K Mladinski List A JUVENILE MAGAZINE FOR AMERICAN SLOVENES BACK TO SCHOOL (See paSe 3) September 1939 ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥■ % ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ Mladinski List JUVENILE Editor -Business Manager - IVAN MOLEK PHILIP GODINA CONTENTS FOR SEPTEMBER, 1939 Pregled vsebine v septembrski številki STORIES AND POEMS Page Ant and I, The......................................................... 3 Markec (pesem)......................................................... 2 Medved in rak..........................................................11 Muca Štruca in kuža Muža..............................................11- Pansies ............................................................... 3 Solze princese Mai-Li.................................................. 5 Verses ................................................................ 2 Workmen, Grant my Wish................................................. 2 FEATURES Andrew’s Travel Talk................................................... 8 Birthdays of the Great Men............................................. 4 Interesting Hobbies....................................................14 Introducing Book Friends...............................................12 Just For Fun.......................................................... 13 Natural Curiosities of Spring and Summer............................... 9 Our School.............................................................1C Our Own Juvenile Circles...............................................22 Our Pen Pals Write.....................................................2G When We Play.......................................................... 32 Published monthly by the Slovene National Benefit Society for the members of its Juvenile department. Annual subscription, $1.20; half year, 60c; foreign subscription, $1.50. Address: 2657 S. Lawndale Ave., Chicago, 111. Entered as second-class matter August 2, 1922, at the post office at Chicago, 111., under Act of August 24, 1912. ~k * ~k ~k 'k 'k 'k 'k ★ ~k ★ 'k k ~k * -k k ★ ★ ★ ■k ~k ★ * 'k * * * 'k * 'k •k * 'k -k 'k if 'k * ★ •★ * ★ 'k 'k 'k ★ * ★ 'k •k ~k ii * ★ ★ * 'k 'k * ★ 'k * ~k 'k 'k * * * •* •* * 'k * * * * * * 'k ★ * ★ * ★ ★ ★ •k * ★ ★ ★ 'k MLADINSKI LIST JUVENILE LETO XVIII.—Št. 9 CHICAGO, ILL., SEPTEMBER, 1939 VOL. XVIII.—No. 9 The S. N. P. J. Primer Short Stories of Our Society Compiled by I. M. in the Making 8 It was the end of the first week of school. Arnold came home late Friday afternoon all prepared to give his father a good argument that evening. He and Pete had been talking about big things during the lunch hour. “You know, Pa,” he said, as they were finishing up their evening meal, “you’ve been doing a lot of lung exercise for nothing. I mean about this Society we belong to—the S. N. P. J. After all, it’s just another insurance company. Pete and I were talking about it. He said members of his family belong to a couple of others that pay out death benefit and other things just about like ours.” Arnold’s father shoved back his chair and proceeded into the parlor. “So you see, Pa,” Arnold continued, taking big strides as he followed his father, “it’s really foolish getting so excited at these meetings of yours. Ma says you wouldn’t get indigestion nearly so often if it weren’t for the arguments you get into at lodge meetings. Pete says all you have to do is pay the assessment money and you don’t have to worry about anything else.” “Arnold, my boy,” said his father, seating himself in his favorite chair and looking very tired, “there are things in the history of our organization you’ll have to be told. We didn’t set up our Society to be just another insurance company. We set it up because through it we were able to help out in many ways that would have been impossible as individuals.” “Help?” asked Arnold. “I’ll give you a few examples,” said his father. “During the World War period—in January, 1918, our Society bought '$30,000 worth of Liberty bonds as direct aid to our government. We believed that the United States was fighting for freedom and democracy of all the nations, and that as such, it was also indirectly fighting for the liberty of our small, oppressed Slovene nation. Our Society drew up a resolution at that time saying that it was the duty of all progressive organizations to support our government in the fulfillment of this ideal. Your mother is calling you, Arnold. Keep this well in mind; think upon it for a long time and when your errand is over, come back and I’ll tell you more.” Markec KATKA ZUPANČIČ Bi Markec rad na tuje šel — ne da se mu od doma. Par krat že slovo je vzel — pa spet domov priroma. Nazadnje pa je šel zares na tihem in brez hrupa; zatekel se je v temni les — domov se več ne upa. Čez dan je skrit, pod noč na grivo hodi . . . Prežene ga jutranji svit, da spet po gozdu blodi. Toda nekoč ga le zasači nekdo na grivi nad vasjo, ko gledal z nje je kraj domači, domačo streho, dim nad njo. “Hoj, hoj! Markec — ti? Pa suh ko duh si, Markec. Kaj v tujini kruha ni? E j, govori, pravi, Markec!” Vrača Markec se molče, le tuintam prikima; mar resnico naj pove? Za laž pa volje nima. A komaj se doma podpre — se mu že kar samo od sebe prede, tke v krasno panoramo: bogatih, tujih, čudapolnih mest in polj brez konca in brez kraja; visokih stavb, širokih cest, vrtov, ki lepši so od raja. Tako razproda dan na dan jim lažne svoje sanje, da nazadnje, ta cigan, še sam verjame vanje. Workmen, Grant My Wish With apologies to George Perkins Morris By STEVEN KERRO With eyes suffused with tears, drear heart, I gazed upon The workmen tearing down, and soon it will be gone, The schoolhouse, place where reigned my happy days of lore, When I wore knickered pants—what peace was mine of yore! Throughout the fleeting years, yes, since those boyhood days, I’d find that cherished peace again; as in the rays Of sun through maple boughs I’d sit beside this old Schoolhouse and vision back—those times worth more than gold! And now this devastating sight! It gives me pain To see my only spark to recollect be vain. I would not mourn if I were youth, but hair snow-white And wrinkled face possess me; soon cold death I’ll sight. Yes, Death, in time, will take us all. All things must pass From being, whether man or beast, whatever class. But while I live and breathe—I hope with bliss in mind. So, workmen, grant my wish and leave this school behind. VERSES By Sylvia Zupančič, age 13, 4745 Modac Way, Pittsburgh, Pa., Lodge 118 THE COUNTRY Oh, take me away from this country and trees; Let me stay away from the bugs and the bees. Whenever I pick up a baby chick, The mother hen gets very mad, And scolds me as if I were bad. I see the city folks in the country for rest, But for me—I like the city the best. SCHOOL DAYS We’ll start our school days very gay, And shall enjoy them day by day; We’ll learn spelling—English, too; Until we know them through and through. We’ll sing songs and have school plays, About the great men in their days. The summertime has passed so fast, And we have our school days here at last. The Ant and I By Mary Jugg The little ant keeps trudging along Bearing a large white load. Up and over a broken twig, Over a pebbly road. How little it knows I sit and watch! How trifling to me appears its strife! And should I but raise a foot of mine, I could blot out its very life. But neither known or unknown dangers Keep it cowering in its nest; For if every hazard stunned the ant, Soon many foes its home would infest. So Life itself has imparted the law That struggles are its very part; And every living thing that shrinks From life will soon depart. PANSIES By Elsie Mae Milielich, age 12 Box 175, Cascade, Colo. Beautiful, velvety blooms, Right off the fairies’ looms, All purple, white, and gold, Such rich colors as you hold. Wafting your beautiful heads in the breeze, Growing beneath the trees; When each blossom its petals has unfurled, It sends sunshine into the world. In the winter you seem to be dead, And lie inside your cold, cold bed; In the summer, up you spring, Your delicate beauty with you bring. Too Dark “Lillian,” said mother severely, “there were two pieces of cake in the pantry this morning, and now there is only one. How does this happen?” “I don’t know,” said Lillian, regretfully. “It must have been so dark that I didn’t see the other piece.” BACK TO SCHOOL The front cover illustration of this issue was drawn by MILTON LAURENCIC, age 15, member of Lodge No. 5 SNPJ, 973 Addison Road, Cleveland, Ohio. Walter: “Gee, Pop, there’s a man at the circus who jumps on a horse, slips underneath, catches hold of its .tail and finishes up on the horse’s neck!” Dad: “That’s easy. I did all that the first time I ever rode a horse.” NOTE TO CONTRIBUTORS We are stocked up with crossword puzzles at the present lime. According to the number we have on hand there are enough for the next three months if we make average use of them. Therefore, we would ask our readers to refrain from sending additional crossword puzzles until our present supply is exhausted.—EDITOR. Birthdays of the Great Men JANKO KERSNIK The month of September brings us two sure things: the opening of our schools and the beginning of autumn. It also brings us the birthdays of tivo great liberal writers and freethinkers—one a Slovene social realist, the other a famous Russian novelist and social reformer. First on our list is Janko Kersnik. It was early in September, in the little village of Brdo, near Lukovica, in Slovenia, on Sept. U, 1852, that Janko Kersnik iv as born. Kersnik ivas a freethinker and the first Slovene writer of social novels and stories dealing with common farm folk. As a high-school student in Ljubljana, Kersnik was a leader of the first Slovene Freethinkers Student Club and edited a student paper, “Vejica”. He studied the modern classics, ivas deeply interested in scientific facts and evolutionary discoveries. He was the first Slovene writer to introduce in his short stories a satirical vein in artistic form. In his early days he also wrote poetry. Kersnik’s first novel was “Na Žerinjah,” in which some of his main characters remind us of Jurčič’s in Deseti Brat. In his social novels he came out strongly against the aristocracy. His descriptive power of nature and social life is remarkable. His characters are true to life and his material is based on science, not on religion. His women characters are especially vivid, real. His descriptive ability in dealing honestly with farm folk is often compared to that of the Russian writer Turgeniev. Janko Kersnik’s masterpiece is his novel of peasant life, “Očetov Greh” (The Father’s Sin). His other novels in this class include “Testament,” “Za Čast,” “Kmečka Smrt” and “Otroški Dohtar.” His satirical work dealing with the middle classes are “Cyklamen,” “Agitator,” “Jara Gospoda,” and “Mamon”; his humorous works include “Nova Železnica,” “Dohtor Konec,” etc. In 1895 Kersnik caught a severe cold while hunting and two years later, on July 28, 1897, he died in Ljubljana of tuberculosis. It may be added that Kersnik was also a political figure, having been a state representative and also mayor of Lukovica. LEO TOLSTOY Second on this month’s list is Leo Tolstoy, world famous Russian novelist, social reformer and freethinker. Leo Tolstoy was born on Sept. 9, 1828, at Yasnaya Polyana, near Toula, Russia, on a large country estate. He lost his mother when he was three years old, and six years later, his father died also. As a child, Tolstoy was very observant, thoughtful and sensitive. He liked to read, and at the age of fifteen he entered the university of Kazan. He learned early of the oppression of the poor and decided to better their lot. He read Dumas and Rousseau, whose plea for honest work and simplicity inspired him greatly. Tolstoy returned to his estate and at once put his reforms into practice. Tolstoy began to write early and continued until his old age. His two most widely known novels are “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina.” As a student and young man he found out that religion is based on fear and superstition and that it is used to keep the poor in ignorance. During the Russo-Turkish War he was filled with a spirit of revolt at hearing the priests pray for the destruction of the enemy, and he renounced the orthodox faith. Then his imagination again shone out in “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” and “The Power of Darkness,” the latter a powerful novel and drama. He worked day after day in the fields with the peasants, and he even renounced his property. He now wrote for the special benefit of the peasants—short tales directed against crying evils. During the terrible famine of 1891-92 Tolstoy worked daily in soup-kitchens and barns, distributing food and clothes. Every oppressed sect turned to him for help, notably the Doukhobors who shared their goods and property in common and made their own laws. His endeavor in their behalf aroused sympathy for them in other countries, especially in England. It was to assist these people that Tolstoy wrote his famous novel, “Resurrection.” Tolstoy was stricken with pneumonia and died at Astapovo on November 20, 1910. MLADINSKI LIST SOLZE PRINCESE MAI-LI Lindstrom Stari cesar Hoangvaj je sedel na vrtu svoje palače in je čakal. Bilo je nekaj najvažnejšega, kar je imel svojih vladarskih poslov, zakaj njegova najljubša žena je bila v porodniški postelji. 'Pričakovali so potomca. Nad cesarjevo koničasto kučmo, na kateri je bil velik demantni gumb, se je bočil baldahin iz prekrasnega češnjevega cvetja. Na kljunačastih strešnih slemenih pa je jutranje sonce sipalo srebrne biserčke na srebrne kapljice majhnih zvončkov, da so se iskrili v mladostnem blesku kakor briljanti. Cesar Hoangvaj je pogledal k njim, si zamišljeno pogladil črno brado, ki mu je segala do prsi ni globoko vzdihnil. Na vrtu je bilo tako tiho, da ga je malone prijemal strah za grlo in prsi. Cvet tulipana se je nenadoma sesul in cesar se je tega šelesta kar ustrašil. Nato je skrbno prisluhnil, ali ne bodo kmalu zazveneli zvončki, slovesno in polno ter mu tako oznanili rojstvo sinčka. Že od davnih dni je bila navada, da so cesarju Hoangvaju že dvakrat naznanili svojo lepo dolžnost—rojstvo dveh sinov. Dva krepka mladca sta bila. Prvi je bil že lep in krepak vojščak, ki je streljal z lokom, kakor ni-kdo v armadi. Drugi sinko pa je bil silno darovit. Znal je vse jezike cesarstva in modrijani so občudovali njegovo duhovitost. Cesar je hrepenel po tretjem sinu in z njim ga je pričakovalo tudi ljudstvo, ki se je zbiralo zunaj pred palačo. Zdajci, čuj, so začeli srebrni zvončki nežno in sladko pozvanjati, kakor bi se hihitale deklice. Cesar je pod svojo rumeno kožo kar prebledel. Rodila se je princesa . . . “Ničvredna smet!?” je kriknil cesar srdito in črna brada se mu je mršila. “Pri zmaju,” se je obregnil nad zvončki, “ali ne utihnete!” Toda zvončki so radostno pozvanjali dalje. Hoangvaj je odtrgal dragulj s svoje kučme in ga zagnal v najbližji zvonček. “Bimbim, bimbim! Princesi Mai-Li živim!” je svojevoljno in uporno zavreščal zvonček nad cesarjem. Cesar je bil potrt. Splazil se je v najod-daljnejši kot svojih soban. Tudi ljudstvo je žalovalo z njim in sama cesarica je bila ža- lostna do smrti. Poljubila je nežno bitje— milo hčerkico, se nasmehnila in umrla. Na Kitajskem namreč deklice nič ne štejejo, ker se ne morejo bojevati, ampak samo trpijo, čeravno je trpljenje najhujši boj življenja. Kakor je napovedal zvonček, je bilo deklici ime Mai-Li. V resnici ji pa nihče ni rekel tako, razen stare komornice, ki jo je vzgajala. Med mnogimi ljudmi v palači je bila Mai-Li sama samcata, nespoštovana in prezirana. “Kako si lepa, Mai-Li,” je večkrat rekla starka in pobožala Mai-Li. “Tvoje oči se svetijo kakor črni biseri, tvoje obrvi so krotke kakor srp mlade lune in tvoje roke so rižove skodelice same dobrote!” Vsa začudena je poslušala Mai-Li, ker tega vsega ni razumela. Večkrat se je mlada princesa jokala, dasi sama ni vedela, kakšno gorje in bolečina jo mori. Ko je Mai-Li postala prekrasno dekle, ki je imela zlate pušice v laseh, so ji naročili, da mora vsako jutro pripraviti čaj za cesarja. Sleherno jutro je odšla na vrt in kakor hitro je posijal nanj sončni žarek je potrgala vrhne lističe čajevega grma. Ob določeni uri je Mai-Li nesla skodelico vročega čaja, trpke pijače, na pladnju iz najfinejšega porcelana, pred vrata cesarske spalnice in ga tam položila na mizico. Ko je pozvonila z gongom, je morala Mai-Li že izginiti, zakaj cesarjevo oko ni smelo biti užaljeno po pogledu na ničvredno deklico, čeprav je bila to princesa. Neko jutro je komornica razpihavala oglje pod rešetko, kjer je Mai-Li pripravljala čaj za cesarja. “Zakaj ne smem nikoli videti obraza svojega očeta?” je vprašala in solza je blesnila v njenih črnih očeh. “Zakaj se ne smem nikdar dotakniti njegove častitljive roke?” Stara služabnica se je razjokala. “Ne smeš, Mai-Li,” je rekla. “Zakaj, ne vem.” “Ali ni poti do njegovega srca?” je vprašala Mai-Li. “Ni,” je odgovorila starka. “Našla jo bom,” si je mislila Mai-Li. Mislila je in študirala, ali kaj pametnega ji ni prišlo na misel. Zamišljena se je sklonila nad skodelico, ki se bo smela dotakniti očetovih ust in svetla solza je zdrknila v čaj. . . . Mai-Li se je čudno nasmehnila . . . Odtedaj je vsako jutro primešala čaju kapljico svojega trpljenja in koprnenja. Cesar je poskusil čaj in zdelo se mu je, da še nikoli ni pil tako dobrega. * Zgodilo pa se je tiste dni, da je divji mongolski kan vdrl v cesarstvo Hoangvajevo. Povsod je požigal in pustošil, ropal in moril. Hoangvaj mu je poslal svojega naj starejšega sina, naj hrabre j šega vojščaka z veliko vojsko naproti. Sam pa je šel v tempelj in se zahvalil bogovom, da so mu podarili takega sina. Sonce je medtem že trikrat zašlo, a ko se je četrtič nagibalo k zemlji, so se odprla vrata mesta in spustila k sebi ostanke uničene armade. Lepega, krepkega princa, ponosa svojega očeta, ni bilo zraven. Zakaj Mongo-lec ga je ujel in dodelil svojim sužnjem. Tedaj se je stari cesar zaprl v svojo sobano in se rozjokal, jadikujoč: “O bogovi, s čim sem grešil, da ste me tako kaznovali?” Drugi sin njegov, učenjak, ki so se mu čudili vsi modrijani, je drugi dan stopil pred očeta in rekel: “Dovoli, da grem nad sovražnika! Moj duh bo obvladal divjo oblast in jo bo premagal.” Stari cesar mu