the home
of $4,000 to IS, 900 Croatians, while other large c%ontingents
could be fund in Chicago, Cleveland, Kansas City, st. Louis,
etc.
There are a number of Croatians who made contribu-
tons to America, it being regrettable that this single pro-
gram cannot point to all of them.
Among the missionaries we had Ivan Rataj, a Gro
attain nobleman turned missionary. His work beginning in
1888 carried him among the Indians of what is now New
Mexico. Next was Ferdinand Konscak Padre Gonzales) OF
the 18th century who as a botanist, explorer and geogra-
pher played an important role during that period in Cali
fornia.
The third of the better known missionaries was Jo-
seph Kundek; arriving in 1888, he worked throughout the
Midwestern States building churches and schools.
In the field of music there have been Aatko Baloko-
and Nnka Milanov, all opera singers; and Dragutin Elias
who was not only an exponent of the tarntlritza, but also a
teacher and composer of some caliber. Furthermore, his
love for music transcribed beyond that of the Croatians.
For years he travelled with the famous Chatauqua troupe.
This connection gained him greater recognition to the
point that he was accepted by other nationaities as an
arranger of music and composer. His span from 1904 to
1887 earned him the distinction as the peer among Gro
atans in America as a composer and tamburitza musician.
One of his compositions was the march which he dedicated
to the Croatian Fraternal Society with no intent of none
tary gains. Let us listen to the McKeesport Junior Tam
buritzans playing this march piece.
Mr.. Braidic: Among the educators can be listed DR..
Henry Suzzalo, president of the Washington University,
later president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Ad-
vancement of Teachers; DR.. John Zvetna, Jr. of the De
Paul and Loyoa Universities; DR.. Francis Preveden, phi
logst at the University of Chicago and the Loyola Uni
versty; DR.. Dinko Tomasc, s%ociologist with several uni
versities; and DR.. Emil Weise of Loyola University, emf
nent as a pathologist.
In literature, the standouts have been Ivan Zorman,
Ivan Mladineo, Francis A. Bogadek and George Schubert,
the latter two as compilers of dictionaries which helped
the immigrant Croatians to famiiarize themselves with
the English language.
The Croatians in the realm of arts can allude to Pro-
haska, Desha and Ivan Mestrovic, the sculptor. Already
holding honorary degrees at the Syracuse University, No
tire Dame University, where he is a professor in the Col
lege of Arts and Letters, Mestrovic as recently as June,
1856, was further honored by the Columbia University.
Just prior to this he was accepted as a member by the
American Institute of Arts and Letters. His exhibit at the
Metropolitan Museum in New York marked the first time
that such an honor was accorded a living artist.
Some of the works of this world renowned sculptor
who carved his first piece of art as a Croatian shepherd
boy include the Indian equestrian statues in Chicago; Por-
trait of My Mother, Chicago; Contemplation in Detroit
Museum; st. Jerome in Washington, D. C. and Cardinal
~Stepinac", Stepinac High School, White Plains, N. Y. A
folk song "Kad Mjesec Zablista' when The Moon Shone