Safir** ^/v v' V^ ;v,; r> -%\ si$p% : W fzž* 2 š£m?-W 44 J llpggg^in^ c, y^ / jr MKTt^lC ^ % ff S jC Al ■) I ^ f'5La^ fmf ^gMHVjiV'w/l J rV-^JEL^Av^- L a <*&> 'Mu; K f^Bfetj mw 1 $&&&£ :f#fu ■ 1 ^ 'i # \wt .$•./ 1 L.rrsSsfSr’ • 'dsp+^-l. '^^' r ‘ ' ■ sj^-^'*' fTŽafS^Žži. iatei JUVENILE SECTION OF "NAPREDEK" CLEVELAND, OHIO, DECEMBER 18, 1940 Christmas Cheer and Joys I don’t think it is necessary for me to remind you that the happiest and most joyful season is here again, for I’m sure that every Vrtec member of the SS¬ PZ looks forward to Christmas Day with its many joys, gifts, merry-making, and ali kinds of good things to eat as the most glorious and thrilling holiday. For . . . “No other day throughout the year Holds such a wealth of friendly cheer, No other day can bring to mind Such thoughts of love for ali mankind; The Christmas špirit seems to be A light that shines o’er land and sea; May its bright rays bring joy today, In ali you think, or do, or say.” This year, as in past years, many of our Vrtecs’ have com- pleted arrangments for vari- ous forms of Christmas enter- tainment. A number of them have already been held, one in Chicago last Sunday by the ROŽNIK JUNIORS and an- other in Straabne, Pa., by the CHALLENGER JUNIORS on the same day. The great majori- ty of these affairs, however, will be staged this coming week-end, two of tvhich I shall have the pleasure of attending personal- ly. The first of these will be in Chicago this coming Saturday evening, \v h e n the TRAIL BLAZER JUNIORS and Sen- iors will combine their talents in staging their fifth annual MERRY CHRISTMAS! Merry Christmas, Vrtec friends, May it be merry and gay And vvith the greetings that one sends Is that happiness shall reign the day. Christmas to me means a time When unkindness is far away And everyone that can help those in need To do so willingly without greed. If upon this Christmas Day You *help someone along the way Christmas shall be brighter yet For those you help shall not forget. I wish you a Merry Christmas at this time And, too, a lot of Christmas cheer, The beliš give forth a message in each chime “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Mary Klevisher With Our Junior By MICHAEL VRHOVNIK, Director of Vrtec and English Speaking Lodges Christmas program and dance. This affair will be held at Stan- cik’s Hall and will begin, promptly, at 8 o’clock. I’m look- ing forward to this event very much because I know it’s going to measure up to the same high standard of many previous Trail Blazer celebrations. I’ve been tipped off that good old Santa Claus has once more con- sented to pay the Juniors a visit and will bring with him a big bag of treats, one for every boy and girl present. There will be a Christmas tree, too, decorated with tinsel, lights and other sparkling effects/fo add a warm cheeriness to the scene . . . On top of that a two-act comedy, entitled, “Sauerkraut, Inc.” will be presented by a čast of four Vrtec members and six Seniors, and this is going to be good for it’s packed with fun and laughs from beginning to end . . . Be sure to attend and remember, there’s going to be a treat for every boy and girl handed out by Santa Claus, himself. And on the following day, Sunday, December 22,1’m going to visit \vith the BALKAN JUN¬ IORS in Milwaukee where I ex- pect to enjoy another fine pro¬ gram;'at least, they have never failed me, yet, and something seems to teli me that this time they’re going to surpass any- thing they’ve presented in the past. Oh, yes, Santa has a date with them, too . . . And here, as in Strabane last week-end, I’m going to have the pleasure of shotving the latest SSPZ movies of SLOVENIA, America The Beautiful, a comedy and, per- haps, a reel or two of our vari- ous national and local events... It is my wish that both the Trail Blazer and Balkan Juniors’ af¬ fairs will be well attended, for nothing encourages or inspires a group of young people more than the presence of a large crowd responding generously to their performances . . It’s up to every member to invite his friends so that the halls in both places \vill be packed to the doors. And the same wish goes for every other SSPZ Christmas celebration in the country. At Strabane, last Sunday, more than 400 people crowded the SNPJ Hall to vvitness a pro¬ gram of song, mušic, dance, re- citations ,a play and movies staged by and for the benefit of the Challenger Juniors. Some thirty or