je položil roko na glavo in rekel: “Pojdi, sinko, če te je volja in izbriši madež, ki nas je zadel.” Princ je šel. Ali zaman je bila njegova blesteča zgovornost, zaman vsa lepota in umetnost jezika, ki ga je govoril. Mongolec je tudi njega dodelil k svojim sužnjem in dalje divjal s svojimi tolpami. Cesar Hoangvaj ni vedel, kaj sedaj in kako bi, da bi mu Mongol ne vzel vsega cesarstva. Ves obupan je padel v templju na kolena in pričakoval sovražnika. Mai-Li o vsem tem ni vedela ničesar. In ko je nekega dne pripravila dve skodelici čaja, kakor so ji naročili, ni vedela, še manj slutila, da je bila ena skodelica za smrtnega sovražnika njenega očeta, ki je sedel pred njim na svilenih blazinah in sta se pogajala za življenje obeh sinov Hoangvajevih. Hoangvaj je hvalil zlate dragotine svoje zakladnice. “Drugega nič nimaš,” se je zarežal Mongolec. “Nekaj boljšega! Zakladov imam več kot dovolj!” “Kaj boljšega?” je pomislil Hoangvaj. “Kaj boljšega nimam!” je rekel naposled. Molče sta srkala čaj. Nenadoma je Mongolec hudo pogledal cesarja in njegova okrogla lobanja je kar bliskala. Poševne njegove oči so gledale cesarja, da se je kar stresel. “Daj mi deset tovorov tega čaja in tvoja dva sinova sta prosta. Najboljši je, kar ga je še kdaj prišlo na moj jezik!” Tedaj se je Hoangvaj prisrčno razveselil. Tako lahke rešitve ni pričakoval. Dal je po vsej državi pobrati vrhnje lističe čaja, dokler se ni deset visoko natovorjenih kamel približalo v taborišče mongolskega kana. Ali kmalu nato je Mongolec z vsem svojim spremstvom jezdil v cesarsko palačo. “Ti si slepar,” se je zadrl nad osuplim cesarjem. “To ni tisti čaj, ki ga ti piješ!” “Ne zameri, prijatelj,” je odgovoril Hoangvaj. “Prav tisti čaj je!” “Lažeš,” se je jezil mongolski kan. Hoangvaj je vzdrhtel. “Počakaj, takoj prineso zopet čaj, da boš videl, da je res prav tisti,” je rekel. Ukazal je prinesti skodelico čaja. Mai-Li je skodelico, kakor vedno, postavila pred vrata, udarila na gong ter se hotela umakniti. “Skrivnosti!” je zarjovel kan. Divje je skočil k vratom in jih na stežaj odprl. Tedaj se je Mai-Li divjemu gostu uljudno priklonila. “Kdo si?” je ves osupel vprašal kan in jo prijel za roko. “Mai-Li, ničvredna deklica, gospod!” Mongolski kan pa je rekel nežno: “Pojdi z menoj, Mai-Li!” Tedaj je princesa, obotavljajoča se, prestopila prag in prvikrat zagledala cesarja, svojega očeta. “Poslušaj, cesar Hoangvaj!” je rekel mongolski knez s krotkim prizvokom v surovem glasu. “Tole dekle bo šlo z menoj in bo odslej pripravljalo čaj zame. Nič boljšega mi ne moreš dati kot njeno ljubkost, ki mi je segla v srce. Tvoja sinova se bosta še danes vrnila v tvoj objem. Zmeraj bom v prijateljstvu mislil nate!” In mongolski knez je vzel Mai-Li s seboj in staremu cesarju pustil njegovo krono.—• Ko sta se vrnila sinova v palačo k Hoang-vaju in iskala očeta, ga nista mogla najti. Ležal je v najbolj skriti dvorani na ležišču in se je jokal, kakor še nikoli. Kajti zgubil je najboljše, kar je imel v cesarstvu, ničvredno deklico, malo princeso Mai-Li. (Iz švedskega Iv. Vuk.) ENGLISH VERSION. This is a Chinese tale in which an old emperor, Hoangway, awaits the birth of a third son and is terribly disappointed. Instead, a little princess, Mai-Lee, is born and her mother dies soon after. In China, girls don’t count because they couldn’t go to war. The emperor had two grownup sons, one a warrior, the other a scholar. The little princess was always alone with her old governess who loved her very much. She cried often because she wasn’t allowed to see anyone. She grew into a beautiful girl and was ordered to prepare tea for her father whom she was not permitted to see. One day as she was preparing tea for father, a big tear fell into the tea cup. Mai-Lee smiled strangely. The emperor drank the tea and it seemed he never before drank such good tea. Mai-Lee, sensing this, continued to add a drop of her yearning into his tea. One day it so happened that a wild Mongolian khan or prince invaded Hoangway’s empire, set fire to houses, plundered and killed on his way. The emperor sent his warrior son with a big army against the invader. Four days later he was captured and imprisoned with the slaves. Hoangway sent his second son, the scholar, against the invader, but he, too, was captured. The emperor was at the mercy of the Mongolian prince who dictated to him his terms for peace. As they were sipping tea, the invader, liking it very much, demanded ten loads of tea for which he would set the two emperor’s sons free. It was agreed. But when the Mongolian discovered that .the tea had not the same flavor, he returned at once and demanded justice. Again he was served tea and at this point he noticed the beautiful Mai-Lee. He took her by the hand and demanded that she go with him and in return he would set the two sons free. Mai-Lee went with the Mongolian, her father’s crown was saved but he lost a treasure— the good-for-nothing daughter, as he often called her—the little princess Mai-Lee. JUST A FEW JOKES Freddie: “I am afraid in the dark.” Frankie: “Don’t be afraid—I’m here.” He: “I have a bone to pick with you.” She: “Oh, fine! What restaurant shall we go to?” -Crook: “Pipe down, brass button!” Cop: “Quit insulting me or I’ll call a cop.” DAVID KALISTER, Circle 1, Lodge 299, Louisville, Colo. “LABOR DAY” ORIGINAL CROSSWORD PUZZLE By Francis Zupon, age 16, 546 Forest Ave., Johnstown, Pa., Lodge 82. 1 i 3 V r w 7 9 ? 51 34 7/ 75 n A v- 3r 3U 3r ir 3? ff Vi n ACROSS 3. Pertaining to grammar or its rules. 11. Join again with needle and thread. 12. The name of the palm which furnishes Manila hemp. 13. Volume (abbr.). 15. In the present place. 17. A large organization. 18. Consisting of ebony. 20. Trade Union (abbr.). 22. Being at the back. 24. Latin or Slovene for moon. 26. Doctor (abbr.). 29. The moving part of machinery. 30. Another large labor organization. 33. Temporary shelter made of canvas. 34. Contracted expression for it is. 35. Country in South Asia (Br. Possession). 39. Combined shouts or cheers of a crowd. 43. The generating of pus or matter. DOWN 1. Rock of sufficient value to be mined. 2. A resinous substance secreted by a certain scale insect. 3. President of the A. F. of L. 4. A Roman weight. 5. Myself; I. 6. Mexican War Veterans of America (abbr.). 7. High in stature. 8. Ibidem (abbr.). 9. Calcium (abbr.). 10. Work; toil. 14. Preposition, belong to. 16. Latin for and. 18. Electrical Engineer (abbr.). 19. A sack, pouch, or wallet. 21. A numeral in Latin. 22. A primary color. 23. Roman goddess to whom were devoted captured arms. 24. Leader of the C.I.O. 25. Near (abbr.). 27. Right (abbr.). 28. Combination act of uniting. 30. Catholic Total Abstinence Union (abbr.). 31. Immigration Inspector (abbr.). 32. A mountain in Greece. 36. A fruit having a kernel and a hard shell. 37. Democratic Party (abbr.). 38. International Police (abbr.). 40. Preposition denoting presence; nearby. 41. Long Island (abbr.). 42. Voice. (Answers on inside back cover page) 8 MLADINSKI LIST Andrew’s Travel Talk In my last letter I said I would tell you a few interesting things ibout the hospital which my mother visited a few weeks before the accident in which I broke my leg. I will now try to describe what my mother saw in the hospital and the condition in which she found the patients in the women’s ward. In the large room there were many beds and two women patients on each bed. Some were even sitting on chairs for lack of beds. They brought in a new patient, but all the beds were occupied. Where would they put her? The nurse told an old woman to get up and sit on a chair. The old woman, frail and shaking, obeyed. “Where will you sleep?” my mother asked. “On the floor,” she replied. “You see,” she added, “all those sitting on the chairs sleep on the floor.” My mother told us that they didn’t even bother to change the bedding for the new patient. The meals at the hospital are very poor. That day they served sauerkraut. For breakfast the patients don’t get any sugar for their coffee. And these are not free patients. Most of them are insured for sick benefit in their places of employment. Health conditions are bad. The doctors complain that it doesn’t pay to be a physician, as they earn only about 45 dollars a month in American money. The patients are dissatisfied with the service they get. They are sent back to work before they are really able to work. Our neighbor’s daughter collapsed at work in the factory before she was allowed to stay at home. No one wanted to heed her complaints. A lady visited the doctor for some internal trouble. He decided what was wrong with her in a few minutes, without examining her. Doctors are forced to work this way because the company keeps after them. Whenever we went to the city, my father asked me jokingly if I want to see the “Jumping Jack.” Every time we entered a store or a barbershop, two or three attendants jumped up, bowed politely and said, “Klanjam se.” We noticed that they are too polite to customers, but not so to their subordinates. We did not have to stay long in a shop to hear someone scold the boy or girl apprentice. Once, when a boy dropped an article, his boss boxed his ears in our presence. This was too much for my father and he told him he would prefer a little tolerance and efficiency to their false politeness. It is very amusing to an American to see a man kiss a lady’s hand, and in the next instance scold his maid for no reason at all, except to show his ignorance. Yet, these people imagine themselves very intelligent. They think we Americans are impolite. That’s very likely because our spines are not as flexible as theirs. We were much happier among the village people who greeted us with their friendly “dober dan” without the silly “klanjam se.” When my father returned from Dalmatia, he decided to sell his automobile. In this: he encountered a lot of red tape. In Ljubljana they close all business places at noon for three hours! And so you have to wait in some gostilna or kavarna. You cannot go to the show either, because it opens at 4 o’clock. The banks close at one o’clock, and unless you are there at twelve, you are out of luck. If you want to see a lawyer or a doctor, they’ll tell you he is either in the kavarna or in the park. Time in Jugoslavia is not important, for tomorrow is another day. A new concrete road was being built from Ljubljana to Kranj, a distance of about 15 miles. They had been working on it for three years and only half of it was finished! When my father told them that in America it would take three months or less, they said .that we in America do everything too fast—that’s why we have so many unemployed workers. Well, maybe they are right. . . The time for our return trip was near. We visited the iState Pair in Ljubljana and found it very interesting. We also visited several other places. Many friends came to say good-by, and soon the last day of our stay in (Stražišče came. Valeria and I took “Betska” down to the end of the orchard with the other children. We sat there and talked quietly, hoping that mother would forget about us. We didn’t want to part from these friendly children and the nice village. We felt at home, but I had to leave my poor little lamb “'Betska” behind. My grandfather took us and our luggage to the station in his wagon. Many friends came with us to the train. The parting was sad, even my grandfather was crying. Finally it was all over and we were glad when the train pulled out. In Ljubljana, again friends came to say goodJby, among them my father’s cousin and his wife, both very nice people. 'Soon we were across the border. Every little while some officer would stick his head into our compartment to the annoyance of Mr. Jereb. He scolded the German officers in Slovene but they didn’t mind it as they didn’t understand what he was saying. Our train rumbled on and soon we were in Switzerland, the land of beautiful mountains and lakes. Traveling in a train was not as nice as traveling by auto because we couldn’t stop and see things. When we arrived in Paris the French-Line officials took us into a poor hotel, but we refused to stay and selected our own. No wonder that most travelers leave Paris as soon as they can. Next morning we were on our way to Havre where we boarded the liner lie de France, which is not as nice as the Normandie. It took us six days to cross the ocean. But we had just as much fun aboard the ship coming back as we did going to Europe. There were many Jewish refugees on the ship. The weather was nice all the way. Two hours before we arrived in New York we were caught in a real storm. It was such a storm that we couldn’t even see the Statue of Liberty. We landed late that afternoon and it was dark before we were through with the customs officials. We stopped at the Taft hotel, where we met George Thonton, a midget of the children’s theatre. He liked Valeria’s pigtails and asked her if she would stay with him. I answered for her and the midget laughed and gave us his picture for remembrance. Leaving New York, we crossed the Hudson river on the ferry, train and all. We were on the train all afternoon and night and reached Chicago the next morning. Then we changed trains for Wau- Natural Curiosities of CAST Frances, interested and interesting Mr. Hren, friendly and energetic (Concluded) MR. HREN: (Laughing) Oh, it’s simple! All you have to do is catdh a fly and put it into a quart bottle that has exactly a pint of water in it. FRANCES: (Bursts out laughing) . . . and shake thoroughly—I suppose! MR. HREN: Strangely enough—that’s just what you do! FRANCES: (Abashed) Oh— MR. HREN: This washes' the bacteria off the fly and distributes them through the water. Then you take a drop of water and determine the number of bacteria in it. Knowing the number of drops of water in a pint, all you have to do is multiply by that number and you will know how many bacteria were in the bottle, washed off the fly. FRANCES: So that’s how they count the bacteria on a fly! MR. HREN: Yes. As many as six million bacteria have been found on a single fly. Houseflies laden with these germs carry them from place to place, leaving them on food and on people who otherwise would remain well. They are champion carriers of typhoid fever; a disease that has taken an enormous toll of human life. Sleeping sickness is conveyed by the tsetse flies. And flies spread many other diseases besides! FRANCES: Why, they’re—they’re regular mons- ters! MR. HREN: They are! Insect monsters—far more frightful than dragons or vampires! However, there are several most interesting things to kegan and after a short time we were back home again. It felt good to 'be home after such a long trip. All the neighbors’ children came to see us, asking questions about this and that. As we were parading down Chestnut street, my father took the last pictures to complete the trip. And so—this is the end of my “Travel Talk.” I will say good-by to all the ML readers. In the future, when I will have something interesting to tell, I will write again to our magazine. I wish to thank the Editor who edited my letters for his kind patience. The letters were long and there were many misspelled words of proper names and places which he corrected. I also wish to thank my parents for their help in writing these letters, for if it weren’t for them there wouldn’t be any long letters about our trip to Europe. Finally, a big “Thank you” to the SNPJ for the award I received for my letters. ANDREW W. FURLAN, age 9, Lodge 568, Waukegan, Illinois. Spring and Summer tell about them. For instance, have you heard that they have five eyes? FRANCES: Five eyes! Why—I thought “.two apiece” was the rule for all animals! MR. HREN: Oh, many animals have more than five eyes—while some animals haven’t any! FRANCES: Never h-eard that before—but then I’m always learning something new from you. MR. HREN: The fly has three simple eyes on the top of his head and two compound eyes in front—and, by the way—if our eyes were as big in proportion to our size as these major eyes of the fly, do you know how big that would be? FRANCES: No. How big? MR. HREN: They would stand out on our heads bigger than fists. FRANCES: (Amused) H’m! MR. HREN: Their eyes are among the best developed of the insect world. That’s why they get away so easily when you try to swat them. FRANCES: (Laughing) And adjourn by a majority of eyes! MR. HREN: That’s right.—There is just one more thing I want to tell you about flies—a fact which makes it most important for all of us to help exterminate them. Have you heard that one of the marvels of insect life is the rapidity with which flies multiply? In the short period of a few weeks one fly may have produced millions. FRANCES: You mean—literally millions? MR. HREN: Literally! One fly killed in the spring may mean millions fewer in August. FRANCES: From now on “Swat the Fly” will be my motto. MR. HREN: That’s what I call a good resolution. And now, let’s see: Have you ever seen a cockroach ? FRANCES: (Laughing) We don’t have them at our house. MR. HREN: Well then—you’re lucky—for they invade a great many homes ... in search of a nice, dark, warm place to live. FRANCES: Where did they get their name? MR. HREN: From the Spanish word, “cucarache” -—meaning wood-louse. FRANCES: You certainly pick out the nicest things to talk about! First it’s flies—and then it’s cockroaches! MR. HREN: But aren’t the things I tell you interesting ? FRANCES: Yes—so far! MR. HREN: Oh! (Laughs) FRANCES: (Also laughs) But what could possibly be interesting about a cockroach ? MR. HREN: Plenty! For instance, have you heard that hungry ’roaches—if they get a chance— will eat your fingernails and toenails? FRANCES: (Laughing) No! MR. HREN: Certainly. Cockroaches are not at all particular about what they eat. If they don’t find any tempting morsels of food around they will eat the next best thing they can find—even if it should happen to be your nails! FRANCES: Well—of all things! MR. HREN: Cockroaches are the world’s champion stowaways. They are very fond of ships because they can find so many nice warm places to hide, and, as a consequence, these insects have managed to spread to all parts of the world. Why—sometimes—on infested ships— sailors are forced to sleep with gloves and socks on to protect their nails from the cockroaches! FRANCES: (Laughing of wonderment). MR. HREN: Besides this strange diet, cockroaches have been known to eat the tops of shoes, the paper of the wall, clothing, and even their own dead! They also like ink—and their fondness for stale beer is beyond measure. FRANCES: (Laughing) Well—there is no accounting for tastes! MR. HREN: That’s right. Why, have you heard that many people eat insects? FRANCES: (Aghast) What! You’re joking’! MR. HREN: Indeed I am not. Every word in this program is true! While I like to startle you a little if I can, and inform you a little if you’ll let me—please believe me, I refuse to mislead you, and every fact is carefully checked and authenticated.