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PROFILE: AUTHOR MARIE HALUN BLOCH Interview by Marta Tarnawsky Translated and condensed by Olha Stasiuk At this time of two anniversaries — the Bicentennial of American independence and the Centennial of Ukrainian settlement in the United States — it is appropriate to assess the input of Ukrainians into the treasury of American culture. A major contributor thereto is Marie Halun Bloch, author of children's books. She has published 16 books, some of which have also been published in braille and on records. The daughter of Rudoph and Sofia Halun, immigrants from western Ukraine, Marie was born in Halychyna and came to the United States at a very early age. She married Donald Bloch, her former professor of literature, at the age of twenty, and worked as an economist until the birth of her daughter, Hilary, who now has a family of her own and retains her mother's family name. Ms. Bloch began her career in children's literature by publishing short stories in the children's magazine Jack and Jill. The transition from short stories to books was made when the editor of Jack and Jill rejected a series of articles and instead suggested that they be made into a book. And so, Danny Doffer, Ms. Bloch's first book, appeared in 1946. She choose children's literature as a creative medium because she vividly remembers her own childhood — not in terms of events, but rather, in feelings. She felt that this ability of hers could be valuable in literature for children. Her books, especially those with plots involving Ukrainian images, trace the maturation of the child-hero's perceptions on a backdrop of two worlds. Her plots often reflect the problems of coping with two different, conflicting worlds. Her several visits to Ukraine provided her with the basis for Aunt America and The Two Worlds of Damyan, books which deal with the conflict between the Ukrainian home life and the Russified realities of modern Ukraine. In Marya of Clark Avenue, a semi-biographical work, Ms. Bloch examines the pressures exerted by the traditions of the parental home and the Americanized school life. She recreates ancient Kiev in Bern, Son of Mikula (excerpts in Ukrainian in this issue), a novel based on a legend she read in the Kiev Chronicle of the year 968. In Bern, she contrasts the civilized world of Kiev as a dukedom with the nomadic world of the Pechenih tribes. Ms. Bloch's visits to Ukraine also sparked her interest in Ukrainian folk lore and art. She is fascinated by the universality of folklore and has published a translation of Ukrainian stories en titled Ukrainian Folk Tales. She is cur rently working on a belletristic novel for adults. It will be a historical work set in the era of Prince Yaroslaw the Wise. Marie Halun Bloch is a woman of great personal charm and a truly Ukrainian soul. In her interview with Ms. Marta Tarnavska in the Ukrainian section of this issue, she says: ’’ Envy is not one of my vices, but I do envy the young people of today who have Saturday schools in which they may learn of their Ukrainian heritage, and Harvard and other institutions of higher learning where they may pursue their study of Ukraine. If only I had had such opportunities in my own student days! As it was, my Saturday school offered only a brief course in the Catechism, reading through a first-grade reader, and practice in a copy book of writing. What I further learned of Ukrainian history and literature I learned from my parents. But there were many children who were not so lucky as I, and they grew up quite ignorant of their true heritage, spiritually poverty stricken. Although my daughter and two young granddaughters (eleven and twelve) know hardly any Ukrainian, they are very much aware of their Ukrainian heritage. Not only that, but as occasion arises, they inform people about Ukraine, At school, whenever they are permitted to choose their own topic for com positions, the two girls often write about Ukraine. Sometimes they get help from me or from their mother (who accompanied me on one trip to Ukraine). But they also have in their home the in valuable help of the English-language, two-volume work UKRAINE: A CONCISE ENCYCLOPEDIA. This work is the best investment Ukrainian parents could possibly make if they are concerned about their children's education. With the help of this authoritative, well written work, my granddaughters are ecucating themselves, their schoolmates, and even their teachers about Ukraine.” For Ukrainians, Marie Halun Bloch is a unique and signifigant figure, not only because she is possibly the only pro fessional writer of Ukrainian descent in the United States, but because she finds a place in her works for Ukrainian themes and does so both skillfully and successfully. OUR COVER If the photo on our cover was not sign ed, one would think it was a church in the Carpathian mountains. Not only the church itself brings back a touch of nostalgia, but the surrounding land scape reminds many of our homeland. Many such churches have been al ready built here in the United States. They are part of our contribution to America's cultural growth. The church in our photo is in Hunter, N.Y. It was built, as such churches were in Ukraine, without nails. The wood was imported from Canada. The church was built by Jurij Kostiw, in terior woodcarvings were executed by Mychajlo Chereshnowskyj and the icons by Petro Cholodnyj, NEW PINS FOR LONGTIME UNWLA MEMBERS The Main UNWLA Office has special pins available for members who have be longed, to UNWLA for at least 25 years. Branches with longtime members should send their lists to the Main Office. The price of the pins is $4.50. Members should be awarded the pins at general Branch meetings or at some other auspicious occasion. 26 НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ, ЛИПЕНЬ-СЕРПЕНЬ 1976 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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