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Ukrainian Contributions To American Culture By LUBA U. KOWALSKA Summary of Ukrainian History and Reasons For Ukrainian Emigration (Continued) ® ----------------------------- - -------- Ukrainian Participation in American Life Ukrainians came * to America with the express purpose of bet tering their standard of living and because of their desire for poli tical, religious, and cultural free dom. Most of them, being very poor, became farmers, miners, steel workers, household work ers, and in general, took to all forms of manual labor. There were many political exiles who, for the most part, were well-edu- cated. These endeavored to learn the English language as soon as possible in order to be able to participate in American life. The first educated Ukrainian that we know of was a political exile, Rev. Agapius Honcharen- ko, who taught Greek in the Epi scopal School in New York from 1865 to 1867. He moved to Cali: fornia in 1867, where he settled on his farm near San Francisco which he called “U’krainia”, from which he published a newspaper for his countrymen. It was in teresting to learn that the first president of the Hawaiian Senate after the incorporation of Hawaii into the United States in 1898 was a Ukrainian, Dr. Nicholas Konstantinovich Zudzylovsky- Russel. Intellectual Ukrainian Americans have become very in terested in American politics and we find quite a few holding offic ial positions in their various states. As the years went by, Ukrain ians entered into every profes sional field. As early as 1895, D. D. Perch taught in public schools in Olyphant, Pa. There is a great number of Ukrainians in the teaching profession. We now al so have a distinguished group of professors at various universities: Dr. Alexander A. Granovsky (listed in Who's Who in Science) at the University of Minnesota, with him are Dr. Mykola Hay- dak and Prof. Yakiw Kyslenko; Dr. George Vernadsky is an au thority on Slavonic history at Yale University; Dr. G. Potapen- ko is teaching at the California Institute of Technology; Dr. Vla dimir Timoshenko, an economist, is at Stanford University; Drs. Stephen Timoshenko and Andrew Uhenko, of the depts. of engin eering and philosophy respective ly, are at the University of Mi chigan. In the ranks of American socio logists there are three outstan ing Ukrainians: Yaroslav J. Chyz, former editor of “The Peo ple's WiU” and collaborator on the Commonweal magazine; Martin Gula, the originator of the Home for delinquent boys — “Boys’ House” — and now doing the same work in Chicago while teaching at the University of Chicago; and Stephen Mamchur, well known sociologist and writ er. To American Agriculture, Uk raine has given one of its most precious products, its wheat from Ukraine’s famous “Black Earth” belt. Ukrainian immi grants brought with them wheat seeds, and these are now being used by American farmers in the West and Middle West under the names “Kubanka,” “Crimean,” and “Kharkov.” “Kherson” oats are also being used as well as some Ukrainian varieties of rye, buckwheat, alfalfa, sunflowers, and millet. Among Ukrainian writers whose works are well known in translation in America are Go gol, Nekrasov and Kostomarov. In the movies, Ukrainians are represented by John Hodiak and George Montgomery. The Ballet Russe has but one Ukrainian that the writer is certain of, Igor Yus- kevitch, — Danklova’s partner. Ukrainian Americans are parti cularly proud of Sabin A. Socho- cky, who invented radium paint, and ultimately died from radium poisoning. Another famous Uk rainian inventor is Igor I. Sikor sky of the Sikorsky Aviation Cor poration, who invented the heli copter. During World War II, Mr. Dzus of the Dzus Screw Co., in Long Island, invented a new self-sealing screw which is being used almost exclusively in air plane manufacture. The Switlik Parachute Co., of Trenton, N. J., was twice honored by the Army and Navy for Excellence. According to the statistics compiled on Ukrainians in the armed forces, there were definite ly 100,000 young Ukrainian men and women serving Uncle Sam, many of whom have been decor ated for bravery. The Ukrainians have endeavored in every way to do their share in the recent War Effort. They have sponsored War Bond Rallies, Red Cross Cam paigns, and assisted in almost ev ery public manifestation with songs, dances, and monetary con tributions. Practically the first American JERSEY CITY, N. J. Activities of Branch SO UNWLA The Ukrainian Junior League of Jersey City Branch 50 of