—Now about the use of insects as food. There are people in Australia who eat grubs which they pick out of rotten wood and roast in red hot ashes. . . FRANCES: Ugh. MR. HREN: And down in Brazil there are people who are very fond of ants. FRANCES: Imagine anyone eating ants! MR. HREN: Oh, they like them. . . In another country—New Caledonia—the natives greedily devour dishes full of huge poisonous-looking roasted spiders . . . and people have even been known to eat butterflies! But .the insect that has had the greatest appeal as a table delicacy is the grasshopper. FRANCES: Grasshoppers! Oh, not many people eat them, surely! MR. HREN: For centuries .they have been used as food by nearly half the people of the world! Large bags of dried grasshoppers are transported by processions of mules into the towns of North Africa and put on sale in the market places. The Hottentots pray for .the coming of a swarm of grasshoppers so that they may feast many days and grow fat and strong. FRANCES: Ugh! (Shudders). MR. HREN: In some countries grasshoppers are boiled and spread upon the roofs to dry. In Chinese cities they are roasted and sold on the streets. Filipinos parch their grasshoppers in earthen pans, and the Australian Bushmen grind dried grasshoppers into meal from which they make cakes. . . FRANCES: But these are all people on the other side of the world. . . MR. HREN: (Chuckles) What would you say if I told you that they did the same in this country, too? FRANCES: They don’t, do they? MR. HREN: They do. Right here in the United States! The Digger Indians in California are so fond of grasshoppers that they have regular grasshopper hunts and set traps for them for food. And only recently a group of students at the University of Maryland stewed and ate the cicadas we call locusts, and at some other university they ate gold fish, alive. FRANCES: Stewed locusts and fried grasshoppers and gold fish! Oh, dear! (In disgust). MR. HREN: Of course, real locusts are grasshoppers—they are the same thing. FRANCES: Oh, no, they’re not! MR. HREN: (Laughing) Oh, yes, they are! They are identical. FRANCES: I don’t understand. Aren’t locusts those large, fierce-looking insects with the papery wings that make so much noise? MR. HREN: You are thinking of Cicadas, entirely different insects. The name “locusts” was incorrectly applied to them by the first colonists who thought they were the locusts mentioned in ancient books because there were such great swarms of them, and so people have called the Cicadas “locusts” ever since. FRANCES: I had no idea that insects could be so interesting. How many different kinds of insects are there? MR. HREN: About 640,000 kinds—and there may be millions of individuals of each of these kinds. FRANCES: How can you tell an insect from—well, from any other small animal? MR. HREN: I am glad you asked this question. Spring, summer and autumn offer a splendid opportunity for the study of insects. An in-continued on page 16) MLADINSKI LIST Muca Štruca in kuža Muža A. M. Jaz sem muca Štruca in sama vam povem, kaj se nama z našim kužem je zgodilo, ko sva sama bila nekoč doma. Je kuža Muža naš že tak, da je zmerom lačen, kakor kuža menda vsak. Pa je dejal tisti dan: “Ljuba muca Štruca, lačen, lačen. Ham, ham, haam!” “Joj, ojoj, majčkeno pi'i vratih tam postoj,” sem mu rekla in hitro v shrambo našo stekla. Tja po mleko zmerom hodi gospodinja naša, kadar kuha v loncu se za naju mlečna kaša. Morda tudi zdaj, bo za trebuščke naše v shrambi kaj? sem mislila in oprezna na kljuko pritiskala. Kuža Muža je na straži stal in še potiho mi dejal: “Ljuba muca Štruca, nikari se ne boj! Ce pripraviš mi kaj prida, bom za zmerom samo tvoj . . .” Pogledam sem in tja — polica polna loncev! Hi-ha! Hiha! sem se zasmejala, kužu našemu dejala: “Bo, bo! Le pripravi, dragi psiček, dolgi svoj jeziček!” Pa so oh in ah, lonci na polici vsi na glavah stali, črna dna proti stropu so kazali . . . “Vse je prazno!” sem dejala, z glavo žalostno zmajala. Nato na mizo sem skočila, morda tam bom kaj dobila. Pa je kuža že za mano prikrevljal in takole mi dejal: “Ljuba muca Štruca, če ne bom ničesar žrl, bom pa kar umrl!” Tedaj zagledala sem lonec. Poln je bil mleka. Pa sem pila, sama pila — lonec prevrnila in na kuža pozabila . . . “Teče, teče!” je zalajal kuža, “kaj pa gospodinja naša reče!” Pa lizala sva oba, hitro, hitro, kar se da. Zraven sva se bala gospodinje naše, ki ne bo skuhati nama mogla za večerjo kaše. Ko še nisva vse požrla, so vrata se odprla. Z mesta naša je prišla gospa in naju bridko karala. Potem je nekaj trdega po meni padlo, enkrat, dvakrat, trikrat — in že na glavi mi je zrasla buška, trda kakor zimska hruška. “Huj, fuj,” je kričala gospodinja, “ne maram take mačke!” Pogledala sem kužka, ki je v kotu jokal in si lizal tačke, stokal: “Ah, ah, kradel pa ne bom nikoli več, saj me boli že zdaj preveč!” To sem zapisala, ker sem se tudi jaz kesala — in da ne bom nikoli pozabila, kako sem tistikrat po butici jih dobila. Medved in rak A M Zabavna igra Prilezel je rak iz potoka, zagledal medveda in ga pobaral: “Bog daj, kosmatin! Ali bo dež, kali?” Medved je pogledal v nebo, povohal na levo in desno in zamomljal: “Menda bo res. “Prisedel je k raku, ki je zdajci zaupal medvedu. “Prošnjo imam do tebe. Dobro znaš plezati, jaz ne znam. Vem za tepko, bogato je obrodila. Kaj, če bi zlezel nanjo in jo oti'esel. Prva polovica bo tvoja, druga moja.” “Velja,” je prikimal medved. In sta šla in prišla do hruške. Medved na tepko, rak pod njo in je čakal. Kosmatinu so hruške prijale pa je na mile viže jedel in hrustal in pozabil na prijatelja, ki je pod njim žalostno zavijal oči. “Ali ne bo nič?” je vprašal končno rak. “Bo, toda tvoja polovica še ni zrela,” se je namuznil kosmatin. “Poglej,” je goltal, odtrgal par nezrelih, piškavih plodov in drugega za drugim zabrusil raku na hrbet. Rak je vsakokrat zastokal. “Ali zdaj verjameš,” se je norčeval medved. “Verjamem, verjamem,” se je odmikal rak. Opazil je bil kmetiča, ki se je s puško v roki bližal tepki, pa je, da bi preslepil nehvaležnega medveda, še pristavil: “Grem. Se mi zdi, da še svoje polovice ne boš obral do kraja, kaj šele mojo!” “Kar pojdi, budalo!” je zagodrnjal medved. Rak med listje, kmetič pod tepko in je počilo enkrat in dvakrat in že se je zvrnil medved na tla. Otroci sedijo v krogu. Eden prične: “Poslali so me k branjevcu, da kupim r . . .” Drugi otrok mora hitro dopolniti: “rozin!” (ali rožičev, repnega semena, izkratka, kake reči, ki se začenja s črko r). Nato nadaljuje drugi otrok: “Jaz sem pa šel v lekarno po k . . Tretji otrok se oglasi: “krčne kapljice!” (kuminov cvet, klovorovo apno, kroglice itd.). Nato: “Tekel sem k vrtnarju, da kupim za mamin god z . . .” Četrti otrok: “zvonček (zvezdnico, zimzelen)”. “Jaz moram pa še v trgovino s posodo po s . . . (skledo, skodelico, solnico, svečnik, svetiljko). Tako gre igra dalje in dalje. Kdor se hitro ne oglasi in ne nadaljuje, plača kazen. Še težja in zanimivejša je igra, če se zmenite, da se morata ime trgovine in ime blaga začeti z isto črko, na primer, železninar — žeblji, žaga, žica; lekarna — lipov čaj, lizol, lanolin itd. Jokes Teacher: How can you tell when winter begins? Pupil: It gets late earlier. Pat arrived home much the worse for wear. One eye was closed, his nose was broken, and his face looked as though it had been stung by bees. “That Dutchman—’twas him,” exploded his wife. “A big man like you to get beaten up by a little fool of a Dutchman like him! Why ------------ “Whist, Nora,” said Pat. “Don’t speak disrespectfully of the dead.” NELLIE ULYON, age 16, lodge 378, Box 394, Sheffield, Pennsylvania. Introducing Book Friends Reviewed by Betty Jartz Delightful summer reading is Marjorie Kinnan Rawling’s Pulitzer Prize winner The Yearling. One reason why I enjoyed reading this book so much is her intimate descriptions of nature. Only someone who appreciates the whims of the elements can write so captivatingly about them. The scenes are laid on an isolated farm in Florida. The story is about a lad and his consuming desire to own a pet. His mother had always denied him this privilege, because it was difficult enough to wrest a living from their grudging soil without having to feed pets. However, through a tragic incident the boy, Jody, won himself a pet fawn to which he became fondly attached. Aside from the main theme of the story, which is Jody and his pet, there are many other entertaining incidents. There’s the time Jody saw two male bears boxing together, each wanting to gain the favor of his bear lady-love; and there’s the time he saw a mama raccoon spank her two naughty ’coon children; and the time he went to visit his best friend, Fodder-wing, a twisted, misshapen lad who had many pets only to find that Fodder-wing’s frail body has released its soul that very morning. I could go on and on. I could tell you about the storm that raged for seven days and about the havoc and hardships it caused to man and beast. I could tell you how Penny, the father, and Jody Baxter finally caught up with old Slewfoot, a giant bear, who tormented stockowners, and I could tell you about the near-tragedy that forced a permanent separation between Jody and his pet fawn, Flag. I could try to tell about all of these things, and more, but I’d rather that you read them for yourself. If I were to tell all about these incidents it would only dull the excitement of anticipation as you read from one exciting episode to another till you finally reach the tear-stained climax. Birds and Bees and Sharp Eyes, by John Burroughs, is a small volume containing essays on nature. John Burroughs’ style is very pleasing. He transforms animals, insects, and birds by endowing them with human characteristics and by interpreting their utterances in the human tongue. He tells of the habits of the more common birds and about their enemies. His comparison of the honey-bee and the bumblebee is engaging. The bumble-bee lives a hand-to- mouth existence, and you know well how industrious the honey-bee is. Burroughs takes us with him on a bee-hunt, and tells us how to plunder the miserly bee of his hoard. It is most entertaining, and every detail is described so vividly that we can almost taste the rich sweetness of our loot. ON THE AIR Twice a week dramatizations of interesting books are broadcast over Cleveland stations for the entertainment of young and old. The following books are among those dramatized: Men Against Death, by Paul De Kruif; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert L. Stevenson; Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll; and A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. “Everyman’s Treasure House” is presented by the Cleveland Public Library every Saturday morning, at 10:00 o’clock, over station WTAM. “Book Caravans” is sponsored by the Cuyahoga County Library every Tuesday night, at 9:00 o’clock, over station WHK. L^borD^y - S«.Pt. Z.-JL Drawn by Francis Zupon, age 16, Lodge No. 82 SNPJ, 546 Forest Ave., Johnstown, Pa. JUST FOR FUN This month we will follow the adventures of Billy and Betty, and maybe, we’ll learn a lesson from their experiences. Anyway, Just for Pun, let’s just take a look at what they’re doing today. * * * * Billy and Betty were helping mother all day long, and so each got a dime in the evening. You know 10c won’t buy much, but to Billy and Betty it meant their very own money which they earned, so they went out to spend it. “I’m going to buy a chocolate bar with mine,” said Billy. Now you wouldn’t think that a remark like that would create a large topic of conversation, would you? But Billy and Betty spent about an hour listening to Mr. Reed, who owned the corner grocery store, tell all about candies. “You see,” said Mr. Red, “there’s candies here of all shapes and colors. Most children would pick out the brightest colors, but those are the very candies that contain the most dyes and artificial flavoring, most of which isn’t exactly harmful, but not the very best for you either. You take, for instance, chocolate bars. I just read in a little magazine called “Consumers Union” about them. They rate Chocolate Bars and tell you which is best.” “You mean to say all chocolate bars aren’t alike?” asked Billy. “You mean to say that one is good and the other is bad?” “Yes, the ‘Consumer’s Union’ reports it that way. You see that is an organization which obtains, through experiments, information as to the quality and contents of many articles, goods, and foods.” “But what about chocolate bars” Betty inquired. “Well, yout see there are large factories which make this candy and some companies get a little careless how this candy is prepared. They let flies, glass, papers, hair and various items get into the candy. Other factories advertise milk chocolate which is supposed to be even more nutritious than ordinary chocolate, but because of inferior substances used it is not.” “But we always read that candy is very good food for children,” Billy said. “Of course, all the advertising of the candy manufacturers says that. It is true that candy is a delicious food, but it is extremely low in proteins, vitamins and minerals which your system needs. Carbohydrates, which is the chief food in candy, is only one of the things necessary in the diet. Candy is bad for children, because it kills the appetite. A bar of candy will satisfy hunger but not give you the proper nourishment.” By Ernestine Jugg “What are some of the candies which are made under sanitary conditions and are the best quality?” Billy asked. “Well, I guess you can depend on Nestle’s candy bars first. Hershey Almond bars and Hershey Milk Chocolate and Oh Henry’s also run close to the top of the ratings according to ‘Consumers Union.’ But all of the Curtiss Candies as the Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, Jolly Jack, were not found to be first rate candies and of as high a quality as the others mentioned,” Mr. Red explained. “Will candy make you fat” wondered Betty. “Now I guess that you don’t have anything to worry about, Betty, but if you’re trying to lose weight—not eating candy will help a lot. An 0 Henry contains as many calories as a pound of potatoes or 4 pounds of lettuce,” further explained Mr. Red. “Gee, it hardly seems possible,” remarked Billy. “Well, you see the calories are concentrated and can be eaten easily, but they are fattening, nevertheless.” “Gee, thanks for explaining so much to us, Mr. Red. Next time I’ll think before buying candies and always be on the look-out for those with inferior qualities,” Billy said before both he and Betty went home. • M. L. PUZZLER JOE WANTS TO KNOW: 1. Which U. S. President fought in the Blackhawk war? a. George Washington b. Abraham Lincoln c. Theodore Roosevelt 2. The first President who was inaugurated in the City of Washington was: a. George Washington b. James Madison c. Thomas Jefferson 3. The highest mountain in the world is: a. Mt. Everest in Asia b. Mt. McKinley in Alaska c. Aconcagna in So. America 4. Saturn is the name of: a. An island b. A planet c. A country in Africa 5. If someone said, “I have 4 farthings,” which is English money, he would have: a. 4 cents, b. 4 nickels, c. 1 penny. (Answers on inside back cover page) INTERESTING HOBBIES A New Hobby This month I will write about my new hobby— accordion playing. My brother got an accordion quite a while ago. I never seemed interested in it till last year. I always thought of it as an “old squeek box” that made a lot of noise. Then last year a man who could play very good came to our house. I watched him for a while, then I said, “Please show me how to play a piece.” He gave it to me and I started to stretch. The results? You can imagine what the accordion sounded like! But it didn’t make any difference to me. I kept right on trying, and of course, the man helped me whenever he was around. Before very long I got something out of it that sounded like a tune. Can’t you just see how happy I was? “Boy!” I thought to myself. “This is really going to be fun when I learn how to play real well!” From then on every spare moment I had you could find the “Old Squeek Box” in my hands. I tried, and tried. I made so much noise that everyone else in the family said they were almost sick of accordion music. Now I can play a few polkas and waltzes. I already played for two programs in my school. Before long I hope that I can play well enough to play in many different places. It is going to be hard for me to learn but I shall keep right on trying till I will reach my goal. I wish that someone who is interested in my hobby would drop me a few lines and tell me about his or her “Old Squeek Box.” FRANK ULYON, age 13, Box 394, Sheffield, Pa. SNPJ Lodge 378. * Useful Hobbies A person with a worth while hobby can easily make some money out of it by selling his work to his friends. For instance, a person with a passion for making model airplanes, can sell his planes to some local merchant. Boys and girls are always interested in models and they would be willing to buy many of them. This would prove to be a profitable enterprise. People who like to study nature may some day secure a government job in the forestry department. The birds, trees, flowers, insects, fish, etc., are all very interesting. These things are decreasing and the government has taken steps to replenish them. The fish, especially, are being restocked. This work is fun and also profitable. One of the most profitable hobbies is stamp collecting. The true stamp collector is one who tries to get all the rare and valuable stamps. Old stamps are valuable and some may pay you fifty dollars or more. With this money you can buy more stamps so as to make a bigger collection. By means of stamps, one gets around the world and learn of new and interesting countries. All these hobbies are