more boys and girls helped to p ut on a shovv that \vas enjoyed by the entire audience. Grace Vivian Beton, whom many of you \vill remember as a stand-out participant in the Na¬ tional Cultural Festival in Cle¬ veland, opened the program with a song entitled, “I AM AN AMERICAN,” followed by a military tap dance, and then came six recitations in a row— nnd this will probably surprise you as much as it did me—they were poems composed by our own members and published in the Vrtec Section during re- cent years . . . Jolmny Zignian started them off with “Greet¬ ings,” a poem composed by Wil- liam Pevc of Forest City, Pa.; Mary Ann Yarkosky recited “Wanting To Wait For Santa” \vritten by Margaret Oho jak of Milvvaukee; Gerry Daley came on the stage next and very nice- ly rendered “Christmas Eve” by Eleanor Ster of Cleveland; Helen Mladenick’s poem, “Er- rand Girl’s Christmas,” was re¬ cited by Dorothg Shoivvron; Jennie Kosmach expressed “A Christmas Wish” \vritten by Valeria Artel, and last and the smallest of the six was Herman Helay who gave us “Christmas Morn” as composed by his sister Dorothy . . . They were ali very good . .. It’s wonderful to know that some of the literary \vorks of our Vrtec members are being used for entertainment pur- poses; it’s almost too good to believe . . . With the poems con- cluded, four tiny girls, \vhose ages ranged from five to seven, trooped out on the stage and sang “The Four Little Jingle Beliš,” and while they sang they jingled beliš attached to their wrists in rhythm with the tune; the quartet was composed of Rosella Serca, Gertrude Ver- holtz, Dolores Gesualdi and Aliče Burchak, and as they walked off the stage you should have heard the applause ... The “Cowboy Song” by Gloria G um p was next and she did such a splendid job of yodeling that she was called back for an en- core . . . And then came the cli- max of the program, a one act Christmas play entitled, “Jake Snyder’s Christmas,” present¬ ed by the following members: Sanuiel Zampan, Steve Horvat, John Vrhovnik, IVilliam JSeitz, Guy Cornell, Harvey Davis, Margarite Christg, Bettg Jane Sciabica, Blanche Lugenckg, and Eleanor Beton. During the play and between scenes the charming trio of Zelma and Ma¬ tilda Burchak, and Jean Gioclo- mi sang several appropriate Christmas songs and, also, the song “Trade Winds.” Their voices harmonized very beauti- fully . . . And j ust before the movies, which concluded a three hour program, two brother and sister couples, Patricia and Ter- ry Koval, and IVilliam and Shirley Broiver, wishpd on and ali a Merry Christmas and a. Happy Neiv Year . .. And since there isn’t time for more (It’s Monday afternoon and Fm stili back here in Strabane, my home town), I believe this is as good a plače as any to wish you ali A 1 VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR . .. THANKS EVER SO MUCH FOR YOUR LOYAL SUPPORT AND COOPERATION, YOUR MANY SERVICES AND COURTESIES E X TENI^ED TO THE SSPZ DURING THE PAST YEAR. CHRISTMAS Christmas time is very near, So listen my children and you shaHr hear About Santa and his great big beliš, Hopping over hills and dales. Down the chimney he will creep, When you are fast asleep, He will fill your stocking with toys ' Ali for good little girls and boys. When he fills the stocking to the toe Up the chimney he will go. When you wake you vvill say: “I hope he’ll come next Christmas Day.” Josephine Rosman (Age: 12) Vrtec 1Q ,'AGE 2 Juvenile Section of “Napredek” December 18, 1940 j ■ er™--- foy y>re^vill have to leave our Vrtec. A number of new members were enrolled in our Vrtec. We are ali glad to have these new members vvith ms, for I know that every Comet member enjoys their eompany. The most important meeting of the year will be held on Sun- day, December 29, at 2:00 p. m. at the Slovene Home. Yes, this is the Comets’ general meeting. The most important business at this meeting will be the election of officers for the coming year. It is the duty of each and every member to attend this meeting. SURPRISE! Guess what? Well, I won’t keep you in sus- pense kny longer, so here goes. Our Vrtec is going to sponsor another party this year. It will take plače immediately after the meeting. There will be plenty of fun for everyone who attends. ^The program will include games an amateur hour, and various other things. Refreshments will be served by the Comet girls. For a grand and glorious time, be sure to attend this meeting