U. N. W. L. A. celebrated recently their first anniversary by attend ing a performance of “Gypsy Girl” and having dinner after. The club’s recently elected of ficers are: President, Mrs. Mary ann Lotowycz; Vice-president Miss Helen Chomiak; secretary, Miss Ann Kawaczka; treasurer, Miss Nettie Zakanycz; and direc tors, Mrs. Katherine Wagner, Mrs. Helen Magura and Miss He len Cenko; publicity chairman Miss Helen Wenger. A Christmas party was held by the Ukrainian Junior League. Their invited guests of honor were the members of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality of SS. Pe ter and Paul Ukr. Catholic Church of Jersey City. Both American and Ukrainfan Christ mas carols were sung, gifts were exchanged and refreshments were served. We also contributed a Christmas basket to the nuns of our parish. Miss Eva Barna and Mary Ka waczka are heading pin commit tee. The Ukrainian Junior League will have a pin made for each of its members also to represent our club. Regulation business was dis cussed and plans made for the following programs: Friday, Feb. 7, a food demonstration at the International Institute of Jersey City. Ukrainian Easter Egg de monstration on March 2, at Uk rainian Center 181-183 Fleet St., Jersey City. On May 9, a fashion show and card party to be held also at the Center. A Mother’s day program is being planned for May 11. * * * On Feb. 7, 1947 a food demon stration was given by the Ukr. Jr. League at the International Institute 681 Bergen Ave. Mrs. Maryann Lotowycz pre sided and introduced Mr. Shaw and Mr. Tuohey as food demon strators. The invited guests were members of the League, their fa milies and friends. Mr. Shaw and Mr. Tuohey showed us and ex plained how people waste the best material that their health re quires mostly, such as skins of casualty of World War II was an Ukrainian, Anthony Curkowsky, an expert in the Japanese lan guage, who was decoding Japan ese radio broadcasts in Pearl Harbor before the fiendish Jap anese surprise attack on that harbor. He was found stabbed to death with a Japanese dagger a few days before America entered into war with Japan. It can never be said that Ukrainians have not become true Americans. (To be continued) apples, potatoes, etc. Why we need the vitamins and the mag- nasium of the seeds in the core? The apple peeling contest be tween Mr. Tuohey and a guest, proved how the best part of the apple' was wasted in faulty peel ing by the guest contestant. They explained to us the old and the modern way of cooking. After a short demonstration and talk the refreshments were served. During the intermission Miss Jean Schumacher and Miss Elaine Wagner entertained the gues playing the piano. Prizes were given out; the first and second prize were tickets to a card party and fashion show given by the Ukr. Jr. League on May 9, 1947. They were won by Misses Jean Schumacher and Jean Zelenty. The third prize was a 10 qt. Wear Ever pot, won by Mrs. Anne Chominska. Hostesses for tjie evening were Mrs. Maryann Lotowycz, Mrs. Katherine Wagner, Mrs. Helen Magura, Misses Helen Cenko, Helen Wenger, Olga Masakow- ska, Ann Kawaczka, Ann Kish, and Ann Berwecky. Helen Wenger, Publicity Chairman. FROM OUR LETTER BOX The following is taken from a letter received by Headquarters of the UNWLA, this past week from Junior League Branch 56 of Chicago: “Junior League Branch 56 col lected the total sum of $528.50 for aid to the Displaced Persons in Europe by means of Christmas caroling. Enclosed is a Money Or der in this amount. Please for ward this money to the Ukrainian Relief Committee. We are indeed very proud that our organization is doing such wonderful work for the Ukrain ians, and we here in Chicago shall try to do our utmost to give you all our aid. We have already sent out a number of parcels of cloth ing to Germany to addresses which Rev. S. Reshetylo gave us, but we are also going to concen trate on the food packages you wrote us about in your letter of a few weeks ago. Last Sunday we had our an nual meeting, and in a short while you will receive a report of our work for the past year and a list of newly-elected officers.” Certainly this group is to be commended for doing such a splendid job for so worthy a cause. We are proud of you Ju nior League Branch 56. He who floats with the cur rent, who does not guide himself according to higher principles, who has no ideal, no convictions — such a man is a mere article of the world’s furniture — an echo, not a voice. Amiel.
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