worth while and useful. They enlarge our education, give us a broader view on things, and they also prove profitable. Of course, a hobby should not always be thought of, with money in mind, but it can be useful in case of need. Everyone should have a hobby. JOHN POKLAR JR., age 16, 927-A W. Scott St., Milwaukee, Wis., Lodge 16. * Hobbies It is very interesting and educational to have hobbies. Having hobbies in your younger life may help you in your future. Everyone should have hobbies of interest to them. Hobbies should be worked at in leisure hours. But these leisure hours may bring fun, even wealth or fame to you. So why not use them as carefully as you possibly can? There are many, many hobbies which may be of interest to you if you only try and use them correctly. Of course, almost everyone decides on a different one, one that really interests them. My chief hobby is collecting pennies. It would add up more quickly if it were dimes or quarters. But they are much more difficult to get. I am much quicker at spending dimes or quarters than pennies because I can get more of them. So I have decided to save pennies. I will tell you how I began my hobby. My girl friend and I wanted to see who would save up the most pennies if we began together. So we did. For a while she was ahead, then I got ahead, then she and now I am. And I hope to keep ahead of her now for a while. Neither of us are tired of saving them. Working together encouraged us to work all the harder. NELLIE ULYON, age 16, lodge 378, Box 394, Sheffield, Pa. SMALL BOY’S ESSAY Water is found everywhere, especially when it rains as it did the other day when our cellar was half full. Mary had to wear her father’s rubber boots to get the onions for dinner. Onions make your eyes water and so does horseradish, when you eat too much. There is a good many kinds of water in the world; rainwater, soda water, clear water and brine. Water is used for a great many things. Sailors use it .to go to sea on. If there wasn’t any ocean the ship couldn’t float and they would have to stay ashore. Water is good to fire at boys with a squirt gun, and to catch fish in. My father caught a big one the other day and when he hauled it up it was an eel. Nobody could be saved from drowning if there wasn’t any water to pull them out. Water is first rate to put fires out with, and I love to go to fires to see men work with the engines. This is all I can think of about water except the flood. LITTLE ANIMALS You have noticed how a mother bird will feed and take care of her little birds until they are able to look after themselves. Probably you have watched a mother cat wash and feed her kittens. And if you have ever been rough with a puppy dog while its mother was around, you know that it’s dangerous. In other words, mothers of all kinds look after their children, just as the mothers of boys and girls do. But have you ever seen a bird or a kitten or a puppy doing anything fine for its mother? No, young animals are interested only in what their mothers do for them. That’s because they are mere animals. Now human beings ought to be more than animals. But sometimes they are not. There are lots of boys and girls who are seemingly interested only in what they can do to help their mothers and make them happy. This is something to think about. You can do better than a bird or a puppy or a kitten, can’t you ? FRANCES GLOGOVŠEK Member Juvenile Dept., Lodge No. 333, Blaine, Ohio, age 15. She gave a recitation, July 4, 1939, at the 35th anniversary celebration of the SNPJ Federation held in Blaine. Natural Curiosities of Spring and Summer (Continued from page 10) sect always has three sections to its body, the head, thorax and abdomen—and its skeleton is outside its body. FRANCES: Its skeleton outside its body ? How odd! MR. HREN: This is called an “exoskeleton”—meaning an outside skeleton. In addition, an insect has six legs that come out from the thorax, and feelers or antennae protruding from the head. Insects do not have noses or lungs. FRANCES: Then how do they breathe? MR. HREN: Through spiracles or tiny holes arranged along the sides of the insect’s abdomen. They lead into tiny tubes which run all through the insect’s body and pipe air to all its cells. FRANCES: It’s very interesting. One could listen all day to this discussion about insects. MR. HREN: It is. One more interesting thing about insects. Have you heard that the blood of insects is either green or yellow? FRANCES: I thought all blood was red. MR. HREN: Not insect blood. And it doesn’t flow through veins either—but simply passes back and forth across the insect’s internal organs. FRANCES: Oh, I like to listen to crickets chirping, and katydids singing. MR. HREN: Yes. It’s very entertaining on a summer evening. The katydids, crickets, and cicadas, provide a natural symphony that sounds harmoniously beautiful. FRANCE'S: Can you tell their songs apart? MR. HREN: They are all distinctly different. The cicadas’ strident chorus is produced by means of invert cup-shaped drums of membrane which are vibrated in and out by means of muscles, and they hold the record for getting the greatest amount of noise out of the smallest drum. The cricket’s song consists of a single note which he chirps at regular intervals. And the katydid sings a song of three notes: “ka-ty-did.” FRANCES: How interesting! They really produce a natural symphony. MR. HREN: Yes.—And now our time is up. I hops that this discussion will prompt you and your friends to go out and rediscover for yourself the marvels of spring, summer and autumn. And I do hope that we will have more of these dicussions soon. FRANCES: I hope so, too. I think this one was one of the best we’ve had. (THE END) OUR SCHOOL AWARDS FOR THE BEST CONTRIBUTIONS A sum of not more than S100 is available for the SNPJ juvenile members who will, in the second half of 1939, contribute to the Our School section of the Mladinski List: 1) The best letters, according to quality as judged by the Editor, on the subjects of our Society and its institutions, such as Juvenile Circles, freethought, labor unions, social justice, and hobbies; 2) The best letters, according to quality as judged by the Editor, dealing with the most unusual experience of thtf writer: 3) The best original drawings in India ink on any subject deemed acceptable by the Editor, such as cartoons, games, cross-word puzzles, etc. The publication of such letters or drawings on these pages is not indication that they all will be awarded; contributions published elsewhere in the Mladinski List although intended for Our School will be awarded under the same rules if qualifying. The number and size of awards for this six-month period will depend on the number of qualified letters and drawings contributed. The next distribution of awards will be made at the end of 1939. RULES: 1) Every contributor must be a member of the SNPJ Juvenile Department. 2) State your age and number of the SNPJ lodge to which you belong. 3) Every contribution must be signed also by either parent. 4) Every contribution must be in the hands of the Editor by the first of the month if intended for the issue of the Mladinski List of the following month. * SOCIAL JUSTICE If the working people want social justice, they should organize industrially in their unions. The people should support adequate provision for the unemployed, the enactment of wages and hours legislation, by putting factories into operation to provide necessities for the unemployed, to help labor achieve greater economic and social justice. The workers work hard and do not get enough in return for their labor. The basis of capitalism is individual freedom to launch economic undertakings in the hope of gain, and at the risk of loss. With the rise of machine industry and the increasing power wielded over the economic life of peoples by the managers of capital, the system of individual activity gave rise to serious abuses between production and consumption. This is an economic system resulting in the production of increasing wealth. The function of productive capital is to aid in production, and capital and labor constitute the two main factors in production, labor being the most important. Under this system I have described there can not be any social justice. Therefore, the workers must cooperate with each other and have the same agreements. Progress has been made with the Social Security Act. The purpose of this Act is- to establish safeguards against the hazards of poverty, old age and unemployment. I think the workers would secure justice if they would cooperate and help each other out and not argue as much as they do. The people should endeavor to bring about more unity among the workers of the world, for only through this effort we can achieve justice and peace. We should help to create a world where justice will prevail, for it is the working class which suffers the most. MARY AMBROŽIČ, age 16, R. D. 5, Box 188, 'Crafton Branch, Pa. Lodge 88. isr WATERFALL Drawn by Milton Laurencic, age 15, Lodge No. 5 SNPJ, 973 Addison Roadd, Cleveland, Ohio. * OUR MINNESOTA Minnesota is a beautiful state. It is a state of 10,000 lakes. It has miles and miles of woodland. The biggest open pit mine is located at Hibbing. Minnesota has one of the best public school systems in the country. The High School and the Memorial Building are located at Hibbing, for this district. The air is pure and dry. The winters are rather severe; the summers are pleasant. The chief agricultural products are wheat and other grains. The mineral resources include iron ore, copper, limestone, slate, glass sand. But agriculture is its chief industry. The capital is St. Paul. The largest cities are Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, Winona, Austin, Little Falls, Virginia, and Hibbing. The area of Minnesota is 84,682 square miles of which 3,324 square miles are water, excluding Lake Superior. The population in 1920 was 2,387,125. Each summer, hundreds of tourists come to Minnesota. They like Minnesota for its climate and natural beauty. Let it be remembered that the Minnehaha Falls, on account of its great 'beauty and association with Longfellow’s poem, “Hiawatha,” are quite famous. We are very proud of Minnesota. HELEN MRKONICH, age (?), lodge 125, Box 386, Carson Lake, Minnesota. * JOKES AND RIDDLES Around the house, around the house and then it stands in the corner. What is it?—Answer: A broom. Down in the meadow there stands a red cow; put on salt and it flies, put on water and it dies. What is it?—Answer: Fire. Up on the hill there stands a bear. The more you look the more you may. You cannot chase that bear away. What is it?—Ans.: Sun. What did they make sauerkraut of since the French and Canadian War?—Ans.: Out of cabbage. JENNIE BRADLEY, age 14, Box 102, Sheffield, Pa. Lodge 391. A MOUNTAIN SCENE Drawn by Eugene Skoff, age 14, Lodge No. 131 SNPJ, 2841 Kilbourne Ave., Chicago, 111. FOOD—THE TRUE WEALTH The question has arisen to what extent is the true wealth of any one country. Many say money, but considering the necessities of human life we find that food including water is essential to human life. Man has used food in the beginning of life and always will. The fact is that at present there is plenty to eat in this country and more than we can consume. This year we will have a surplus of cattle, wheat, and other grain. What should we do with this surplus? I’d say the logical thing to do is to sell it to reliefers or WPA workers who have large families— on a non-profit basis. These food surpluses are real basic wealth of our country and since we can not sell this abroad, why not have the government distribute this food, then, free of charge. This would be a more efficient and direct way of distributing real wealth to the poor. If there was a scarcity of food then we would have to import, but with our present food surpluses this can be distributed to the poor by the government with government funds. By these two methods our distribution and money problems would run smoothly. HENRY WM. JELOVCHAN, age 16, lodge 225, RFD 3, Box 1526, Girard, Kans. * CHILD LABOR IN AMERICA Many gainful occupations in America use the bodily toil of young children. In 1907, bulletins were issued by the United States Census Bureau that a total number of children between the ages of ten and fifteen, inclusive, was placed at 10,502,000. Out of this total number about 1,939,000 were engaged in bread winning. Another census taken in 1920 showed that 1,060,858 children were employed between the ages of ten through fifteen. This does not include the great number of children employed under the age of ten. This number shows a great decrease in child labor during a few years period. Every state in the United States has some law enforced upon the child labor situation. Many of our past laws have helped to make a decline in the number of children employed and many other laws based upon child labor have been declared unconstitutional. Many were also ratified by the majority of the states. Regardless of all the laws enforced, there is still plenty of child labor carried on throughout the United 'States at the present moment. Europe was the first continent to begin investigation and legislation upon this subject. Great Britain passed the first, effective, child labor law in the world. That was in the year of 1802, and they’re still passing laws at the present time upon the child labor situation. In the past and present, child labor was and still is a difficult question to handle. Yet, probably, the leading argument for child labor in America is that children in poverty stricken areas must earn their money some way in order to get their daily bread, and so they go to work for—low wages. If they don’t, they must die of starvation. Child labor in America and in the rest of the world, prevents the developing of efficiency, because these young children enter an industry without any kind of a trade education, at a tender age when they should be in school. Congress did a great deal to decrease the number of children employed in the year of 1919. Congress placed a tax upon the employers for the use of this young bodily toil in America. Many employers of children became discouraged with a tax burden of this type placed upon them. In 1924, the Child Labor Amendment was proposed to the legislature and was adopted by a joint resolution by the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Amendment had two sections: Section I. The Congress shall have the power to limit, regulate, and prohibit the labor of persons under 18 years of age. Section II. The power of several states unimpaired by this article except that the operation of State Laws shall be suspended to the extent necessary to give effect to legislation enacted by Congress. This Amendment had been ratified by 28 states of the 48 by January 1, 1938. Will America ever be able to abolish child labor completely and be able to help out these poverty-stricken children who have to eat or starve? If America can solve this child labor problem, we will be able to progress more rapidly and have better wage and living standards. CHARLES A. LA SAKER, age 15, 309 Fayal Road, Eveleth, Minn. Lodge 69. * LEONARD CAUGHT THE ROBBER Here is a short story that might interest the ML readers. The spacious library was dimly lit. On rows and rows of shelves surrounding the room were books of all sizes. On the far side heavy drapes decked the large window. A huge portrait hung over the bookcase beside the door. A vase full of tall flowers rested on the highly-polished table in the middle of the room. Over the soft, thick rug were cast shadows of the different pieces of furniture. What little illumination there was came from the small pink lamp in the corner. The surface of the desk on which it stood reflected the soft light pouring from it. Beside the lamp was an open book—a detective story. The back of an arm-chair was noticeable behind the desk. The whole room presented a quiet, peaceful atmosphere. “No, no, I’ll never give it to you! Go away!” a frightened voice exclaimed. Then it resumed its silence. It seemed as if it came from behind the desk. The shiny knot of the heavy library door turned. A tall woman entered and, looking across the room where the lamp was, asked, “What did you say, Leonard?” She received no reply. Again she questioned her son, but with the same result. She looked around the room, at the desk, and at the open book. Having arrived at the conclusion that the boy had retired without replacing the book, she was on the verge of withdrawing from the room when the same voice broke the silence with a threatening cry. “Put them up or I’ll shoot!” it commanded. Then a stir was audible from behind the desk . The terrified mother slowly raised her hands and more slowly turned toward the desk. She was amazed to see no one anywhere in the room. Then her attention was drawn to a slippered foot which, rising in the air from the ai’m-chair, made a perfect landing on the edge of the desk. This was followed by some muttering and considerable stirring. The mother knew well the owner of the maroon slipper. •She walked across the room and behind the desk observed her son sleeping in a humorous position. With all his might he clasped the innocent cushion. One end of it covered his sleepy head. His left foot rested at ease on the desk and the other had succeeded in getting through the carved arm of the chair and hung from the side into a gayly painted waste-paper basket. The amused mother would have given anything for a candid camera. When he was awakened he proceeded to relate his dream to his mother. “And when I caught the robber I wouldn’t let him go,” he concluded. “Yes, I noticed how firmly you held the cushion,” added his mother. “It would never have escaped from you.” Submitted by HELEN NAHTIGAL, age 17, 33 Heintzman Street, Toronto, Ont., Canada. SNPJ Lodge 648. • * i/. ZUPANC1C THE MAN’S FRIEND Drawn by Joseph Zupančič, age 16, Lodge No. 118 SNPJ, 4745 Modac Way, Pittsburgh, Pa. * “MY GANG” “My Gang” is just an ordinary group of girls who went to grade school together and now to high school. But the “gang” with Chris as an able leader, can think of more things to do. All the girls work at farm where I am employed. It was rather lonesome at home for those who didn’t noA ‘j(.ioav sjiqAV ">I-ioav n« M0U inq ^.iom. can