and party. ITI be seeing ali of you! The Slovene Home will spon¬ sor a Christmas program. It will be held on December 25, at 2:00 p. m. at the Slovene Home. This program will include a play in vvhich some of our Vrtec mem¬ bers will take part. Another highlight of the afternoon will be the singing of Slovene Christ¬ mas Carols by the “Rožmarin” Slovene Singing Soeiety. Many of you have probably heard them sing and I am sure you’ll miss something worth while if you aren’t presentTo hear them render their fine selections. Yes, kiddies Santa Claus will be back again at this time. Old Santa will distribute gifts to ali the children that are present. The younger “Comet” members are ali invited to this grand affair. The members of Lodge 41 and ali the Comets as vvell as their friends are also inivted to see the fine program. After the pro¬ gram dancing will follovv. It seems as if there are many good times in store for us. This year as in previouš years the Slovene Home is sponsoring a New Year’s Eve Dance. This grand event promises to be a very enjoyable one for ali those who attend. Dancing vvill be to the strains of a popular orches- tra in this vicinity. For an en- joyable evening full of fun and frolic, don’t miss this dance. It’s a good plače in which to vvel- come in the New Year. The “Rožmarin” Slovene Singing Society held their con- cert on November 23, and it was a great success. I hope that the “Rožmarin” chorus will con- tinue to progress. We should«,ll try to start the new year off right by enrolling as many new members as pos- sible. Remember the more the merrier! Sophie Patregas and Ethel Yevak have celebrated their birthdays this month. The Com¬ ets wish both of them a “Very Happy Birthday.” I extend my best wishes to the officers of the Supreme Board of the SSPZ, to the editor of the “Napredek,” and to ali the Vrtec members for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Agnes Tekstar, Sec’y Vrtec 44 COMETS Ambridge, Pa. — Father Time vvill son mark off another year, my fellow members. Without a doubt, time flies. At this time of the year, we ali pause for a while and evalu- ate vvhat we have done during the past year. We regi’et that we didn’t try j ust a little harder in our school work. We wish we had been kinder to our friends, a little nicer to our parents. We resolve to do better as soon as the new year is ushered in, but vvhat happens? I needn’t teli you for you know as well as I do. This is but one of the Christ¬ mas moods. Christmas brings gayety and joy to everyone— whether he is rich or poor. Christmas time is time for re- joieing and vvishing happiness and good cheer to ali our friends and fellow comrades. And that is the purpose of this letter—to \vish everyone of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Successful New Year. v Fraternally yours, Jane Gašperšič ’ ~~ * Vrtec 44 (Continued on page 3 of regular išsue) Milwaukee, Wis. — Going, gone . . . there is j ust a wee bit time Ieft before the old year departs, passes into history, and the baby New Year 1941 already vvaits at the door to be ushered in, to begin its work to bring us nevV, unforseen things in life. Like a mighty river that starts \vith a tiny trickling spring, and as it flows on it gathers more and more of the little and big streams onto itself, keeps on growing, roaring, rising, from gentle, splashing ripples to a swifter thundering giant at the river’s end, where it empties in¬ to mother ocean. Ali things have their beginnings, and end in that fashion. The vvhole life of a per- son is very much like the begin- ning, and the end of a river’s Journey. Of course vre don’t take life so seriously yet; we vvant to be j-ust boys and girls, jolly and free for a good many years yet, (rivers are niče to go in svvimming in the good ol’ sum- mer time) so we say, “River, please keep away from my door.” The social life of our Vrtec No. 33 here in Milvvaukee if we look back at the end of the year 1940, was satisfactory. We keep on growing, not so very fast, but as in the story about the river, we were fairly active, we lost some members, and gained others, so that we may mark the year in our memory book as a year of fair success. Not much illnesses, and most boys and girls attended the monthly Vrtec meetings, pretty regularly, thus fulfilling their duties. And we’ve had outings, were to picnics, ali jolly good times. With our traditional Christ¬ mas program vre complete