THE 1970s - A LOOK BACK: Ukrainian National Association (12/30/79)

THE 1970s - A LOOK BACK

Ukrainian National Association

As in previous decades, the Ukrainian National Association continued to prevail as a vital part of the Ukrainian community life on the North American continent, its leadership and rank and file ever present on the Ukrainian scene in line with the traditions befitting this largest and oldest Ukrainian organization in the free world.

True to the tenets of fraternalism and ever mindful of the ideals that guided its pioneer-founders, the UNA pursued its dual task of serving its members and the community, while remaining in the forefront of assistance to the Ukrainian people in their struggle for freedom and independence.

It was in this spirit that the UNA entered 1970s, reaffirming its posture once again at the 27th Convention held in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1970. The motto "In Tribute to Pioneers - With Eyes towards Youth" continued to guide the organization throughout the decade which saw the 28th Convention meet in Philadelphia, Pa., and the 29th in Pittsburgh, Pa. Translating its motto into deeds, the UNA honored its foremost pioneer, the founder and first editor of Svoboda, the Rev. Gregory Hrushka, whose monument was unveiled in Cleveland's Cultural Gardens during the convention. In subsequent years, this monument, as well as others, had to be removed from the Gardens which were being vandalized. But the memory of the Rev. Hrushka, his exhortations and his proddings for the establishment of Soyuz, as well as the vast input of its official organ Svoboda, were spotlighted throughout 1973 which marked the 80th anniversary of the daily and the 40th anniversary of The Ukrainian Weekly.

In terms of publication, for decades a forte of the UNA, 1970 marked the completion of a major venture, notably the publication of the English-language Ukraine: A Concise Encyclopaedia. It was in that year that the University of Toronto Press released the second volume of what was the most significant publication by Ukrainians in the free world. The UNA, which had underwritten the costs of its publication brought out under the auspices of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, thus made yet another input of lasting value into the Ukrainian community life.

Late in November of 1970, the UNA launched yet another project of unprecedented magnitude, namely the construction of a 15-story building in Jersey City, N.J., which became the biggest Ukrainian-owned commercial building in the free world. It was completed late in 1973 and dedicated on February 22, 1974, the date of Soyuz's 80th birthday. A costly venture because of cost overruns, strikes and the like, the new building did perturb many UNA'ers. But eventually almost all space was rented out, with the UNA Main Office occupying one floor and the Svoboda Press the second as well as the mezzanine. The relocation of the Svoboda Press in May of 1976 entailed a rather complex changeover to computerized setting and offset printing, requiring, as it did, retraining, adjustments and introduction of new procedures. But the initial difficulties were overcome and towards the end of the decade the Svoboda Press was functioning with greater efficiency and intent on constantly improving its services to its readers.

The Ukrainian Weekly said happy birthday to America with its first 16-page tabloid edition, extending the salute to the Ukrainian community on the occasion of the centennial of Ukrainian settlement in the United States. It was a new phase for The Weekly and yet another example of the UNA's service to its members and to the community at large. And it was in this spirit of service and improvement that the Svoboda daily, The Ukrainian Weekly and the children's monthly "Veselka" (The Rainbow) marked their 85th, 45th and 25th anniversaries, respectively, throughout 1978. In the last year of this decade, it was the UNA's turn to observe its 85th anniversary on the local and national levels.

For Soyuzivka, UNA's year-round estate in the Catskills, the 1970s meant unprecedented growth in virtually every facet of its activity. The summer months in particular saw thousands of guests and visitors flock to this beautiful resort, with young people from the entire continent making it a point to stop by at the place at one time or another. Soyuzivka's stage became a mecca for the best of Ukrainian performers ranging from singers and musicians to dancing ensembles and choral groups. For many a Ukrainian band, to play at Soyuzivka meant to come of age on the Ukrainian entertainment scene. It was likewise for the sports-minded of all ages - tennis players, swimmers, volleyball players, they all flocked to the place in growing numbers for fun as well as for meets and tournaments. In this atmosphere of ebullience Soyuzivka marked its 25th anniversary in 1977, and it enters the new decade as the prime gathering place for Ukrainians on the continent, bent on innovation and continued growth.

Apart from continuing to contribute funds to various national and charitable causes, initiating and supporting various actions in defense of Ukraine's rights, the UNA upgraded its scholarship program, in affect since 1964, by doubling the appropriations to some $16,000 annually and thus rewarding hundreds of its able youths in need of financial assistance.

The 1970s were not devoid of disasters that affected many a Ukrainian family in the United States. When floods struck Pennsylvania's Wyoming Valley and Elmira, N.Y., in 1972, and Johnstown, Pa., in 1977, the UNA extended its helping hand promptly and generously. Again, it was fraternalism at its best, as the UNA and its members helped each other in time of need.

While growing in every phase and facet of its activity, the UNA experienced a decline in membership during the 1970s, an overly prolonged trend that its leaders have been at pains to reverse. The 29th Convention in Pittsburgh, which saw a turnover at the helm of the organization, with Dr. John O. Flis elected to the post of Supreme President and replacing Joseph Lesawyer after a 17-year term of service, initiated a series of new steps to allay the situation. In September of 1978, the specially created Organizing Committee launched a series of evaluations that were eventually passed on to the Supreme Assembly in 1979 in the form of recommendations to stimulate the organizing sector in the months and years ahead. In the same year, the Supreme Assembly named Basil Tershakovec as Svoboda editor-in-chief after a year-long rotational contest to find a replacement for Anthony Dragan who retired in 1978 after 23 years of service in that capacity.

The 1970s also saw a new phenomenon on the UNA scene, as its senior citizens emerged in an organized form, held five annual conferences at Soyuzivka through 1979 and are moving toward the construction of a UNA senior citizens home near the UNA estate. They are bound to persevere in that venture in the years ahead.

At the dawn of the new decade, the UNA's posture continues to be that of a strong and vital organization that is the cornerstone of Ukrainian community life. Guided by precepts that have stood the test of time, Soyuz can but look forward to years of continued growth and development and an even more substantive input into the Ukrainian community life. That, to a large degree, will depend on community response to the UNA's initiatives and efforts to reassert the Ukrainian presence in the diverse areas of activity.

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