hear them talking or singing and see them beating each other pick. Soon the other pickers join in the fun. Then it sounds like madhouse. I have often wondered why they weren’t “fired” because of the noise making. One of the field bosses told me the reason. He said as long as they worked well, they could be as noisy as they wanted to be. To get back to the girls, Chris walked into the position of a leader and remained there. If she isn’t thinking of something to do, the rest of us are. It isn’t fair to talk about Chris and omit the rest. The rest of the “gang” includes Annie, who likes to talk, but who can’t if Chris is around; “Peaches,” a tall, slender girl, and “Little Peaches,” her younger sister. “Supersounds,” who is lots of fun, and Em, Chris’ neighbor. It’s understood that I am also a member, but I won’t give my name. On my birthday, the “kids” came up to the office to get their tickets, and then began singing as loudly as possible, “Happy birthday to you . . That wasn’t all of it for they planned days ahead of time to beat me after work. My employer walked part of the way with me, and then found that he spoiled the plot. Later he held the “kids” back while I escaped. That evening I rode home in the truck with the rest of the workers instead of riding in the car. When we piled out, the “gang” and some others ran after me. Again they didn’t catch me. (Witnesses said they never saw anybody run so fast.) Now that my birthday is over, we’re teasing Em about her boy friend. Gee, how red Em gets. If it’s Chris you’re teasing, she won’t deny anything. She will agree with everything and say, “Sure, sure. You’re right.” We don’t get far with that. If you ever came over to Chris’ house to talk with the “gang,” you wouldn’t have a better time anywhere. That’s saying a lot, but it’s true. ANTONIA SPARENBLEK, age 16, 746 N. Haugh St., Indianapolis, Ind. Lodge 575. * FUNNY LITTLE STORIES Miss Smith: Why are you called Blossom? Blossom: Because I’s de flower ob de family. Miss S.: I’m sorry, Blossom, about what your mother told me this morning. Bios.: She tell you somethin’? Miss S.: She said you threw mud all over your little sister yesterday. Bios.: But, Miss Smith, it was clean mud. Miss S.: What did your mother do when you threw the mud on your sister? Bios.: Mammy say if I ever throw mud on her again I’d go to bed without any supper. Miss S.: And what did you say to that? Bios.: I done told mammy if I ever throws mud again it’ll be after supper. Miss S.: Blossom, you should be nice to your little sister. Bios.: I is nice to her. She get in lots o’ trouble >f it wasn’t for me. Yesterday I see her pokin’ ’round in de grass an’ I say, “What you all pokin’?” She say, “I’s pokin’ a little green snake.” Miss S.: Your little sister was poking a little green snake? What did you do? Bios.: I say, Chile, git right away from that little green snake. It might be just as dangerous as a ripe one.” Miss S.: Blossom, what are bees good for? Bios.: To make bumps when they sting you. FRANK ULYON, age 13, Box 394, Sheffield, Pa. Lodge 378. * IT’S A FACT THAT Nearly half the accidents in Texas during a five-month survey occurred on Saturday and Sunday. Less than 34 per cent of the traffic moved on those days. Cincinnati sewer workmen unearthed a well-preserved cocoanut at a depth of 30 feet. They reported it still “gurgled” with fluid, though records indicated it may have been buried 70 years. Many Helsingfors, Finland, shopkeepers and railway employees are learning English in preparation for the 1940 Olympics there. Egg whites usually beat up into greater volume if they are at room temperature. Eighty per cent of the toothbrushes produced in England have celluloid handles. The nighthawk migrates the greatest distance of all land birds—from Yukon to Argentina, 7000 miles away. The zebu is the Orient’s principal yielder of milk. Cancer is common in all animals from tiny insects to elephants. In spite of the many shapes and sizes of bird beaks, not one bird on earth is capable of chewing. Helium ranks after hydrogen as the lightest gas, but outranks hydrogen for ballooning because hydrogen is inflammable. Helium is not. The largest cotton crop in 13 years, estimated at between 135,000 and 150,000 bales, is being gathered in the lower Rio Grande valley of Texas. Man has better eyesight than any other living creature of land or sea. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park contains 16 peaks over 6,000 feet high. Most snakes can live on one good meal a season. One “square meal” a month makes them thrive. About 90,000 safety razor blades are used annually in Hollywood studios for scraping and splicing film. Cinder tea, mode by dipping a red-hot cinder in hot water, still is given children as a remedy for stomachache in some English villages. A rainbow may be seen all day long in a cloudless sky, in the coldest parts of Siberia. The rainbow is due to the reflection of the sun on fine particles of snow in the air. For thirty-six consecutive miles the Great Smo-key Mountain Range in North Carolina is more than 5,000 feet in altitude. Nova Scotia produced 2,400,000 barrels of apples during 1938. There are 17,000 clergymen in the church of England. Francis Joseph Hayden, noted composer, was born in March, 1732. FRANK ULYON, age 13, Box 394, Sheffield, Penna. Lodge 378. * ANIMALS Can you name sixteen animals which have four feet each? 1. H ........................ 9. P ................. 2. T ....................... 10. G ................. 3. W ....................... 11. C ................ 4. B ....................... 12. E ................. 5. D ....................... 13. P ................. 6. M ....................... 14. F ................. 7. C ....................... 15. S ................. 8. C ....................... 16. M ................. Do You Know 1. How many cents in $2? 2. What is the largest animal? 3. When is Thanksgiving Day? 4. What is the largest state in the U. S. 5. What food is made of goat’s milk? 6. What striped animal barks? 7. From which two states do we get oranges? 8. Whose picture is found on a dollar bill? 9. What sort of a boat did the Indians use? 10. Which is the Hoosier State? 11. In what country do we find the pyramids? 12. What bird sings at night? 13. Which month is supposed to be very windy? 14. How can you say “a hundred years” in one word? 15. What is an emu? 16. What is the smallest bird? 17. What is the highest mountain in the world? 18. Who said, “Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?” 19. What bird is called a “canvas back?” ANSWERS Animals 1. horse; 2. tiger; 3. wolf; 4. bear; 5. donkey; 6. mule; 7. cow; 8. calf; 9. pig; 10. goat; 11. cat; 12. elephant; 13. pony; 14. fox; 15. sheep; 16. monkey. Do You Know 1. 200; 2. the elephant; 3. last Thurs. in November; 4. Texas; 5. cheese; 6. zebra; 7. Florida and California; 8. G. Washington; 9. canoe; 10. Indiana; 11. Egypt; 12. nightingale; 13. March; 14. century; 15. a bird in Australia; 16. the humming bird; 17. Mt. Everest; 18. Priscilla; 19. a kind of duck. MARY TURK, age 16, Box 71, Bulger, Pa. * MY HOBBY I like to read about the stars (I don’t mean here the movie stars) which are so pretty when we are looking upon a clear evening sky. Frorr the very beginning as I started to realize, I always thought there were millions and millions of bright burning candles shining down to make the sky brighter and more beautiful. Afterwards, when I was reading books on the subject, I found out that these stars are really worlds or planets, many of them thousand times bigger than our earth. Through the reading I also learned how these worlds began and, of course, about our Mother Earth, too, and the forming of the first life. This is an educational hobby and I think it is more important than collecting various pictures and stamps. I have read many books which tell the story about the starts and the beginning of life. I also read the articles about that in our M. L., about plant and animal life, about trees and natural curiosities in spring and summer. Reading such articles is educational. In this way we learn facts as they are and not as they are falsely shown by the church and other such agencies. JOSEPHINE VIDMAR, age 10, 2027 W. Garfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wis. Lodge 747. * OUT IN THE WOODS Drawn by Alice Sedey, age 17, Lodge No. 69 SNPJ, 209 Adams Ave., Eveleth, Minn. * THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SOCIETY The question has arisen, “Has the SNPJ a future, and are its members equipped to carry the work left us by our parents?” These questions can be answered by the members only and mainly by the Juvenile Dept, because in reality the Juvenile Dept, is the foundation and the backbone of our Society. Thirty-five years ago only the Adult Dept, was organized but no juvenile dept. And not until some years later did the pioneers at the convention of 1912, realize the benefits of a juvenile department. Since the Society is based on liberal principles organized by the workingman and for the workingman, the question arose why not organize a juvenile dept, for the children of the workingman. Our Society was the first to do so, it has found promising results after this and other fraternal societies instituted a juvenile dept. But the credit belongs to the Slovene National Benefit Society. At present our Society is .the largest Slovene fraternal organization on this continent and we should be proud of that fact and should all do our bit in securing new eligible members and also transfer juvenile members who are of age to the adult dept. “The circle shall be unbroken,” as> the lyric goes. In order that our Society may continue, each member must do his part in securing new members and tell prospects, some of the privileges and benefits derived. Here are some: They get the best insurance for the low rate, the M. L. free each month, and now we have juvenile circles in many communities. If the members would read the Prosveta and the M. L. they will gain education and enlightenment and will be equipped to continue their work with the SNPJ. Because ten years from now they will have to continue in the footsteps of their fathers and mothers so that our Society will continue to grow and reach the height of success with the combined efforts of every active and individual member of the Slovene National Benefit Society. HENRY WM. JELOVCHAN, age 15, lodge 225, RFD 3, Box 1526, Girard, Kans. * FACTS—QUEER BUT TRUE Temperatures in the Sahara Desert drop as much as 130 degrees between mid-afternoon and night. Water in Great Salt Lake, Utah, is five times as salty as water in the Atlantic Ocean. Hollywood movies cost an average of $2,500 an hour to film. Gila monsters store excess energy in the form of fat in their tails. Office workers catch nine times as many colds as outdoor workers. Elm trees suck thirty-four gallons of water from the ground for every pound they add to their weight. Long Island has a greater population than any one of forty-two states in the Union. Breaking glass cracks at a speed of nearly a mile a minute. Enough boards to build a ten-foot fence around the world could be cut from the 250,000,000 trees damaged and felled last autumn by the New England hurricane. Only domestic sheep grow wool! Wild sheep grow hair! Tigers, lions, and all other members of the cat family have five toes on the forefeet, and only four on the hind feet! Talk about communism! Anis, birds of tropical and semitropical America, not only share the work °f building and keeping a common nest but even Work in shifts to hatch the accumulated eggs! HENRY WM. JELOVCHAN, age 16, Lodge 225, RFD 3, Box 1526, Girard, Kans. ORIGINAL CROSSWORD PUZZLE By Helen Matko, age 14, R. 1, Box 244, Hoquiam, Wash., Lodge 560. The letters encircled should spell the name of the M.W.V.A. 7. Tall. 8. Ib. 9. Ca. 10. Labor. 14. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. ACROSS 1. Pouch. 4. Postmeridian. 6. Neuter pronoun. 8. A drinking vessel. 11. ? ? ? 13. Rhode Island (abbr.). 15. Father. 16. To put to flight. 17. A football kick. 15. Took pictures of. 20. ? ? ? 22. Plate of glass. 24. On the sheltered side. 25. Excuse. 28. Without life. 31. Organ of hearing. 32. Who said, “I regret I have but one life to lose for my country”? 34. Past tense of eat. 37. Employs. 38. Struck with fear. 40. Slang abbreviation for gentlemen. 42. One who dances. 45. Relate. 46. Capital of Alaska. 48. Short for Edward. 50. Egyptian Sun god. 51. Top of the church. 53. A cry. 54. Old form of you. 55. Overhead railway (phonetic). 56. The life juice of a tree. DOWN 1. Student of civil law (abbr.). 2. Exclamation of delight. 3. Concerning. 4. Fruit. 5. To allot. 7. Genuine. 9. Above. 10. Gone by. 12. A part in a play 14. To enter with a hostile army. 18. Narrative. 19. Fourth note of a scale. 21. Tidy. 22. River in Italy. 23. Not frequent. 26. Meadow. 27. Consume. 29. Ornamental vessel. 30. One who examines. 32. ? ? ? 33. Annual season of fasting lasting 40 days. 35. Act of sweeping. 36. Advertisement (abbr.). 38. The highest point. 39. Comparative suffix. 41. Kill. 43. Stake at cards. 44. Christmas. 47. Vigor. 49. Accomplish. 52. The (French fern.). (Answers on inside cover page) Our Own Juvenile Circles of the S. N. P. J. Send all your questions and requests for your Juvenile Circles to Mr. Vincent Cainkar, president of the SNPJ, 2657 S. Laivndale Ave., Chicago, III. He has been appointed the Director of Juvenile Circles, and your Advisers should keep in touch with him. FROM “W. VA. SNPJers” CIRCLE PIERiCE, W. VA.—First of all, I want to thank the SNPJ headquarters for the help they have given us in order to have our annual circle picnic. For a while we thought we wouldn’t have our annual picnic, but things have turned out differently, to our great satisfaction. The date of our picnic was set for July 23, at Silver Lake Park, near Thomas, W. Va. All were cordially invited to attend and the response was favorable. Such annual affairs are necessary because they bolster up the SNPJ spirit among the members and tend to bring in new members. Our Juvenile Circle is progressing rapidly and we hope it will continue doing so. Of course, we cannot expect too much but a little does plenty. Again, the W. Va. SNPJers thank the headquarters for the help they have given us. No one will ever know how much we have appreciated their kindness. I thank all my pen pals for being so active in writing to me. If I haven’t answered some of your letters for a long time, I will answer .them soon. You see, I have been a busy girl lately. HELEN VIDMAR, Secretary, Circle 16, Box 76, Pierce, W. Va. * JUNIOR ALL STAR NEWS MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Our last meeting was held on July 15 instead of July 1st, because many of our members could not attend. In the absence of our vice-president, the president appointed Tony Kodrich as temporary vice-president. We spent some time discussing the Federation picnic which was scheduled for July 30 at Lake Denoon. Adviser Schweiger informed us that trucks were to be hired at a very reasonable price so that we could all go. We also planned another outing to be held in August. Since our first outing was a success, the members decided to have a second one. A committee was appointed to make plans for this outing. We were supposed to have games, wiener and marshmallow roasts, swimming, boat-riding, etc. The last outing was very successful and much fun was had by all, so we anticipate another success. Our baseball team set a practice date because we were supposed to play the Lily lodge team at the Federation picnic. The boys are willing to play, but it is hard to get games. Most of us play with some other team. We are always ready for games. I wish more members would attend our meetings. There are always the same faithful ones that come. If all the rest would come we could plan bigger and better affairs. More and more circles are being organized. It shows that there is some activity going on among the members. See you again next month. JOHN POKLAR JR., Circle 4, Lodge No. 16, 927-A W. Scott St., Milwaukee, Wis. * COMETS FORM NEW CIRCLE UNIVERSAL, PA.—On Thursday, June 29, a special meeting was held here for the purpose of planning the juvenile annual outing and of organizing a juvenile circle. A spacious and lovely site was decided upon—North Park, and a good time was in store for all. The second subject, already mentioned above and which concerns all Comet juveniles, was brought up at the meeting—the organization of a Comet Juvenile Circle. Mr. Louis Kumer, one of the Administrators and Chairman of the Juvenile Committee, explained about the Juvenile Circle—its purpose and how the juveniles should benefit 'by it. We have already taken steps in the forming of this Circle by electing our officers. They are as follows: Richard Berg, President; William Manfre- do, Vice-President; Tillie Puskarich, Secretary; Howard Cherric, Treasurer; John Bergant, Sergeant-at-Arms. At this meeting we also decided upon having the first Monday evening of each month as our regular monthly meet. If this Circle is to be a success-—■ and it must be a success!—all the Juvenile®, who are able, should take interest and attend the meetings regularly. I wish to add that in the last few years there have been very few letters representing the Comet Juveniles in the ML. But from now on there should be at least several letters each month from Universal. Or if you are one of those people who simply can’t write letters and dislike doing so, why not enter some of the contests? Or maybe you are talented in art work or puzzles. You could contribute something. JULIA BREGANT, Lodge 715 SNPJ, Universal, Pennsylvania. * THE HUGE SNPJ CELEBRATION RUGBY, COLO.—We had a big SNPJ celebration at the Walsenburg Pavilion on July 2. Refreshments were served, also candy and chewing gum. Circles No. 1 and No. 20 gave a welcome performance at the Pavilion. The guest of honor at this event was Bro. Vincent iCainkar, Supreme president of the SNPJ, who gave an interesting speech. There were many members of SNPJ lodges and their friends present at this huge celebration. The juvenile members were well represented. We all had a grand time. We wish that another affair like this one would soon take place. I am 12 years old and belong to Circle No. 1. I would like to have some pen pals from other Circles, and I will gladly answer all letters that are written to me. I will write more next time. Best regards to all. ROSE MARIE STROVAS, Box 153, Rugby, Colo. * FROM CIRCLE NO. 13 CLEVELAND, 0.