the year’s Vrtec activities at the height of joy and enthilsiasm for the entertainment of our young and adult members. Vr¬ tec members choose their parts in a play, others show their in- dividual talents in one way or another. In the play “Tiny Tim,” the follovring members form the čast: Betty Bernik, Gordon Zilinski, Mary Louise Pink, Jeanette Gaber, Olga Stampfel, Rudy Smole, Johnny Marn, Edvrard Ermenc etc. Thanking the administratrix, and Vrtec committee and adult members for their vvork for the Vrtec, and us Vrtec members, thanking also the SSPZ judges for ali avrards given to me in this year, I ring off with the best of Christmas and New Year’s vvishes to ali Vrtec and adult members of the SSPZ. Fraternally yours, Marie Ermence Vrtec 33 Girard Budgets This is the Girard Budgets reporting. We have been asleep for a couple of months but now we are waking up again. First of ali I vvould like to thank the Napredek for the lovely revvard I received for my last article. Our last meeting was held on December 8 at Na¬ gode^ plače. Our attendance was quite a bit better than usual, but I think that if ali of you members vvould try to at¬ tend our meetings, we vvould be much more successful in ali our afafirs. Our meetings are held at 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon and there is enough time left aftervvard for you to go to movies or any plače you vvish. Please try to attend meetings for you know that the more members we shall have the more successful and prosperous vve shall be. Tell your friends about our society and perhaps you will be able to get a few more members for our Vrtec. Remem- 'ber that it is no fun to come to the meetings and discuss vvith four or five members. I am sure that you wouldn’t like to see our Vrtec end as our Trojan’s did. Get a little bit of pride for your organization and attend our meetings! Joseph Leskovec, our treas- urer, received our bank avvard of $1.25. Good lučk Joe. Our discussion vvas based up- on our Christmas party. It \vill be held on December 21 at Na¬ gode^ at Avon Park. Come along and bring your friends. There vvill be a gift exchange of 25 cents so if you bring a guest be sure and teli them to bring a gift too. We vvill also have a niče door prize. Be sure and teli your parents that they are ali vvelcome. Ali the near- by lodges are invited and also out of tovvner. The more the better. There vvill be plenty of refreshments and dancing for young and old. We had a lovely time last year and this year vve shall have tvvice as much fun. I hope that it vvill snovv here on Dec. 21 because to get the real Christmas špirit vve must have it. Don’t forget our next meet¬ ing on January 12. Come promptly at 12:45. We vvant to get started a little earlier be¬ cause of the election of officers. In the mean time be thinking about the members that you think are capable of holding po- sitions and come up and nomin- ate them. The meeting is very important so please attend. We vvant to make 1941 the greatest year in the history of Vrtec 30. Make a resolution that you vvill attend our meetings regularly and faithfully. With that thought in mind I shall close and say Merry Christmas and a Hap- py Nevv Year to each and ( every one of you SSPZ members. Irene Rovan, Sec’y December 18, 1940 Juvenile Section of “Napredek” PAGE 3 Mountaineers Challenger Juniors SECURITY—LIGHT OF THE FUTURE In a little town nestled in the hills of the coal fields of West Virginia there lives a family who have recently been the vic- tims of a terrible mishap. Papa Miljan was a coalminer who worked hard to ea*n a liv- ing for his Avife and three chil- dren. One Ray as he was ready to go to Avork he bid hi« family . goodbye. He did not know that he was bidding goodbye to them forever. As he was going down the road he turned around and waved. His wife attended to her household duties and as she stepped out of the doorto go to the market she saw a man hur- rying up the sidewalk. He brought her the shocking news that her husbahnd had been crushed to death beneath the wheels of a speeding automo- bile. Mr. Miljan was a man that thought about the future. He carried life insurance. Without this security the family would have a dull Christmas indeed, but now his children can have the happiness that Christmas brings. Mrs. Miljan now knows that at least for a while the future of her family is secure. Mary Klevisher A NEW YEAR As in a few days the old year