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HOUSE RESOLUTION


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

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

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

 
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    WHEREAS, In September 1902, Sokol Slavia moved to a new 
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headquarters on Front Street  and Elston Avenue; Sokol Slavia 
 


 






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was forced to move to a new home at Jan Malina's Hall at Chase 
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and Cornell Streets in 1908, with the grand opening of the hall 
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taking place on May 5, 1909; and

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

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

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


 






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

 

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

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