—Our July meeting was poorly attended. I guess the heat was too much for mosj; of us. But I hope that our August meeting, scheduled for Aug. 12, had a better attendance. By the time the September meeting comes around, Sept. 9, the summer heat will be over, school will start again and more members are expected at the meetings. By that time, also our vacations will be over. On July 16, a combined picnic of all the Cleveland Juvenile Circles of the SNPJ was held. This big picnic was held at the SNPJ Recreation Farm. We Wet in front of the Slovene National Home at 9 0 clock in the morning. We had our lunches with us. Many parents of the juvenile members also attended. This picnic was a great success. We had nice Weather all day, and it was nice out on the farm. There were several Slovene and English letters Printed in the Prosveta about this picnic before and after the date. And a real good time was had by all. As already stated, our next meeting will be held Sept. 9 at 2 p. m. in Room 3 of the Slovene Auditorium on St. Clair Ave. Don’t fail to attend. ALICE POPOTNIK, President, Circle 13, 6219 Carl Ave., Cleveland, 0. Lodge 5. * VIEWS—REVIEWS—PREVIEWS GIRARD, KANS.—This is your Jolly Kansans’ Circle No. 11 reporting from the Sunflower State and bringing to you the latest and up to the minute news from the Slovene Juvenile World. During the month of July three major affairs were held in Kansas. Two gala affairs by two of our senior lodges and an outing by our Juvenile Circle. On July 1, Yale Lodge No. 9 celebrated its 35th anniversary along with our Society’s anniversary. The Jolly Kansans’ Circle was an active participant on the afternoon’s program. Bro. Bratkovich announced the program through the loud speaker system which we were fortunate to secure for the affair. The major part of the program were talks by lodge officials and boosters. Some of the talks were by Bros. Bratkovich, Stefančič, Sular, and Pecar, all active SNPJ boosters. Talks by Adviser Mary Sular, Pres. Henry W. Jelovchan, and Sec’y Olga Knapich relating on the progress of the SNPJ and our Juvenile Circle. Along with this we had an assortment of musical numbers comprising of accordion solos by Henry Jelovchan, a fine performance by the Rugel children, SNPJ members from Gillespie, Illinois, and Slovene singing by Olga Knapich and Dorothy Karlinger. Whoa there! I forgot the Juvenile highlight of the day, an exercise composed of 31 juvenile members arranged in four tiers —small children in front and bigger ones in back— in spelling out the famous words “Slovene National Benefit Society”. Each member said a line and then all sang “Let Me Stay in Kansas,” accompanied on the accordion by Henry W. Jelovchan. The climax of the afternoon was the talk by Bro. Vider, the Supreme Sec’y of our Society. And we were indeed proud to be members of our Society. He gave such an inspiring talk on the merits of our Society. After all this the musicians— WMBH Radio Artists—Harry and his Hot Shots “Rolled out the Barrel,” meaning the “Beer Barrel Polka.” I will say it was a day well spent by all. This report is more or less a summary, more detailed information was found in a recent issue of the Prosveta and elsewhere in this issue. On July 4, Lodge 225 of Edison, Kansas, one of the most active of Kansas lodges, celebrated its 25th anniversary at Novak’s Grove. The committee have secured a large platform along with good music. Bro. Golob has contributed a lamb and we had barbecued mutton on the afternoon’s menu. Bro. Zalaznik, Master of Ceremonies at our First Annual Circle Day and also a member of Lodge 225, was dressed in the costume of a policeman, and had a large crate hung on his back—within which was a live rooster. And again Bro. Zalaznik took the show as well as the cake. There was a large attendance including many juvenile members and again a good time was had by all. On July 23 we had our Juvenile Festival at Beauti- ful Lincoln Park in Pittsburg, Kansas, the most beautiful and largest nark in southwest Kansas, which possesses the best equipped playground. While the bigger children played ball and swam the small ones played at the playground. Refreshments were served. We were honored with the presence of Mary Jugg who was on vacation here in Kansas with relatives. Now having reviewed all the affairs of the past month, we gazed into the future and saw that August 6 was our meeting date at Breezy Hill. And now the spotlight .turns and we see another major affair coming up—the Kansas Federation Picnic at Novak’s Grove on Labor Day. In closing, I wish to thank all Jolly Kansan members who participated in the July 1st affair at Yale, Kansas. And so till the next issue, I remain, HENRY WM. JELOVCHAN, President, Circle 11, RPD 3, Box 1526, Girard, Kansas. * JOLLY KANSANS’ MEETINGS GIRARD, KANS.—This time we, the members of the Jolly Kansans Juvenile Circle, are greeting you with smiles from the SNPJ hall in Franklin. Date: May 7. Time: 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Our peppy youngsters are all present, although it is raining. Our meeting is now in progress. The members are discussing plans for our first Circle Jamboree Day and a proposal to send representatives to the SNPJ celebration in July at Yale. The business routine is over in record time and we are ready for our regular entertainment prepared by the Secretary. (A brief review of this program was printed in the Prosveta.) It is time to draw for the monthly attendance award. John Zibert is not present to receive it. Bro. Ulepich and Bro. Shular donate 15c towards the award. The President is the lucky winner. The award is 50c. We are grateful to our fine Senior members for their continued cooperation, their interest in us and their encouragement. The meeting adjourns and the boys and girls play indoor games, after which ice cream and cake is on the menu. Again we greet you from the same hall assembled at our regular June meet. A very fine attendance of boys and girls is on hand. Plans are being completed for our Jamboree Circle Day. In place of Vice-iPresident Mary Nolimal, who had gone to Chicago, Frances Zaubi is elected to fill the vacancy as Vice-President of the Circle. Best wishes and good luck to Mary in her new environment; good luck to Frances in her new position. May her work boost the circle to the top. Plans for the July 1st celebration in Yale are completed. The lad whose name was drawn for the monthly attendance award was not present. It is important that you attend each and every meeting. The younger boys take part in the program and get a warm applause. The meeting adjourns and refreshments are served. Softball practice is on for the June 11 game. The girls had 6 outs because they had only juvenile members, while the boys had older boys. The winning pitchers are Dorothy Karlinger and Olga Knapich; Joe Strukel was the losing pitcher. In the tug-of-war the girls won, too. We wish .to express our appreciation for all your efforts, juvenile and adult members and workers, who so loyally performed their task and who attended our huge affair. Our July meeting was held at the SNPJ hall in Yale. We are discussing our outing. The date: July 23. A committee is named to complete plans. The monthly attendance award is won by Mary Mo-harik. A little social and refreshments are served after the meeting. The August meeting was scheduled to take place at the SNPJ hall at Breezy Hill on the 6th. (Details later.) Our July 23 festival was a great success. It was held at Lincoln Park and the weather was ideal for picnicking. We had a very interesting game and about 1000 spectators were watching the battle. The members had a lot of fun playing and jumping, drinking pop and eating sandwiches and ice cream. As our guest we had with us a friend of the M. L., Mary Jugg, who took pictures of the group. We wish to thank her for her visit with the Jolly Kansans and hope she enjoyed herself. Next month we will greet you from Breezy Hill and tell you a few things about our August meeting there. Best wishes to all. OLGA KNAPICH, Secretary, Circle 11. * “ALL AROUND” JUVENILE CIRCLE SHARON, PA. —I am very happy to announce that we have formed a Juvenile Circle, here in Jolly Kansans’ Circle No. 11 at Lincoln Park, Pittsburg, Kans., July 23. Sharon, Pa., a few months ago. I know that it already has been announcde by several of our Juveniles. But I, too, would like to add a few suggestions, if I may. First, I am appealing to all Mothers and Fathers that have children in the Circle, to please send them to the monthly meetings regularly. Because at almost every meeting matters of importance will be discussed. Our last two meetings were very poorly behaved. Maybe it was the heat, or what. Most of our Juveniles are already taking a part in our Singing Chorus, and, of course, in dramatics. I would like to see more of you join. I am sure that your parents would enjoy hearing you sing their native songs. I think that it is a very good suggestion to see each Juvenile Circle have a Slovene Singing Club, and also a Slovene Reading Club. That, of course, is—if the children are interested, and I .think they are. Our Circle is planning for a Reading Club in the fall. ROSTER OF JUVENILE Circle No. 1—Walsenburg, Colo. (299)—Joseph Strovas, President ; Edward Tomsic, Vice-President; Ann Urban, Secretary; Evelyn Strovas, Treasurer; Ed. Tomsic, Manager. Circle No. 2.—Cleveland, O. (137)—Marian Tratnik, President; Frank Chaperlo, Vice-President; Anna Čebulj, Secretary; Alma Zagar, Treasurer; Antoinette Simčič, Manager.—Meets 1st Thursday of each month. Circle No. 3—Collinwood, O. (53)—Raymond Durn, President; Eugene Terbizan, Vice-President; Josephine Gorjanc, Secretary; Dorothy Ogrinc, Treasurer; Joseph J. Durn, Manager.—Meetings on the Fourth Friday of every month. Circle No. 4—Milwaukee, Wis. (16, 584) Leon Sagadin. President; Don Jaeger, Vice-President; Elsie Schmalz, Secretary ; Anna Tesovnik, Treasurer; Leo Schweiger, Manager. Circle No. 5—Luzerne, Pa. (204)—John Baloh, President; Carl Hodra, Vice-President; Joseph Slapar, Secretary; Mary Vozel, Recording Secretary; Frank Zupančič, Treasurer. Circle No. 6—Cleveland, O. (812,142)—Sophie Žnidaršič, President; Dorothy Fier, Vice-President; John Spiller, Secretary; Sophie Kapel, Recording Secretary. ; John Kapel, Treasurer.— Meetings first Wed. of every month at 7:30 P. M. Cirele No. 7—Girard, O. (643)—Bernice Luke, President1, Louis Račič, Vice-President; Louise Račič, Treasurer; Dorothy Selak, Secretary; Fanny Milavec, Manager.—Meetings on the first Friday of every month. Circle No. 8—Euclid, O. (158, 450)—Lillian Koller, President; John Knific, Vice-President; Margaret Bucar, Secretary; Louis Janezic, Treasurer; Joseph Mekind, Recording Secretary; Mary Dodic and Frances Tegel, Managers. Meetings on third Tuesday of every month. Circle No. 9—Crested Butte, Colo. (397)—Anna Slobodnik, President; Anna Schaeffer, Vice-President; Robert Slobodnik, Secretary, Joe Yudnich, Treasurer; Martin Težak, Manager. Circle No. 10.—Salem, O. (476)—Ava Krizay, President; Martha Omots, Vice-President; Helen Mihevc, Secretary; Joe Kovich, Recording Secretary; Frances Mihevc, Manager; John Dermota, Assistant Manager.—Meetings on first Sunday of each month. Circle No. 11—Girard, Kans.—Henry Jelovchan, President; Frances Zaubi, Vice-President; Olga Knapich, Secretary; Jennie Lampe, Treasurer; Mary Shular, Manager.—Meets 1st Sun. of each month. Circle No. 12—Cleveland, O. (126)—Jean Yarshan, President; Sophie Jermon. Vice-President; Irma Juretic. Secretary; Josephine Cokyne, Treasurer.—Meetings every 2nd Friday of the month at 7 P. M. I want to congratulate our very popular artist, Lawrence Garm, of Sharon, for winning an award in the first six months of Our School contest. Keep up the good work, Lawrence, we are surely proud of you. Since so many of our Juveniles are either coming home or going on their vacations, our Singing Club will be out camping for a whole week. And believe me, they surely need a rest after the wonderful work they did during the winter months, with their songs, plays, etc. The chorus will be guided by yours truly. A daily report will be given later about our camping, by one of the Juvenile 'Singing campers. Watch for it! Now that our “All Around” Juvenile Circle has been formed (which was very much necessary here in Sharon), just watch us grow to the top. Come on, Circle No. 21!! On to victory! FRANCES NOVAK, Director, Circle No. 21. CIRCLES AND OFFICERS Circle No. 13—Cleveland, O. (5)—Alice Popotnik, President: Milton Laurencic, Vice-President; Nettie Sraj, Second Vice-Prcsident; Edward Meserko, Secretary; Angela Bratkovich, Recording Secretary; Andy Kutcher, Treasurer; Ann K. Medvešek, Manager.—Meetings every second Saturday in the month at 2:00 P. M. in Room 3 of the Slovene Auditorium. Circle No. 14—Braddock, Pa. (300)—Antoinette Chesnick, President; John Rednak, Vice-President; Peter Sedmak, Secretary ; Louis Karish, Treasurer; Frances Martakus, Manager. Circle No. 15—Verona, Pa. (216, 680)—Ernest Krulac, President ; Tony Doles, Vice-President; Matilda Doles, Secretary; Margaret Ziberg, Treasurer; Catherine Zolet, Manager.—Meetings every fo’.irth Friday of each month. Circle No. 16—Thomas W. Va.—Ernest Selak, President, Frances Komac, Vice-President; Helen Vidmar, Secretary; Frances Božič, Recording Secretary; Jennie Vidoiar, Treasurer; George Beline, Manager. Circle No. 17—Chicago, 111.—Wilfred Wilke, President; Anthony Kopac, Vice-President; Helen Wilke, Secretary; Dorothy Gabriel, Recording Secretary; Elinor Platt, Treasurer; George Seberg, Sergeant-at-Arms; Agnes Mejash, Manager. Circle No. 18—Milwaukee, Wis. (747)—Stefania Clarine, President; Julius Ambrozich, Vice-President; Elizabeth Stumpf, Secretary; Anna Clarine, Treasurer; Helen Ambrozich, Manager. Circle No. 19—Strabane, Pa. (138)—Carl Podboy, President; Vincent Batista, Vice-President; Agnes Koklich, Secretary; Henry Mavrich, Recording Secretary ; Frank Delost, Treasurer; August Podboy, Manager. Circle No. 20—Aguilar, Colo. (381)—Geo Chalon, President; Rose Pavlovich, Vice-President; Frances Kosernik, Secretary; Fred Chalon, Treasurer. Joe Kolenc, Manager. Meetings in City Hall every second Sunday of every month at 10 A. M. Circle No. 21—Sharon, Pa. (31, 262, 755)—Marie Stambal, President; Evelyn Trobentar, Vice-President; Frances Novak, Manager. IMPORTANT!—Omission of the names of any officers in the above Roster, especially the names of the Circle Manager (Adviser or Administrator), many of which are missing, means that the names were not reported. Please report the name of the Manager (Adviser or Administrator) of the Circle where it is missing. It is very important to have the Manager’s name in this Roster. Report any correction to Vincent Cainkar, General Director of Juvenile Circles, 2657 So. Lawndale Ave., Chicago, III. Our Pen Pals Write (Naši čitateljčki pišejo) THE EVER-INTERESTING M. L. Dear Editor:—In this, my second letter to the Mladinski List, I would like to tell you that the ML is very interesting. I think all the articles are interesting, especially those about the famous writers, about the SNPJ, etc., also the crossword puzzles, pen pal letters and others. I am a sophomore at the Waukegan Township High and I am sixteen years of age. My hobbies are—of all things—jitterbug dancing and singing. A few weeks ago Waukegan gave a parade for Jack Benny, the well-known radio star who hails from this city. Many movie people such as Dorothy La-mour, Andy Devine, Phil Harris and others were in the parade. My favorite singer, Gertrude Nieson, was in this event also. I would like to have pen pals my age. I think Frank Nahtigal from Toronto, Canada, wrote a very interesting piece in the June issue. I must not forget to mention that besides jitterbug dancing, I like to dance to Slovene polkas and waltzes. And now: Best regards to all.—Elvera Mihevc, 624 Helmholtz Ave., Waukegan, Illinois. * PEN PAL LETTERS—LOTS OF FUN Dear Editor:—I was very glad to see my letter in the ML which I like to read every month. In my letter I mentioned the fact that I was promoted in school from class six to class seven. Somehow or other, in the ML it was stated that I passed to class four, which is an error that migiht have occurred either in my letter or in the printery. It really doesn’t matter as a little mistake like that does not change the fact at all. In the second part of July I was planning to go on my vacation, camping with my girl friend. That was after this letter was written. I have a new pen pal, Helen Urban, of Walsenburg, Colorado. It’s lots of fun receiving pen pal letters and answering them. I am going to quit my guitar lessons soon because I’ve been very busy lately and have missed many lessons. Best regards to all the SNPJ members.— Nelly Rogel, 231 Kathleen St., Sudbury, Ont., Canada. * SUMMER AND PICNICS Dear Editor:—I have written several letters to this wonderful magazine and all of them were printed. That was some time ago. I have promised then to write soon, but it seems that I never got around to it. Sunday, July 16, our family went to a picnic sponsored by .the Socialist 'Club of Franklin, Pa. The picnic was held at Park Hill. We met quite a few friends there. And Sunday, July 23, our SNPJ lodge 503, “Hrib,” held a picnic at Hysota, Pa. On Aug. 6, at Johnstown, Pa., sixteen lodges of the SNPJ Federation were planning to celebrate our Society’s 35th anniversary. Our family was planning to go camping July 28 and 29. Swimming and fishing were the two main features on our program for this family affair.