will fade away and a new year come in, it should be well for each one of us to make a good start. No doubt most of us make resolutions. This year, j ust as the old year is almost gone, why not make some good resolutions and stick to them? Ali of us want to be a little better in 1941 than in 1940. Are there some things that you said "to someone that hurt them greatly? Resolve to speak kind- ly to ali, and you shall have no regret. Has anyone ever asked you for guidance through a stormy road? When asked did you will- ingly extend a helping hand? If you haven’t, then you have miss- ed one of the real joys of liv- ing. For Avhat better feeling can there be than to know that one has been helped. Whatever you will do, will you try to do it well? Whatever you undertake to do will you de- vote yourself to it completely? Resolve to succeed. Make every possible effort to do so and you Avill reach your goal. If you make a real effort at the beginning and ali through 1941 when it is about to die out, you will realize that it was not a year of failure but one of the best years in your life. Mary Klevisher AS TIME GOES BY There comes a time when every j uvenile mernber in this organization reaches the age to leave his fellow Vrtec members. When a group has been together for many years and worked hand in hand, it is a sad depar- ture when members reach the age to transfer into the adult department. The time .has now come for two -Mountaineers, namly Vir¬ ginia Pavčič and Flome Fortini, to leave us. Both girls have been loyal boosters of the Vrtec, and these girls were seen at every affair of the Mountaineers. Virginia, who was our vice- president for the last few years, joined the -SSPZ in 1937. At first, she knew very little about the'Vrtec, but once started, she proved to be one of the hardest workers in the Vrtec. She was elected vice-president of the Vr¬ tec in 1938 and has held the Of¬ fice ever since. Virginia is now attending Strayer’«s' College in Washington, D. C. I’m sure she will be a success in her future career. Flome was the first member of non-Slovenian nationality proposed into the Vrtec. Ali of her friends Avere members of the Vrtec and she wanted to be one of them, too. After being in- formed that children of other nationalities could j.oin the Vr¬ tec, Flome was the first one ac- cepted — being proposed by yours truly. She hasn’t missed one Vrtec meeting, and that is a record to be proud of. I might say that Flome was the hard¬ est Avorker in our Vrtec—she served on every committee, pre- pared ali the refreshments for our affairs (delicious it Avas) and she Avas our recording see- retary for tAvo years. She is iioav attending a beauty academy in NeAV York City. I can assure you that she, too, Avill be a success in the line of Avork that she has chosen. Goo lučk to both of you! As time goes by more and more Vrtec members Avill have to join the higher ranks, and it is up to you younger members to see that Ave Avill keep on groAV- ing and be an active branch of the SSPZ. Mary Klevisher Pittsburgh, Pa. — While read- ing the Vrtec page last month, I noticed that a neAV name ap- peared in the paper. The name is our neAvly-elected treasurer, sister Sophie Polantz. Sophie is the daughter of our first ad¬ ministrator, brother Frank Po¬ lantz (one of our best) and I’m sure she Avill do her utmost to make the Vrtec progress. Noth- ing pleased me more than to read that she Avill continue to Avrite the neAvs of the Mountain¬ eers for the Vrtec Section. Keep up the good Avork and you’ll see Iioav much enjoyment you get by Avriting for our own lodge paper. Congratulations to you So¬ phie oh being elected our neAV treasurer, and to Ann Pinasky the neAV vice-president! I’m sure if you members cooperate Avith OUR MEETING- - Strabane, Pa. — The Decem- ' \ ber meeting was called toorder by president Sam Zampan. Re¬ cording secretary Betty Jane Beton read the minutes for the November meeting. Many mem¬ bers attended and the neAV mem¬ bers Avere initiated. The play and movies are on the 15th. I know the affair Avill be a success, but it is too late to write about it in this issue, so I will Avrite about it in my next rep ort. My, but it’s niče to see you gals and boys come to the meet- ings. Hope you keep it up. Ali of you had better come to the January meeting and elect your officers. The meeting Avill be held at the SNPJ hali at-6:30 p. m. Wishing each and everyone of you “A Merry