HR0656 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0656 LRB095 12867 GRL 38347 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the members of the Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol USA Lodge 306 on the occasion of their 60th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, Sokol was founded in Prague in 1862 by Dr. Miroslav Tyrs, a professor at Charles University who studied the ways of the ancient Greeks and devised a system to promote democracy through physical fitness and education; he named his organization "Sokol", the Czech word for "falcon", the falcon representing the strength, grace, and majesty he envisioned for all who participated; his friend and co-founder, Jindrich Fuegner, financed the endeavor; and

WHEREAS, Sokol came to the United States in 1865 with the founding of Sokol St. Louis; for almost thirty years, the Czechs continued the Sokol movement in the United States before the First Slovak Sokol was founded on the west side of Chicago in 1892; on April 12, 1896, Sokol Slavia held its first meeting and made its headquarters at Rakowski Hall on Chicago's north side; and

WHEREAS, In September 1902, Sokol Slavia moved to a new headquarters on Front Street and Elston Avenue; Sokol Slavia was forced to move to a new home at Jan Malina's Hall at Chase and Cornell Streets in 1908, with the grand opening of the hall taking place on May 5, 1909; and

WHEREAS, In 1915, Sokol Nitriansky sent a delegation to a meeting of Sokol Slavia to discuss a merger with Sokol Slavia and Sokol Tatran; a recommendation was made for all three units to combine to form a new and stronger Sokol unit; Slovak American Sokol was formed from this merger; and

WHEREAS, After the First World War, many families moved to areas outside the city, resulting in a decline in the membership and activity of Slovak American Sokol; the necessity of establishing new units in these areas resulted in the establishment of Sokol Krivan in Jefferson Park; in April 1923, Sokol Krivan, after a reorganization, joined the ranks of the Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol and soon brought its activities to a new high level; and

WHEREAS, In 1944, the Tatran Slovak Union and the Evangelical Society merged with the Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol; soon after, the Slovak American Sokol sold its hall on Will Street and along with Sokol Krivan, all the S.G.U.S. units on the northwest side of Chicago merged together in 1947 into one large unit, known as Slovak American Sokol Krivan S.G.U.S. Lodge 306, with its headquarters at Zdrubeck's Hall at 4623 North Pulaski in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, On Memorial Day 1962, ground was broken at 4855 North Elston Avenue for the construction of the Sokol Community Center; gymnastics activity at the center continues to flourish due to the enthusiasm and dedication of the many instructors and their directors; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the members of the Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol USA Lodge 306 on the occasion of their 60th anniversary and wish them continued success in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to a representative of Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol USA Lodge 306 as a symbol of our esteem and respect.