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Copyright © 1955 Lithuanian Students Association, Inc.   No..5 - November 1955 Editor of this issue: L. Sabaliūnas

Miscellanea

... Lithuanians are first mentioned as living on the southeastern shores of the Baltic in the writings of Ptolemy and Tacitus.

... Lithuania is one of the few places of the world where amber is found. It is often referred to as the gold of Lithuania.

... The first book printed in the Lithuanian language was a catechism by Mažvydas, published in 1547.

... In spite of her small area, Lithuania ranks as the third flax exporter of the world, being surpassed only by Soviet Russia and Poland.

... Lithuania embraced Christianity in 1387 during the reign of Vytautas the Great.

... Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, had 30 artistic churches, among which the church of St. Ann is very noted. Napoleon seeing it said: "I wish 1 could put it on the palm of my hand and carry it back to Paris".

... During the years of independence, Lithuania—a country of not quite 3 million inhabitants (less than the city of Chicago)—had two opera companies and a ballet company of her own.

... 80% of the inhabitants of Lithuania are Roman Catholic.

... In 1937 and again in 1939 Lithuania won Europe's basketball championship.

... About 300 newspapers and magazines were published yearly before World War II in Lithuania.

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Six awards for current Lithuanian literary productions in exile totalling $3,750 have been announced or made this year.

Draugas, the world's largest free Lithuanian daily, has announced its fifth annual $1,000 prize for the best Lithuanian novel. With a nationwide circulation, Draugas is the fifth largest daily published in Chicago.

A $500 award for a dramatic work has been announced by Darbininkas, a Lithuanian-A-merican semi-weekly celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

The Lithuanian Teachers Association in the United States will award a $500 prize for the best juvenile dramatic work. A second prize amounting to $250 has also been announced.

Also in the juvenile field is the Lithuanian Book Club and Šatrija Arts Society award of $500 for a work of any genre suitable for the junior and senior high school age group.

A novel or collection of poetry or short stories or a play is eligible for the general literary award of $500 announced by Aidai, a Lithuanian cultural magazine published in United States.

An award of $500 was presented in May to Jonas Aistis for his memoirs About Time and People by the Lithuanian Academic Club in Montreal, Canada.

Quite a number of Lithuanian students, who are presently studying in American universities, attended Lithuanian Secondary Schools in camps for Displaced Persons. As camps were formed for political refugees after World War II in Central Europe, the residents oi such establishments were concerned with the education of their youngsters. This fact led to the opening of many secondary schools (gimnazija) and numerous grade-schools; all these educational institutions were supported by organizations such as UNRRA and IRO caring for the DP's. As the immigration to oversea countries began, these schools were gradually reduced in number. Few Lithuanians remained in Germany and Austria, and their children had to attend local schools. It seemed that education in Lithuanian would not be possible anymore.

K This fact disturbed Lithuanians and plans were being made to do something about it. Solution of this problem was made possible by a remarkable cooperative effort of all Lithuanian immigrants in the Continent of North America. They gave the financial support needed, and as a consequence a German castle was bought and in January 1954 the school opened. The set-up is similar to a boarding house. Students live and study there. For nine years a student studies there and after graduation is entitled to admission to any European university. His educational status after graduation may be compared with that of a graduate from an American junior college.

At the present time more than 200 Lithuanians make use of these educational facilities. In order to meet the continuous expenses of such an institution, a system has been devised whereby Lithuanians in this country have formed groups of 10—15 members each. Such a group supports one student in Europe. Money is collected everv month and ussually the monthly contribution consists of one dollar. This cooperative effort assures those left behind in Europe with an education, and gives the Lithuanian society a gratifying feeling of achievement.

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Literature recommended

CROSSES, by V. Ramonas, translated into English by Milton Stark, original pen and ink illustrations and cover by V. Makarevičius, 1200-copy edition with autograph of the translator, 329 pp., 4 dollars. This is an intriguing social novel about the Communist occupation of Lithuania.

THE EVENING SONG, Lithuanian legends and fables, compiled and translated by Vytautas F. Belia j us, illustrated by Louis Denov, paper covers, 100 pp., 3 dollars. A collection of various tales from Lithuanian folklore.

LITHUANIAN FOLK ART, by Jurgis Baltrušaitis, edited by T. J. Vizgirda, 256 illustrations and text, bibliography, 208 pp., 3.50 dollars. This first edition published in Germany in 1948 explains the evolutionary stages of architecture, painting, and sculpture, and the inheritance of nature-worship embodied in curious wayside shrines.

VILNIUS, the capital of Lithuania, by V. J. Vizgirda, 105 illustrations and text, bibliography, 160 pp., 3.50 dollars. First edition, Germany, 1948. History and growth of one of the most famous and oldest cities in Eastern Europe.

LITHUANIA THROUGH THE AGES, by Dr. Sapoka, second corrected edition, 200 illustrations and text, bibliography, 160 pp., 3.50 dollars. An abstract of Lithuanian history from the earliest times to the present day.

For further information write to Lithuanian Student Association, Box 652, Station A, Champaign, Illinois.

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IN THE LIMELIGHT

Prof. A. Paplauskas-Ramūnas, head of the pedagogy department at the University of Ottawa, is one of two scientists recently chosen to represent North America on the editorial board of an international journal on pedagogy published by UNESCO. Dr. Ramūnas is the author of an important work on physical education in relation to humanism that recently won worldwide acclaim.

Prof. Pranas Jucaitis, formerly dean of the College of Technology at the University of Vytautas the Great in Kaunas and now research chemist in charge of new research projects at the Armour Research Foundation, Illinois Institute of Technology, has been elected to membership in Sigma Xi. A member of the American Society for the Advancement of Science, American Association of University Professors, Illinois State Academy of Science, and the Free Academy of Science in Paris, dr. Jucaitis is included in American Men of Science and Who's Who. In addition to his very productive work in applied chemistry, dr. Jucaitis is a contributor to Lithuanian Encyclopedia, published in Boston.

Prudencija Bičkiene, concert and recording soloist, will perform a solo part in the Chicago Lyric Theater's production of Montemezzi's "L'Amore dei tre re."

Dan Kuraitis, owner of Milda Buick Sales, Inc., and a seasoned world traveler, has been elected president of the Chicago Lithuanian Council, an affiliate of the Lithuanian American Council, Inc.

Algirdas J. Greimas is a professor in the humanities at the University of Alexandria, Egypt.

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NO LONGER WITH US

PETRAS KIAULENAS, one of the foremost Lithuanian painters of the younger generation, died on August 15 in New York after a long illness.

Victim of a type of blood malignancy for ten years, the colorful impressionist created most of his works while ill. Born in Lithuania in 1909, he received his education at the Kaunas School of Art, the Royal Academy of Art in Rome, and famed French schools.

While in Paris he exhibited his work in the Vis-conti and Chardin galleries. At that time he was the subject of a monograph by Maurice Scherer, the noted art critic. His work has also been treated at length by Gordon Brown.

PROFESSOR IGNAS ŠLAPELIS, a noted Lithuanian artist and art historian, died on June 3 in Chicago at the age of 74.

Educated at the Paris and Rome art academies as well as at Lithuanian and Latvian schools, he served as director of the Kaunas School of Art for 11 years.

Notable among his books are Fundamentals of the History of Art and History of Art of the Catholic Church.

Lincoln spoke of the destiny of all men, everywhere, to be free. By our silence, we would make this a passive, rather than an active, goal, and freedom a static rather than a dynamic thing.