—-Joe Tursich, Box 37, Jenners, Pennsylvania. * ELSIE’S HOBBIES Dear Editor:—I am writing my first letter to the Mladinski List and I will try to write many more. I wish to tell you that I like the ML very much as I think it is very interesting. I am a member of the SNPJ lodge 135, and before I was a member of SNPJ lodge 27'5 in Maynard, Ohio. We moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in June of last year. I wish to say that all the members of our family belong to the SNPJ. Since we moved to Cleveland, I have met many new friends, but still like .to go back and visit my old friends in Maynard. I am a 10-B student at John Adams High School, which is a very big school. This coming fall I am going to take up the commercial course, in which the following subjects are included: English, biology, commercial and typing, and home economics. My hobbies are sewing and collecting autographs. My favorite stars are Alice Faye, Sonja Henie, Deanna Durbin, and Jackie Cooper. My younger sister, Elaine, plays a guitar and enjoys it very much. We always like to harmonize on songs. She has played and sang many times at the school she attended. She likes to play and sing cowboy songs. She is a 9-B. I am enjoying my summer vacation very much. I like to go to the beaches and also like to roller skate. I also go out to the farms and have picnics. I wish more girls and boys from Maynard, Ohio, would write to the ML. With a promise to write more in my next letter, I remain—Elsie Zlatoper, 4239 Lee Road, Cleveland, Ohio. * PRIZE MADE HIS VACATION PERFECT Dear Editor:—I want to thank the SNPJ for the ten dollars that I received for my drawings in the Our School contest conducted in the ML. A few days after I received the check I went to the school picnic and had a very good time. I also bought some new fishing tackle and spent most of my time fishing in and around Pittsburgh. Again I want to thank you for the prize that made my vacation perfect.—Joseph Zupančič, age 16, 4745 Modac Way, Pittsburgh, Pa. Lodge 118. * . OUR JULY CELEBRATION Dear Editor:—In this, my second letter to the ML, I wish to tell you that we had a wonderful Fourth of July celebration. I won second place in the three-legged race. We also had many other races which I had entered but I didn’t have any luck. Did any of you ever enter a cracker-eating contest? I did. And it certainly is fun. On July 23, six days before my sister Mildred’s birthday, we had a Jugoslav Radio Hour picnic at the Hibbing Fair grounds. The first week in July we had a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Virginia. There isn’t much more to say this time. It is quite hot here this summer, with a little rain now and then. So I think this is all for now. I hope some boys and girls of my age (12) would write to me and I’ll gladly answer their letters. My sister Mildred says “Hello” to all ML readers.—Rosemarie Panyan, Box 339, Woodbridge Ave., Buhl, Minnesota. * OUR TRIP TO ILLINOIS Dear Editor:—I enjoy reading the Mladinski List because it is very interesting. This is my second letter to this magazine. I am 13 years of age and am a member of Juvenile Circle No. 2, of Sharon, Pa., which was organized several months ago. There are 36 members in the circle. Saturday, July, our family started on an auto trip to the state of Illinois. We left quite early in the morning and saw many interesting things on the way, such as famous rivers, bridges, airports, lakes, parks, OCC camps, colleges and universities, to mention only a few things. When we arrived in La Salle, our destination, it was late afternoon. We visited our relatives who were very glad to see us. The next day we went to the city of De Pue to visit our cousins. Then we went to Starved Rock park and saw its- many interesting spots. Then we went to the dam on the Illinois river. Here we saw the locks which open and close and eight million gallons of water emptied to the same level as the Illinois river. A boat could not pass the dam if it were not for the locks. These locks open to let any kind of boat through, even a canoe or a rowboat. The next day we went to Chicago where we saw Lake Michigan, the Navy Pier and the Naval Armory, besides many skyscrapers and other important buildings and parks. Then we visited the SNPJ Headquarters where we saw the Information Room, the Conference Room, the President’s Office, the Editorial Rooms, and the composing and printing rooms where the Prosveta and the Mladinski List are published. The SNPJ Auditorium is quite large and is very beautiful. Before we came to Chicago we visited the Chicago Zoo at Brookfield. Here we saw the famous panda Mei-Mei (meaning “little sister”) that was brought from China by Miss Ruth Harkness. We also saw many other interesting animals. And on our way home from Chicago we saw the Illinois State Penitentiary near Joliet. Another interesting thing that We saw was an underground subway station which "was used for runaway slaves during the Civil War. At St. Bedes School we visited a museum which Was made by a Slovene priest. Stuffed lions, tigers, alligators, moose, deer, buffalo and many kinds of birds could be seen. Also the tree that was in the Battle of Gettysburg which stood between the two forces. Musket-balls are still in the tree. While we were in La Salle we also visited the Slovenski Dom which is very large and beautiful. And, until I write again—best regards to all SNPJ members and to my cousins in La Salle and De Pue. —Louis Zickar Jr., 1106 Beechwood Ave., Farrell, Pennsylvania. Lodge 262. * THE BIGGEST OPEN PIT MINE Dear Edidtor:—You will notice that this is my first letter to this magazine. I enjoy reading it very much. I am 11 years old and I passed to the 7th grade. I have been attending the Location school for seven years, but now I will be transferred to another school. I like the tongue twisters, the dizzy dots, the jokes, and the questions, also the letters and articles. My favorite sports are swimming and baseball. I like to read and collect pictures of other states. In our family we have two members that belong .to the SNPJ, my father and I. We are members of Lodge 125, and we are very glad to be members of this organization. My father attends the meetings, but we juveniles in Minnesota have no circles. We would like to have a juvenile circle. I live in the district in which the biggest open pit mine is located. We have a beautiful High School and Memorial Building, and we have many lakes. I would like .to have some pen pals who are interested in scenery. I will send them some pictures of Minnesota. We Minnesotans are very proud of our state. My father works at the open pit mine and I can go there every day. I will write again next month.—Helen Mrkonich, Box 386, Carson Lake, Minnesota. * POEM: “RAINING” Dear Editor:—I am very sorry that I didn’t write to this magazine before. I am in the seventh grade. That is, I will be in the seventh grade next fall when the school opens. Our school was out May 26, and weren’t we glad! We held a picnic in the hills, played baseball, climbed trees and did many other things. We enjoyed these sports very much. I have one pen pal, Betty Cowgill, of Middletown, Ohio. I would like to have some more pen pals. On June 12 I was 12 years old and I got a pencil and a wrist watch for present. I like to play baseball and I like to go swimming. Here is a little poem I read in a paper: Raining It is raining in my garden, Little puddles you can see. It is raining on my play house Underneath the apple tree. It is raining on my puppy, He is crying by the door. Nana says he cant’ come in now He’ll make spots on her clean floor It is raining on my gold fish, But they only wave a fin. It could rain on all my playthings If they’d let my puppy in. I will write more next month. Best wishes to one and all.—Theresa Turley, Kemmerer, Wyoming. A BIG SNPJ CELEBRATION Dear Editor:—I am 13 years old and I am in the eighth grade in the Aguilar Public School. This is my first letter to the Mladinski List. On Sunday, July 2, Circle No. 20 of Aguilar and Circle No. 1 of Walsenburg presented a short program on the occasion of SNPJ’s 35th anniversary celebration. We welcomed Bro. Vincent Cainkar, president of the SNPJ, who was the principal speaker at the celebration. Each juvenile member that entertained received 15c. I received more because I recited two Slovene poems. Later I sang outside to Frank S.trova’s music; he plays an accordion very, very well. The following day, Monday, July 3, I went to Pueblo, where Mr. Cainkar was scheduled to appear and show films of Jugoslavia and America. The announcer said that I was 7 or 8 years old, but that was wrong. I am so small that people don’t believe I am 13 years old. I would like to have some pen pals to write to me and I promise to answer every letter.—Mitzi Koser-nick, Box 199, Aguilar, Colorado. * OUR TWO SNPJ AFFAIRS Dear Editor:—Since vacation time is here and the good old summer time with it, most of our juvenile circles will be rearin’ to have picnics and go on outings. The time is here when each of us has a little time to spare and write .to the Mladinski List. Remember that we will not have very much time after school starts. The weather here in Kansas was very hot in July and the farmers were worrying about their crops burning up. Finally, after a few weeks of hot and windy weather, we had a big rain which helped the farms a great deal. On July 1st, about 1:30 in the afternoon, everyone was headed for Yale, Kans., to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the SNPJ, and it was worth our time to be there. The program consisted of instrumental and vocal solos and speeches. And then a drill given by the juveniles. Bro. Fred Vider, Supreme Sec’y of the Society, was the main speaker on the program and delivered a very interesting address on the work of the SNPJ. Juvenile Adviser Mary Shular also spoke. This concluded the program. There was plenty to eat and drink. Harry and his Hot Shots started playing and everyone was dancing to the Beer Barrel Polka. There were many people at the celebration from far and near. On July 23, another great day was in store for the members of .the Jolly Kansans Circle. A picnic was held at Lincoln Park at Pittsburg, Kans. Most of the members were present and those that were not there surely missed a good time. Again we had plenty to eat and drink and a lot of fun. Mary Jugg was present at our picnic and we were glad to make her acquaintance. I saw in the Mladinski List for August that Kansas is waking up and getting that real old Kansas spirit. Let’s keep it up. I think we can be in the lead in writing letters. Until next time, I remain— Fannie Galicich, R. R. 1, Box 137, Arcadia, Kansas. AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR Dear Editor:—It is a few months since I wrote last to this magazine. I was very busy the last few months, and now that I have time, I decided to write. In May, we had an exhibition at our school. It was a great success. On June 11, a concert was given by the Juvenile Singers of Cleveland, Ohio, here in Pittsburgh. The concert was held in the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall. After the concert the adults and children went to the Slovene Hall on 57th and Butler Sts., where a supper was prepared for them. On that day my mother and I went to visit some friends on the 57th street and I was sitting on their porch watching the children climbing the hills for over one hour. I noticed that everyone went down on the opposite side of the street but one girl. I never saw this girl before. She came up to me and asked me if my name was> Mary Ban. I said, “Yes,” and she said: “I am your cousin from Cleveland, Josephine Ban.” Of course I was overjoyed at this sudden meeting. I went into the house to tell my mother to come and see Josephine. She came out— but Josephine was gone. My mother said that I must find her. I began to look around and after a little while I found her. My mother asked her if she could go with us to our house. Yes; she was permitted to stay for an hour. We took Josephine home with us and we talked and talked. She speaks the Slovene language very well. After a while I went back to .the Slovene Hall with her. I was talking with her for a while and then the time came to go home. A few days later I received a letter from Josephine. She wrote that she came home from Pittsburgh at 5:30 in the morning. I want to thank her for the birthday present she sent me. I hope that I will see her soon again and also that she will continue to write to me. On June 23, I was promoted to the eighth grade. I went to Cleveland last year for two days and for a week’s vacation with friends. This summer, however, I will stay at home with my mother. I will write soon again to the Mladinski List which we all like so much. Best regards and good wishes to all.—Mary Ann Ban, age 13, 5149 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. * HUCKLEBERRY MOUNTAINS Dear Editor:—I am very sorry I broke my resolution by not writing last month, but I’ll try not to miss any more. The reason for breaking this resolution, which could not have been 'helped, were the huckleberries, which were always on my mind. You see, we live 2 miles away from a group of Huckleberry Mountains which are also called the Moosit Mts. The berries are getting scarce because of the lack of rain. Fires are also breaking out on these mountains. At home, the plants and trees are all dry and everybody is wishing for rain. I hope it comes soon. The lakes are crowded with people who are trying to cool off. I wonder how some people manage to keep cool these hot summer days. Maybe, if one would sit in his ice box and hang his feet in the cellar, and again maybe not. . . I will surely try to write each month from now on. I remain a Proud Member—Mary Ostanek, 124 Vine Street, Forest City, Pa. * SCHOOL WILL OPEN SOON Dear Editor:—Now that school will start very soon there will be probably fewer letters. I will try to write every month to this magazine. And what is the matter with Margie Burtol? Why doesn’t she write to the ML? I noticed Elsie Mae’s verse in the July issue. It was nice. My hobbies are collecting postcards and pictures. I have quite a few pictures. I also collect stamps. I have some from Jugoslavia, one from Italy and the others are from different states. I like to collect stamps very much. And now that vacation time has ended we will be busy studying . Here are two little poems: Mladinski List The Mladinski List Is a fine magazine For it contains So many nice things. School The school bells will start to ring again, And the boys and girls will enter in. And when their time comes for the test, They’ll try to pass it real fast. This is all for this time; more next month. Best regards to all.—Ernestine Močivnik, P. 0. Box 86, Jenny Lind, Arkansas. * THE ANT AND THE CRICKET Dear Editor:—I am 8 years old and I passed to the fourth grade. I am sending in a little story about an ant and a cricket. A silly young cricket, accustomed to sing throughout the long sunny months of gay summer and spring, began to complain when he found that at home his cupboard was empty and winter was coming. Not a crumb could be found on the snow-covered ground, not a flower could be seen, not even a leaf on a tree. “Oh, what will become of me?” said the cricket. But the ant was wiser; he stored enough food in summer for the entire winter. I wish all the members good luck.—Georgie Marie Močivnik, P. 0. Box 86, Jenny Lind, Arkansas. * MY HOBBY: COLLECTING PICTURES Dear Editor:—This is my second letter to the M'L. I didn’t see many letters in the ML from members' of SNPJ Lodge 300, so I decided to write. I guess everybody hopes that this magazine would come every week instead of every month. I am going to seventh grade this year. I like school very ftiuch. My hobby is collecting pictures of movie stars—Anne Rutherford, Gene Autry, Tyrone Power, Janet Gaynor, and others. I wish more juveniles would write from our lodge. I will write more next time. Best wishes to all.—Irene Yuricich, 1323 Hilda St., East McKeesport, Pennsylvania. * JOKES AND MORE JOKES Dear Editor:—I am very sorry to say that this is my first letter to the ML. I am 12 years old and in the seventh grade. I just graduated and will attend Jr. High school this fall. My last semester’s teachers were Miss Vance, Mrs. Kunaup, and Miss Bennett, the principal. I enjoyed the jokes in the August number very much. Here are a few: Artist: This picture took 8 years of work. Friend: That’s a lot of time to devote to one painting. Artist: Well, it took six days to paint it and the rest of the time to sell it. “What were the odds on your horse?” “He started at 20 to 1 and came in at a quarter to 8.” She: I wear this gown only to teas. He: To tease whom? Mother: “Son, what in the world are you doing?” Son: “I’ve got a large pan out in the rain because you said it was raining cats and dogs, and I want a dog.” Until next month. iCome on, pen pals, all over the States, write to me.—Joanne Pristov, 1925 45th St., Kenosha, Wis. Lodge 35. * IZPOLNJENE ŽELJE Dragi urednik!—V zadnji številki ML sem videl moj dopisek. Zelo se mi je dopadel. Lepo ste ga uredili. Upam, da boste tudi tega. Hvala vam že vnaprej! Tu so moje želje in veselje: Oni dan smo se peljali na farmo k stricu in .teti. To je moja želja, peljati se na farmo. To je tudi moje veselje. Ko smo prišli do hiše, smo ugledali strica in teto. Videli smo tudi veliko tropo kokoši. Malo naprej sta stala dva lepa konja. Mikalo me je, da bi vprašal strica, če smem h konjema. Pa sem vprašal. Stric je dovolil. Kar žarel sem samega veselja. Splezal sem na konja, ki me je odnesel precej daleč. To je pa bil višek moje radosti. Tisti konj je dobra, prijazna žival. Je dobro rejen in na njegovem hrbtu se udobno sedi. Grivo ima dolgo in lepo. Kako naj se mu zahvalim? Stopil sem v koruzno polje in mu dal koruzni storž. Da ste ga videli, tega bistrega konjička, kako jo je z veseljem pohrustal! Moja želja, da bi šel na farmo, se je uresničila. Zraven pa sem imel obilo veselja s konji in drugimi domačimi živalmi. Prihodnjič bom spet kaj napisal. —Joe Rott, 18815 Chickasaw Ave., Cleveland, Ohio. * THE RAINS CAME Dear Editor:—It’s been quite a while since I’ve written to this magazine, and reading over the old ML issues woke me up. Right now the rain is pour- ing down in barrels. Main Street looks like a river and when a car comes along it splashes so high it would cover over my head. School will start soon and I’ll be in my sophomore year or the tenth grade. My brother is in the eleventh and my sister in the twelfth grade. On June 25 I went to Shadyside Park, Clairton, Pa., where the SNPJ Day was held. A large crowd was in attendance and I enjoyed myself. As my letter is long enough I wish my pen pals would answer my letters. There are only two girls that write regularly. I would like to have letters from girls and boys. Regards to all.