Christmas and a Happy NeAV Year.” - Dorothy Helay, Sec’y Vrtec 10 PAGING MADAM STER! In regard to Madam Ster’s recipe “Thanksgiving S n o w Fritit Cake” in the last month’s “OutlookeFs Corner.” Dear Madam: I have tried (believe it or not) your most delicious, complica- ted recipe. I find it very hard to explain hoAV it turned out. Pil be on the outlook for the “Out- lookers” from “Outlookers’ Cor¬ ner” for more recipes. —-An Ardent Admirer CHRISTMAS Christmas Day will soon be here With lots of laughter and good cheer. The leaves have fallen and trees are bare, But they don't even seem to čare. Christmas joy is in the air AVith happiness reigning everywhere. Lillian Helay, Vrtec 10 OUR COOKS Six hungry boys and girls in T. H. S. Participate in cooking class. Eaeh has a škili ali their own, Even though it’s not.well known. Zelma Burchak=just lovesto cook She can even boil water vvithout a book. But that’s about ali that she can do AVithout a little peek or two. Stevie Horvat, I’ve heard them say, He has an awful funny way Of mixing up what he calls dough Never measures things so - so. Donald Pariš is really a scream, Especially w"hen he gets up steam. He gets so excited his face turns red When he peeks in oven to look at bread. Sammy Zampan is Tali and thin, He’s over the kitchen in a double spin. He sure can fix th.e 'spanish rice, Even boil potatoes very niče. the officers you Avill be a suc¬ cess in every undertaking. Fraternally yours, Mary Klevisher Vivian Beton you’d laugh to see With a mixing bowl on her knee. She beats and whams with ali her might Until the teaeher’s out of sight. AH these boys and girls are working- hard To get a credit on their card. , So don’t laugh at their mistakes ’Cause each one has just what it takes. Helen Pinchak, Vrtec 10 THE GOSSIP PVE HEARD AVhv does Eleanor Betonte, known as “Dude,” like Trimty Hi so much? She must have a special reason. What’s this we hear about Harvey Davis and Evelyn Verholtz? Do you happen to know anything about it, Harvey? AVho is the boy that sits near Mary Jane in sehool, and seems to always have his eyes on her? I’m wondering if it’s Robert? I hear that Frank Fazzolare, known as Popsicle, is rather niče to a certain Dorothy Skorvuron? Am I hearing right, Frank? AVho is the girl that keeps Bob Davis away from the meetings? Are blonds your favorite, Bob? Have you heard Gloria Gump sing and yodel? If you haven’t, you’ve missed a lot. She is our Vrtec’s youngest and best yodeler. Dot and Dash Continued on page 3 of regular section Sygan Vrtec Well, I guess you are ali pre- paring for the biggest holiday of the year, Christmas. This is the one day of the year Avhich the -children anxiously await. Thatls the day Avhen old Santa comes creeping doAAm the chim- neys to fill their stockings with toys. It brings joy and happi- ness in our homes. During this time you see people busily do- ing their Christmas shopping, thinking, “noAv Avhat shall I get John, and hoAV vvhat Avas it that Jean AA T anted so much.” - To eA T ery person, young and old, Christmas should bring them joy and happiness. It should make people feel happy to hear Christmas Carols. It makes me feel happy just to smeli the.fragrance of the Avell- decorated Christmas trees and to see their glittering lights sparkle in the dark room. It makes me feel happy to see the Avarm blaze in the fireplace as avb sit and watch it. Christmas brings a stronger friendship and love among our felloAvmen. Our organization has helped us to secure this, by giving our Vrtec members a Christmas Party. The real meanirig of Christ¬ mas is not the reeeivung of gifts bul? the giving of gifts. Do you get the same feeling as I do Avhen you are able to give a gift to the ones who are dear to you. I just loA^e to see their faces light up and to see their eyes sparkle as they open the package. Go around and do your daily tasks AAuth that Christmas špirit throughout the neAV year. And iioav I Avish you ali a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous NeAV Year. Elsie Prosen (Age: 16) Vrtec 72 PAGE 4. Juvenile Section of “Napredek” December 18, 1940 THE 0U1L00KERS' CORNER AN AFTERNOON OF FUN By Olga Zaubi “Outlookers’ Corner’* *, published n m a aection of the Napredek’« M Vrte« pate. The J unior Editors U are; Co-Editors; H ELEANOR STER OLGA ZAUBI « "Do unto others as you would » J ha v a them do unto you.” h GETTING HOME There are so many pleasant thing that happen