Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 14.djvu/77

 SLAVS

SLAVS

deficient in patriotism. '1 he most advanced political view was that a compromise with the Slovaks was impossible; that there was but one expedient, to wipe them out as far as possible by assuiiilation with the Magyars. Slovak schools and institutions were ordered to be closed, the charter of the "Matica" Wiis annulled, and its library and rich historical and artistic collections, as well as its funds, were confis- cated. Inequalities of every kind before the law were devised for the undoing of the Slovaks and turn- ing them into Hungarians; .so much so that one of their authors likened them to the Irish in their troubles. The Hungarian authorities in their en- deavour to sujijiress the Slo^■ak nationality went even to the extent of taking away Slovak children to be brought up as Magyars, and forbade them to use their language in school and church. The 2,0(K),000 Catholic Slovaks clung to their language and Slavic customs, but the clergy were educated in their seminaries through the medium of the Magyar tongue and required in ihcir parishes to conform to the state idea. Among the T.'iO.OOO Protestant Slovaks the Government went even further by taking control of their synods and bishops. Even Slovak family names were changed to Hungarian ones, and prefer- ment was only through Hungarian channels. Natu- rally, religion decayed under the stress and strain of repressed nationality. Slovak priests did not per- form their duties with ardour or diligence, but con- fined them.selves to the mere routine of canonical obligation. There are no monks or religious orders among the Slovaks and no provision is made for any kind of community life. Catechetical instruction is at a minimum and is required to be given whenever possible through the medium of the Hungarian lan- guage. There is no lack of priests in the Slovak country, yet the practice of solemnizing the reception of the first communion by the children is unknown and manj' other forms of Cathohc devotion are omitted. Even the Holy Rosary Society was dissolved, because its devotions and proceedings were conducted in Slovak. The result of governmental restriction of any national expression has been a complete lack of initiative on the part of the Slovak priesthood, and it is needless to speak of the result upon their flocks. In the eastern part of the Slovak territory where there were Slo^■ak-speaking Greek Catholics, they fared slightly better in regard to the attempts to make them Hungarians. There the liturgj' was Slavonic anil the clergy who used the Magyar tongue still were in close touch with their people through the offices of the Church. All this pre,s.sure on the part of the authorities tended to produce an active Slovak emigration to America, while bad harvests and taxation also contributed.

A few immigrants came to America in 1864 and their success brought others. In the late seventies the Slovak exodus w;is well marked, and by 1882 it was sufficientlj' important to be investigated by the Hungarian Minister of the Interior and directions given to repress it. The American immigration figures indicate the first important Slovak influx in 1873 when 1300 immigrants came from Hungary, which ro.se to 4000 in 1S.S0 and to nearly 1.5,000 in 1884, most of them settling in the mining and indus- trial regions of Pennsylvania. .\t first they came from the Counties of Zemplin, Saros, Szepes, and Ung, where there were also many Ruthenians. They were called "Huns" or "Ilunkies", and were used at first to fill the places left vacant by strikers. They were very poor and willing to work for little when they arrived, and were accordingly hated by the members of the various unions. The Slovak girls, like the Irish, mostly went into service, and because they had almost no expense for living managed to earn more than the men. To-day the Slovaks of America are beginning to possess a national culture

and organization, which presents a striking contrast to the cramped development of their kinsmen in Hungary. Their imiiiignitinn of late vears has ranged annually from 52,3tiS in VM'i to 33,416 in 1910. Altogether it is estimate<l that there are now some 560,000 Slovaks in the United States, including the native born. They are spread throughout the coun- try, chieflv in the following states: Pennsylvania, 270,- 000; Ohio", 75,000; Illinois, 50,000; New Jersey, 50,000; New York, 35,000; Connecticut, 20,000; Indiana, 15,000; Mispimri, 10,000; whilst they range from 5000 to afcwhiiiMliv.l- 111 ilic other sillies. About 4.50,000 of thrill aiv 111. 111:111 Catholics, 10,000 Greek Catholics and !I5,00 I'ruU-.slanls.

The first Slovak Catholic church in the United States was founded by Rev. Joseph Kossalko at Strealor, Illinois, and was dedicated S Dec, 1883. Following this he also built St. Josejili's Church at H.azleton, Pennsylvania, in 1884. In 1889 Rev. Stephen Furdek founded the Church of St. Ladislas at Cleveland, Ohio, together with a fine parochial school, both of which were dedicated by Bi.shop Gil- mour. The American bishops were anxious to get Slovak priests for the increasing immigration, and Bishop Gilmour sent Father Furdek to Hungary for that purpose. The Hungarian bi.shops were unwilling to send Slovak priests at first, but as immigration increased they acceded to the request. At present (1911) the Catholic Slovaks have a clergy consisting of one bishop (Rt. Rev. J. M. Koudelk'a) and 104 priests, and have 134 church<'s situated as follows: in Pennsylvania, 81 (Dioceses of Aitoona, 10; Erie, 4; Harri.sburg, 3; Philadelphia, 15; Pittsburg, 35; and Scranton, 14) ; in Ohio, 14 (in the Diocese of Cleveland, 12, and Columbus, 2); in Illinois, 10 (in the Arch- diocese of Chicago, 7; and Peoria, 3); in New Jersey, 11 (in the Diocese of Newark, 7; and Trenton, 4); in New York, 6; and in the States of Connecticut, 3; Indiana, 2; Wisconsin, 2; and Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Alabama, and West Virginia, one each. Some of the Slovak church buildings are very fine specimens of church architecture. There are also 36 Slovak parochial schools, that of Our Lady Mary in Cleveland having 750 pupils. They have also introduced an American order of Slovak nuns, the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius, who are established under the direction of Bishop Hoban in the Diocese of Scranton, where thi v have four schools.

The Protestant Slovaks followed the example of the Catholics and established their first church at Streator, Illinois, in 1885, and later founded a church at Minneapolis in 1888, and from 1890 to 1894 three churches in Pennsylvania. They now have in the United States 60 Slovak churches and congregations (of which 28 are in Pennsylvania), with 34 ministers (not including some 5 Presbyterian clergymen), who are organized under the name of "The Slovak Evan- gelical Lutheran Synod of America". The Slovaks have a large number of organizations. The principal Catholic ones are: Pr\-a Katolieka Slovenskd Jednota (First Slovak Catholic Union), for men, 33,000 members; Pennsjdvdnska Slovenskd Rimsko a Gr(cko Katolieka Jednota (Penn.sylvania Slovak Roman and Greek Catholic Union), 7.')00 members; Pr^'a Katolieka SlovenskA Zenskd Jednota (First Catholic Slovak Women's Union), 12,000 members; Penn.sylvanska Slovenskd Zenskd Jednota (Pennsyl- vania Slovak Women's Union), 3.500 members; Zivena (Women's League), 6000 members. There are also: Ndrodn^ SlovenskiJ- Spolok (National Slovak Society), which takes in all Slovaks except Jews, 28,000 "members; Evanjelicka Slovenskd Jed- nota (Evangelical Lutheran Slovak Union), 8000 members: Kalvinsk.-i Slovenska Jednota (Presby- terian Slovak T'nion), 1(X)0 members; Neodyisl^ NYirodny Slovensk<' Spolok (Independent National Slovak "Society), 2000 members. They also have a