—Florence Bregant, Box 164, Universal, Pa. * DOUBLE PROMOTION Dear Editor:—I want to thank you for the check I received for sending my poem to the Our School contest. It has encouraged me to send more poems and letters. I am 13 years of age and I made a double promotion in the ninth grade. I go to the Prick Summer 'School every morning from 8:25 to 12:30 and I enjoy it very much because it is very easy. We do only the important things. We have homework every evening and go to school for six weeks. I am learning about stocks and bonds now and I find it very interesting.—Sylvia Zupančič, age 13, 4745 Modac Way, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Lodge 118. * THE MEANING OF SNPJ BENEFIT Dear Editor:—My first letter was published about 1% years ago, and this is my second letter to this magazine. I am ashamed to say that, but it’s true. Although I do not write to the ML, I sure do enjoy reading the letters, jokes, poems, etc., especially when someone from W. Va. writes in the ML I enjoy reading it more than anything else. I will be 14 years old this month, September, and will be a freshman going to Thomas High School. I have four brothers and one sister; she is in Cleveland, 0. We all belong to the SNPJ lodge. My father has been sick for eleven months and has been getting sick benefit from the SNPJ. I am glad he 'belongs to the SNPJ for the insurance or help it gives in case of sickness means' a lot. People from other states come to this part of W. Va. and they think it is a beautiful country with big mountains, falls (especially the Blackwater Falls), Blackwater Canyon, Seneca Rocks, Seneca Trail, etc. This country really is beautiful, although many people around here do not realize it. Right now, there is .too much rain and the air is cold. Also, the work in this part of the state isn’t very good. There is nothing but coal mines in this vicinity and the miners work only 2 to 3 days a week, sometimes only one day a week. I am ho_ping to get some pen pals. ■—Sophie Polantz, Box 2, Pierce, West Virginia. * FATHER MEETS A BEAR Dear Editor:—I was very much pleased when I saw my first letter in the ML and decided to write again. One day as my father was coming home from work in the woods, he met up with a baar. He stood still for a while and was looking at the bear. Then shouted and the bear started to run into the woods. When my father told us about it that night we all had to laugh at him, but it was no laughing matter for him. I wouldn’t know what to do if I met up with a bear. I will close now hoping to hear from some pen pals. Best regards to all.—Jennie Bradley, Lodge 391, Box 102, Sheffield, Pa. ♦ Zanimivo pismo iz Clevelanda Dear Editor:—Danes, ko pišem te vrstice, je lepo nedeljsko jutro. Nedelja, 30. julija. Čist in svež zrak je prepojil ozračje. To pa zato, ker je vso noč deževalo. Dež je napojil izsušeno zemljo. Vrtovi so osveženi. Trava je spet ozelenela. Cvetlice so ponosno dvignile svoje ovenele glavice. Vse je željno pričakovalo blagodjnega dežja. Zapihal je severni veter, ki nas je prijetno ohladil. Za piknike pa je danes malo premokro. Ampak poleti se zemlja kmalu osuši. Popoldne bo menda vse živo na deželi. Dne 16. julija se je moj načrt zrušil. Tega dne so imeli vsi clevelandski krožki SNPJ svoj skupni zlet. Ta zlet se je vršil na novi farmi društev SNPJ. Zelo sem se veselila tega zleta. Že ob petih zjutraj sem ustala, da ne bom zamudila. Živimo namreč precej oddaljeno. Z atom sva šla čakat na prostor, kamor je imel privoziti truck. Na najino veliko razočaranje so si pa izbrali drugo pot. Čakala in čakala sva dolgo, toda zaman je bilo najino čakanje. Nazadnje sva jo mahnila proti domu. Mama se je zelo čudila, jaz sem se pa na tihem jezila. Mislila sem si: “Le počakajte, vam že pokažem!” Toda kaj sem hotela, če je tako. Mi bo pa prihodnjič sreča bolj naklonjena. Dne 15. julija je imelo naše društvo 137 SNPJ večerni ali moonlight piknik. Toda žal, bilo je dokaj mrzlo vreme. Vse je bežalo v notranje prostore. Balincarji pa so ostali na vrtu. Zabavali pa smo se zelo dobro, kakor vselej pri Naprednih Slovenkah. Tam sem srečala več članic našega krožka. Godčevo Marion, Tratnikovo Elmo, Žagarjevo in več drugih. Navzoča je bila tudi ga. Trav-nikova, ki nas tako lepo uči šivanja. Seveda je bila tam tudi naša vešča voditeljica ga. Simčičeva. Sedaj pa moram končati. Zunaj me čakajo prijateljice. Pozdrav sem čitateljem! Želim, da bi imeli malo več poguma za dopisovanje v M. L. — Violet Vogrin, 19515 Kildeer Ave., Cleveland, Ohio. Društvo 137 SNPJ. * They Are Ali SNPJers Dear Editor:—As this is my very first letter to the M. L., I will tell you a few things about myself. I am 10 years old and will be in the 5th grade this fall. By the time this letter is printed, school will open again. Today is July 28. It’s hot, too hot to play outdoors. There are seven in our family and we all belong to the SNPJ lodge 202. Here in Great Falls, Montana, there will be a North Montana State Fair. Everyone is going to go Western at the fair this year. The fair started Aug. 7 and closed Aug. 12. As this is my first letter to this magazine, I will not make it too long. But I am wishing to have many pen pals. Best regards to all ML readers.— Elsie Iiocevar, 415 33rd St. No., Great Falls, Montana. Lodge 202 SNPJ. * “Festival of Freedom and Fireworks” Dear Editor:—On the Fourth of July we had a large firework display in the Cleveland Stadium. The event was called “The Festival of Freedom and Fireworks.” The place in which the event was held in the spot where all outdoor sports and summer events take place. It is located on our lake front and seats about 85,000 people. We were told that Cleveland was one of the first cities to start public firework displays. Several bands played throughout the program. Our mayor then presented the national awards our city won for traffic safety, public health, fire, and Red Cross membership. Featuring the motorcycle police, mounted police, and also our patrol cars and emergency ambulances. The Fire Department gave demonstrations on net jumping and how the hook and ladder work. Interesting was the first demonstration which was put out in a limited time. We also saw the very first fire engine. Next came the A1 Lirat Grotto Drum and Bugle Corps followed by their drill team. Then the Parade of Colors made its entrance with all the marching units, bands, and foreign groups. It was a very colorful sight. The Boy Scouts unfurled a huge flag and the hand played “The Star Spangled Banner,” and a gun salute was given to the flag. After the program, we had a beautiful display of fireworks. Very interesting were the fireworks which were shown in the forms of our first president George Washington, mayor of Cleveland, the soldiers of the Revolutionary, Civil, and World wars. There were also those in shapes of our popular songs, “Three Little Fishes,” and “Ferdinand.” The Water Falls, Statue of Liberty, and the American Flag ended the festival. Best regards to all.—Alma Zagar, 1111 E. 66th St., Cleveland, Ohio. Lodge 137. * Borovnice in pikniki Dragi urednik!—Že večkrat sem se pripravil, da kaj napišem za M. L., pa ni šlo. Cas beži naprej. Imam precej dela. Sedaj pomagam pri tem in drugič pri drugem delu. Imam dva brata, Johnnyja in Frankieja, a sta oba bolj šibka. Jaz sem pa bolj močan, zato pa mi mama naloži največ dela. Sedaj nabiramo in obirmo borovnice. Te potem mama pripravi in jih imamo za zimo. S tem je dosti dela. Najprej je treba borovnice nabrati. To da dosti truda. Potem jih mama skuha in napolni Posebne steklenice. Borovnice so dobre in tudi zdrave. Lahko se jih je surove ali skuhane. Tudi Paj (pie) iz borovnic je dober. Pri nas smo imeli piknik radijske ure. Pevci in Sodci so nas zabavali. Bilo je toliko ljudi, “da se Je vse trlo.” Ljudje pa so pridno stregli gostom. Dosti je bilo vsega: pijače, sendvičev in drugih dobrot. Piknik je omogočil, da bomo spet imeli slo- venski radioprogram pozimi. Tudi jaz sem pomagal na pikniku. Prodajal sem pop ali sodavice in sladoled ali ice cream. Dne 30. julija pa smo šli na piknik v Buhi, ki je 5 milj od Chisholma. To je bil piknik federacije društev SNPJ. Dokler bomo tako lepo skupno delali, bomo napredovali. Rad poslušam slovenske pesmi in godbo. Lepa hvala Annie Krek za poslano karto. Kadar bo prilika, ji bom tudi jaz pisal. Moje pismo se je precej zavleklo. Tukaj je znana slovenska pesmica: Na gorenjskem je fletno, ker so visoke gore, so bistri studenci in strme steze. Sem fantič urlaubar, ’mam kratke lase, pa se vendar tepejo dekleta za me. Pozdrav čitateljem in uredniku!—Louis Per-kovich, 304 E. Oak St., Chisholm, Minnesota. * My Visit at County Jail Dear Editor:—In this letter I am going to write about my visit to the county jail in Cleveland. Society would be better off if we wouldn’t need such institutions, but since people do wrong and harm society there has to be a way of punishing them. Of course, the present system of punishing the offenders is not the best one. On the evening of June 9, some senior members of our lodge and I went to visit the county jail. We were then escorted through the building by our member, Mrs. Plecko. First we were shown the electric eye and how it works. All the people who come to visit the prisoners have to pass through a door which is magnetized and if they are carrying anything made of steel the electric eye turns red. Next we went up to the 10th floor where the cafeteria is located. Some of the prisoners with mild offenses help in it. After that we were taken through all the cells and floors. We noticed then that the prisoners did not like to see visitors. On every floor there is an alarm box which is set off in case any prisoner would try to escape. At the time of our visit there were 315 prisoners and 75% of them were under 25 years of age. This statement made us wonder why there were so many youths in there. I was asking myself whether these people didn’t realize that crime does not pay. What lead them to commit their crime? To this question, I suppose, there are many answers, but most of the crime is caused because of the economic problems. It is a pity that when they will be released that their records will already be marred. It is advisable for boys and girls 13 years old and up, to visit a jail and see the misery in which one can find himself by doing wrong.—Aiwa Zagar, Lodge 137, 1111 E. 66th St., Cleveland, O. Point of View—Summer Boarder: “What a beautiful view .that is.” Farmer: “Maybe. But if you had to plow that view, harrow it, cultivate it, hoe it, mow it, fence it and pay taxes on it, it would look derned ornery.” * Delayed—Visitor: “Does the giraffe get a sore throat w'hen he gets wet feet?” Attendant: “Yes, sir, but not until the following week.” WHEN WE PLAY Compiled by Ann K. Medvešek - ^dmssk** i /ačata To clo anything ivith interest, to get the heart of the matter and live there active—that is play.—BANCROFT. The following game was sent in by Rosie Matko, age 12, Hoquiam, Washington, Lodge 560. MY PECULIAR GRANDMOTHER I have a peculiar grandmother who doesn’t like anything with the letter “e” in it. Any number of people may play in this game. The player who is “it” must ask the person on his right a question something like the following, “Does she like coffee?” The answer must be similar to the following, “No, but she likes milk,” or “No, but she likes cocoa,” or something else that does not have an “e” in it. If he cannot answer correctly, he becomes “it” and asks the person to the right of him. Some questions that can be asked are: Does she like potatoes? A. No, but she likes carrots. Q. Does she like bananas? A. Yes, but she does not like oranges. Q. Does she like beef? A. No, but she likes roast. * CATCH AND PULL TUG OF WAR A line is drawn in the middle of the space designated for playing. The players are divided into two teams and stand one team on each side of the line. When the signal is given, the game starts by catching an opponent by any part of the body, as hand, arm or foot, reaching over the line, and so pulling him across the boundary. Any number may try to secure hold of an opponent and any number may come to his rescue and try to resist his being pulled over the line, either by pulling him in the opposite direction or by trying to secure a hold on one of the op- ponents. A player does not belong to the enemy until his entire body has been pulled over the line. He must then join his captor in securing players from across the line. The side having the largest number of players at the end of the game is the winner. * POTATO SPOON RACE For this game two or more teams may be formed. Placed before each group and stretching ahead in the same direction should be a row of potatoes at intervals of two or three feet apart. There should be from six to ten potatoes for each row, that is, one potato for each person in the row. Each leader should have a teaspoon. A box, basket, or pan should be placed beside each leader. At a given signal each leader starts forward, takes up a potato on the spoon, and carries it to the box, basket or pan. He then gives the teaspoon to the next player in line, and he himself becomes a spectator. This continues until all the potatoes are in the box. The last player of the winning team must stand beside the box With the spoon overhead as a signal to show he has finished. The larger the potatoes and the more irregular they are the better. It is not permitted to handle the potato at any time. If the player touches the potato he must replace it and pick it up again with the spoon. If the potato drops from the spoon, it must be picked up with the spoon where it dropped, and the play continues from that point. , „ts “DIZZIE DOTS” YOU COMPLETE THE PICTURE “I’m sorry, Mrs. SO-AND-SO, that I have to bring- you this bill,” says Moko, the Moskey, but Mrs. SO-AND-SO just smiles . . . Let’s draw a line from dot to dot and see why she is used to BIG bills. ANSWERS TO “LABOR DAY” CROSSWORD PUZZLE By Francis Zupon ACROSS 3. Grammatical. 11. Resew. 12. Abaca. 13. Vol. 15. Here. 17. A.F.L. 18. Ebon. 20. T.U. 22. Rear. 24. Luna. 26. Dr. 29. Gear. 30. C.I.O. 33. Tent. 34. ’Tis. 35. India. 39. Salvo. 43. Suppuration. DOWN 1. Ore. 2. Lac. 3. Green. 4. As. 5. Me. 6. Of. 10. Et. 18. E.E. 19. Bag. 21. Una. 22. Red. 23. LUA. 24. Lewis. 25. Nr. 27. Rt. 28. Union. 30. C.T.A.U. 31. 1.1. 32. Ossa. 3G. Nut. 37. D.P. 38. I.P. 40. At. 41. L.I. 42. Vox. ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD PUZZLE of Helen Matko, Hoquiam, Wash. ACROSS 1. Sac. 4. P. M. 6. It. 8. Cup. 11. Charles. 13. R. I. 15. Pa. 16. Rout. 17. Punt. 19. Filmed. 20. ? ? ? 22. Pane. 24. Alee. 25. Plea. 28. Dead. 31. Ear. 32. Hale. 34. Ate. 37. Uses. 38. Awed. 40. Gents. 42. Dancer. 45. Tell. 46. Name. 48. Ed. 50. Ra. 51. Steeple. 53. Sob. 54. Ye. 55. “El”. 56. Sap. DOWN 1. S. C. L. 2. Ah. 3. Caring. 4. Plum. 5. Mete. 7. True. 9. Up. 10. Passed. 12. Role. 14. Invade. 18. Tale. 19. Fa. 21. Neat. 22. Po. 23. Rare. 2G. Lea. 27. Eat. 29. Vase. 30. Tester. 32. ? ? ? 33. Lent. 35. Sweeps. 36. Ad. 38. Acme. 39. Er. 41. Slay. 43. Ante. 44. Noel. 47. Pep. 49. Do. 52. La. ANSWERS TO M. L. PUZZLER JOE 1. b—Abraham Lincoln 2. c—Thomas Jefferson 3. a—Mt. Everest in Asia 4. b-—A planet 5. c—1 penny DO YOU KNOW FLOWERS? A boy’s name and a feather.—Jonquil. A town and lady of beauty.—Canterbury-bell. Facial expression and woodman’s instrument.— Smilax. A dairy product and trophy.—Buttercup. A tree and a part of a horse’s hoof.—Holly-hock. A painful growth and a blossom.—Corn-flower. A bird and a slang word.—Crocus. MAYBE EIGHT Teacher: “Johnnie, what did you have for breakfast?” Johnnie: “Teacher, I et six eggs.” Teacher: “Why, Johnnie! You should say ‘ate’.” Johnnie: “Well, maybe it was eight I et.” HI'S CAMERA Boy: “Aunt Mabel’s caught in the fence!” His sister: “Goodness! What are you looking for, a crowbar?” Boy: “No, for my camera.” RIDDLES What is an empty box?—Plenty of room. W’hy is a dirty boy like a carpet?—Because they both get a beating. Why doesn’t an elephant go visiting?—Because he has to carry his own trunk. Why could a pie never grow into a giant?—Because it has too much shortening in it. What asks no questions but requires many answers?—A door bell. A GOOD GAME A boy is chosen to be “bull.” The remainder of the players join hands and dance around him. The “bull” folds his arms, rushes at the circle, and tries to break through. If successful, the other players attempt to catch him; if he is caught, the player who caught him is “bull” next time. We Have Another Campaign 3500 New Members, Adults and Juveniles, Is the Goal in This Jubilee Year of the SNPJ The Slovene National Benefit Society, your Society which publishes this magazine for you, was thirty-five years old on April 9th last. On the occasion of this anniversary a new membership campaign has been launched by the Society beginning with April 1st and ending on December 31st, 1939. Here are the prizes and rules for this SNPJ Jubilee Campaign: Fifty cents for each new member insured for $250 death benefit. One dollar for each new member insured for §500 death benefit. Two dollars for each new member insured for $1000 death benefit. Three dollars for each new member insured for $1500 death benefit. Four dollars for each new member insured for $2000 death benefit. Ten dollars extra will be awarded to the member securing 25 or more new members. Twenty-five dollars extra will be awarded to the member securing 50 or more new members. Seventy-five dollars extra will be awarded to the member securing 100 or more new members. Al) applicants admitted into the SNPJ during the campaign are exempt from the initiation fee, and the Society pays the medical examination fee up to the amount of $1 for adult applicants, and for juvenile applicants as provided by the by-laws. The infants for whom the Society pays $5 award in the form of assessment are not included in the campaign and cannot be considered for awards. All new members admitted by the lodges and Society during this campaign shall be considered for awards on condition that they have paid at least three monthly assessments. During the Juvenile Jubilee Campaign last year you responded wonderfully and you showed good results. Won’t you do the same this year? To work—all of you! The goal of this campaign should be—3500 new adult or juvenile members for the Slovene National Benefit Society!