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Polish Came Here In 1890 The Polish Community Grows With Motor City By JA DRYGALA As far as Gan be ascertained, there are traces of a few Polish settlers in Oshawa district as early as 1890. Oshawa at that time had a population of ap- proximately three to four thou- sand. It is difficult te estab- lish the identity of the earliest Polish eettler, but there is speculation that. some Polish families were here even before that date. There is a record in St. Gregory's Church of Polish people in 1850. Today there are about 4000 of them in Oshawa. When I was asked #f I would like to write this article about the Polish Ethnic Group in Osh- awa, I felt apprehensive. I arrived in Canada in 1955, be- ing one of the latter comers to the city. However, the name "Oshawa" an meaning "meeting place", was very appropriate in this case. The Polish population increas- | ed substantially in 1925-1930 and 1940-1950; but the real story of the Ethnic Group starts im 1912. | I would like to write about some of the people who were the pio- neers and on whom the com- munity largely depended for their work in organization, etc. Through their national character, traditions and heritage of Poland, of which the people are so rightly proud. Poland is a land of great achievemem, For instance, im 1966, their millenium is ele- brated, 1000 years of Christian- ity tradition and documented history. THREE GENERATIONS Comparing Oshawa with other centres, it is one of the most thickly populated by Polish peo- | ple, in Canada. Already there | are three generations brought up, and throu gh parents, schools, churches, and organiza- | tions have preserved their kien- | tity. In May, 1912, there came to | Oshawa a man by the name of Jozef (Joe) Halik. There were about five or six families here | at that time, and the same num.- | ber of single persons. Mr. Halik | began work on May 25, 1912, | at Ontario Malleable and about | a year later beame mouiding | foreman. He remained in that | capacity until 1956, when he re- | lives om | Olive Avenue and is stili active | tired. Mr. Halik now in community work. Most of the Polish people | coming to Oshawa began work | at Ontario Malleable and took | up residence in Olive Avenue, | Front Street and Albert Street. This is still true today. As the city has grown, so has the Polish community, and they | have a number of achievements | to their credit. Two national | halls have been built, one be- | longing to the Polish Afliance Society, Branch 21, and the Pol- | ish Veterans' Association which is a chartered organization un- der the name of The General Wladyslaw Sikorski Polish Veterans' Association. They have their own distinctive crest and have over 100 members, as do the other organizations. The veterans also own an 80- acre farm north of Oshawa. The community as a whole supports various youth onganizations, e.g. Sports Club 'Polonia', Scouts, Guides, and Brownies, and a Young People's Club. They have their own church of St. Hedwig's, now completed at a cost of $250,000 and paid by the people. Two priests, Rev. A. Bagsik and Rev. Feliks Cai- inski take care of the spiritual work, The church has a ladies' chub called "St. Hedwig's Lad- tes' Society". St. Hedwig's Sep- arate School is used every Sat- urday by the children. who are taught Polish subjects by the Indian word) determination | and labour, the younger gener- | ation has a much easier task | continuing and preserving the | Felicians Sisters. The Felician Sisters opened their own novi- tiate in 1951. The mucleus of this was start- ed by Rev. Father Kiita, pre- decessor of Father Kwiatkow- ski, and by the members of the | community. The before-men- | tioned Mr. Halik was again in- | strumental in this work. Besides | him, there were others who did | their share in this project. Mr. | Jan Scuik, who held the first | meeting at his home, where a | committee was formed of the | following people, Rev. Celinski, | Main Adviser, Mr. Jan Scuik, | Chairman, Mr. Joe Halik, Mr. | Antoni Gwozdz, Mr. Antoni | Baczyk. Mr. Jan Scuik came to Can- | ada im 1926 and from the be- ginning was very active in the organization of the Polish com- munity which at that time had many problems. Mr. Scuik was also a-member, along with Mr. Baczyk and Mr. Jozef Cebula, of the first committee of the Polish Veterans' Association which was started on Septem- | | ber 17th, 1933. He has held var- ious posts in this organization inchrding that of President. The Polish Veterans' Association be- CONTINUED ON P. 3A__ POLISH COMMUNITY THE OSHAWA TIMES, Thuredey, Mey 26, 1966 JA PLANS DISCUSSED FOR CONCERT Plans are discussed, for next Sunday's Polish Millen- jum concert in the Oshawa Civic Auditorium by some of the principals scheduled to take part. David Karry, on left, is conductor of the Ajax QOhoir and Symphony Orchestra, which is to per- form. Rev. A. Bagsik, pas- tor of S&. Hedwig's Church is centre. Michael Starr, MP, Ontario riding (the guest speaker) and Jan Dry- gala, chairman of the spe- cial services committee of the Oshawa Millenium com- mittee, are also shown. The yeor 1966 marks a signMicont historico! event In the life of the Polish Nation: the one- thosandth anniversary of the baptism of its first recorded ruler, Mieszko |, Prince of Poland. It is the anniversary of the official acceptance of Christanity by o member of Poland's first historical dynasty, the Piast family, setting the stage for the entrance of the Polish people into the Cotholic Church. It recalls too, the formotion of an indissoluble bond linking the Polish mation with Western culture and civilization, For the past nine years the people of Polond have been preparing themselves, by woy of @ spirituol renewal, to observe fittingly this importont anniversory. The nine yeors of even, @ novenc of spiritual exceroises, will come to o chose im May 1966, and then Millennium festivities will begin. Oshawa Meat Products 1064 Kingston Rd. Ww. Provincial Tile 259 Simcoe St. S. 723-4561 DR. G. SCIUK 259 SIMCOE sT. S&