with arrivals. The dogs come racing up, shat- tering quiet dignity to broken echoes of confusion; old ser- vants must be shaken hand with; and after you have teaed and bathed and looked with friendliness upon your books, relatives come pouring in to say “Hello.” Presently they go, and left you alone again. This is the best part. There are so many things to do. You can wander about, touching things to feel the solid happiness of their mere pres- ence; you can sit on the terrace, and eat supper of cold eggs and coffee jelly, while the sun goes down and makes the old line of spectres stand out on the far-off hills; or you can go about an- nouncing your arrival to your friends, or read your letters by the river, or pick flowers from the garden that you know in the valley, and come back with the foaming torrent of them en- veloping your mouth and noše and ali but putting out your eyes. I took my letters to the river bank, and began to read. They had accumulated into moun- tains, and some of them were dry and old, so that the dust of their disinterest flew down my throat to choke me, and I threw them in the water and watched “the ink turn pale, and run away in very shame” having written such stupidities. Yet others sang phrases like the wood thrush, and the wind left gardens to attend the words, and brought me scents of flow- ers in the evening light. It hum- med so many pretty songs of things it had seen that I \vas forced to go and search for them. To leave the slow, black water, to push a hawthorn hedge apart, to climb a wall, and walk across a lawn, until I found myself in what I knew of old to be my home, beginning, gathering-place of flowers, and where I saw fair myriad ghosts of them shine in the dark. I threw myself beneath a tree that stood on a small patch of grass in the middle of this hiding- place for moonbeams. I lay on my back, and let the grass- blades trickle up between my fingers. I stayed quite stili, and listened to my welcome back as sung among the tree toads. Oh, those fairy noises that haunt homecoming nights in May and in June; the witcheries that stir, the magic scents of Iilac, honeysuckle and warmth LOOKING BACK By Valeria Artel Young as we are, I think that each of us, at some time or an- other has looked back over the past months and wished he were able to relive some of his ex- periences. Well, today I have gone back twelve months to the day when I wrote my last arti- cle as a Vrtec member, and I write now not as a Utopian, grown-up, sophisticated (more or less) and ver-r-r-ry dignified, but j ust as the plain or’nery kid I used to be. I think my chief interest in the lodge has always been the literary angle, so first of ali I’d like to teli you young writers that the rest of us get a great deal of enjoyment from your ar- ticles—believe it or not. I re- member that I used to feel that no one read the stuff anyhow, so why bother, but now I’m pretty sure I was \vrong. Any- how, kids, (excuse me, I don’t mean to insult you, but I can’t think of anything else to call you) you’ll have one reader al- ways, no matter what happens. Even when I get to be rheuma- tic, gray-haired, deaf, etc., I’ll stili be reading your articles \vith my good eye. You \von’t let me down, will you? * You know, it’s a funny thing, but I never realized until I transferred, how many friends I made through the Vrtec lodge. I got to see a great many of them this summer—Julie Kram- zer, Ella Yuvancic, Mary Kle- visher, Frankie Dolinar, Tony Bayt, Johnny “Prap,” Frankie “Zak,” Frankie Mi v ec . . . and it does the old heart good to meet up with these people from time to time. If you’d like to try something interesting, why not pick a name from the Vrtec page, get his or her address from the main of- of grasses, the coolness of leaves, the laughing brown wa- ter and the damp graciousness of the earth! I went to ali the flower beds and pulled a hundred blown buds from their places, to carry back with me and help me make a festival for beauty. Thus I walked home, and made my room a paradise for honeybees. And for myself—I slipped down into my linen sheets that came from cedar boxes, and dreamed that every day was June, and in each one of them I should be “getting home.” Eleanor Ster * . I also want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Hap- py New Year. And I hope every- one gets the things they want from Santa Claus. Since the Christmas holidays~ are j ust around the corner, the Outlookers decided to get to- gether and have some fun. The argument at the last meeting was whether we should go ice skating or roller skating. Final- ly it was decided that more peo¬ ple knew how to roller skate. So roller skating we shall go! We have planned to have it on Sunday, December 29 in the aft- ernoon at the Skateland. We are to meet in front of the S. D. D. on Waterloo at 1 o’clock. Skat¬ ing starts at 2:00. If there is anyone from the Utopians, Spartans, or Spartan Jrs. who would like to join us, we would be pleased to have you with us. After the last meeting the Outlookers joined with the Uto¬ pians in a gala feast. I’m sure that everyone who attended had a splendid time and I must say that the people who did not at¬ tend surely missed a grand af- fair. Everything was so well planned that the party went off with a bang. I j ust wish that some day the Outlookers will be able to do something of that kind. * I wish to remind ali you Out- looker members that at the next meeting we will elect new of- ficers for the coming year. I hope that you will ali be able to attend. To have a little amusement we have decided to exchange gifts and play a few games aft¬ er the election. So don’t forget to bring your gift. Nothing more than lOc. fice, and start corresponding. It’s fun exchanging ideas with someone on the other side of the country. * Getting closer to home—the Outlookers had a niče set of officers this year. Congrats es- pecially to prexy Olga Zaubi, and also secretary Eleanor Ster and vice-president Betty Ann Tushar. And ,above ali to Mr. Zaman who has been super- administrator for several years. The job’s a pretty hard one, but you don’t see him kicking. What next year will bring, we can’t say, but I hope they’ll do as good a j ob as this year’s of¬ ficers did. I’m sure they will. * Well, guess Pil quit now, and let you young folk have the floor. Theres’ a question and its answer I thought you might like (you’ll notice it isn’t original): “What did the pen say to the paper?” “I dot my i’s on you.” * Pil close very unoriginally, but very sincerely—a very, very merry Christmas to you ali. ’Bye now. Progressor Juniors Bridgeville, Pa. — Another year has nearly gone by! It’s nearly a year ago that I found out I was to be representative at the National Festival. I then had the first SSPZ spotlight of publicity thro\vn on me. My ar¬ ticles began appearing in the Vrtec and this g is where I have met my pen pals. It was hard waiting for May to roli around. About a month after I met J. Kramzer ,a wonderful person. We made the trip together, " where I met many wonderful people, including Michael Vr¬ hovnik, Vatro Grili, Rudy Lisch, Agnes Tekstar, Mitzie Klevi- sher, Valeria Artel and many others. I shall never forget the wonderful time I had at Euclid Beach Park. It \vas in Cleveland that I saw the talent of the SS¬ PZ juveniles. The few days I spent in Cle v eland left memor- ies that will linger for a long, long time. Summer vacation came about and passed ali too quickly! On August 11 a grand time was spent in Cleveland left memor- the Progressors held their big event. Back to school for my last year which I know will pass too quickly. Now another season of Christ¬ mas, and then the New Year shall begin another year, which I’m sure, we ali hope will be a peaceful one. And now, a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to ali. Ella Yuvancic, Vrtec 169 PERSONALITIES By Margaret Stefanic Frank Krašovec Mr. and Mrs. Frank Krašovec were, on the eighth day of Aug- gust 1925, presented with a son, Frank Jr. Like ali boys he was quite a nuisance at home until he started to go to school at the age of five. When he was ready to enter the eighth grade he graduated from Memorial School and entered Collimvood. At the present he is in the 10B. He takes a technical course and has hopes of becoming an electrician. He enjoys breeding canaries, making airplane mod- els, collecting stamps, ice and roller skating, and of course, eating and sleeping. His favorite subject in school is foundry work and outside of school—girls. Rumor has it that he is quite a wolf around the girls. He would like to be mar- ried at seventeen so any girl who would like to take him up has only two years to get a hold of him. By the way, he has dark brown hair and brotvn eyes. He is \villing to discus3 sports with anyone interested. His address is 384 E. 165 St., Cleveland, Ohio.