Document text
ORIGINAL MSS. OR FIELD NOTES (Check one)
PUB. Living Lore in New England
(New Hampshire)
TITLE Palish of Manchester
WRITER -7141-6
DATE
WDS
pp. 10
CHECKER DATE
SOURCES GIVEN (I)
COMMENTS
Interview
F
Project 1801 LIVI—T LORE
POLISH
Father Bronislaw Krupski,pastor Holy Trinity Church(National Catholic)
Lives directly back of church -door marked office.
Classes held in parish house.
Children twice a week.
Women every third sunday at 3, give plays etc.
English for men women(citizen papers) 7 P.M. Wednesday. vir.7,aters
teacher supplied by WPA
The Polish people the way they are because of lack of leaders,
they are what they were taught to be. No one told the Poles, 30 years
ago, what they should do- introduced to saloon and that was all. Krupski
has urged citizenship- in 1935 told them that they would be deported
if did not get papers. Poles go to night school (public), go to
parish school, until get p-pers (citizen) then quit. Not business
men,romantics. Come from agricultural sections -worked for overlords,
not own land. Steamship cos. went around in 1890 and on, getting
people to come to U.S. Caine for work ,saved money to go back, many went
back only to return. Very little money sent home. In Eanchester
work in mill and shoe factories. Few businesses of their own. (41 on'
relief in 1937, 1 in state hoepita1,14 in reform school)Re-ason not on
relief Krupski believes is becaus_ they manage to get small jobs 1
have standard of living, family and friends also help)
Polish clannish, jealous, hot-tempered. Hold on to traditions.
Conservative in religion, more progres ive in civic affairs. Father
Krupski says the place for tradition is in a frame hung on the wall"
also says "the Poles have contributed nothing to America, only take
and take --America gave them their opportunity, they gave nothing to
America." Later said they contributed "hard work, enduring hard work."
YAIH-A KRUPSKI -2-
Poles have traditional culture and low civilization. Younger Generation
talented. ivany high school pupils talented, but no money to develop
talents. (He sighed when he said this) Their attitude, money make
a lot of money in short times() go into business offices. Young
fellow talented editor of Polish paper,Stanley Szopa, named several
promising young fellows poets. engineers writers all out west.(Krupski
contributes to this paper not so much religious as much as social
subjects)
F.Krupski thinks Upton Sinclair's THL, JUN&L2_, a true picture of
the Poles in Chicago. '13.en he went to Chicago after leaving Prussian
Poland, was told "find the saloon there is the Church, find the church
there is the saloon. He kept repeating that th,- condition of the
Poles not their fault, they know no better. They came here wanted to
adapt themselves (are adaptable) so followed the man who led them to
the saloon. "It is not the hand that is at fault but the one who moves
the hand."
Old folks used to hard life have endurance. Young people no
endurance. Independant, if can get a job, any ,job, willdo that rather
than accept help from anycine.
Vdlen Poles came here were insulted, exploited demoralized by
the Roman Catholic Church.
f",ust get Poles "low level Civilization" point of view. From high
level, drunkenparties in a church just isn't done. But from "low
level cicilization
"No literary work ever done along this line, a fine thing."
"Any idea written or spoken mast have political or economic value
to appeal to themasses."
The Poles are a clean race, go to the doctor and go to' the dentist.
Eat strange food, lots of cabbage and potatoes.
Very *small settlements in N.H., Claremont, F"anklin, Manchester.
Mostly out 'iest.
Project 1801
INTERVIE, Polish Living Lore
,r. Lorrain Ryder, teacher of Art in Manchester High School(in class)
Class was designing headings for features in school magizineAUREOLE
'IL should say the Polish as a group were most desirable. Thorough,
conscientious hard workers, highly talented. More markedly talented
than other races. The family, the older people, have their eye on the
immediate income. They say 'You get a job, you male money, you bring
money home.' So being without funds, they ar4 forced to take positions
in offices, store or any thing they can get. Consequently the majority
stay there.
He cited several instances of girls who had worked and saved
went to Boston Art or the Manchester Institute of Arts and Sdience.
Some have had to content themselves with night classes at the Institute.
—hen asked if Polish had a bent towards art rather than say science
or business, he said "No, it was AK individual XIMig leanings. But
when they followed art leanings, they excelled others."
This man weighed every word he said. It was a task to get him to say
this much!
Project 1801
INT-RVIE-; Polish Living Lore
Miss McGinnis,teacher of domestic economics. Practical Arts High School
Girls learn to cook simple meals, set table decorate table,
serve meals,budEet plan meals.
The Polish girls seem to want to be Americans, do everything
Americans do. Good workers and thorough. She thinks they prefer the
clothing course as they hav, a dress KiE or something to show foriti
they get something concrete, somEAhing they have no money to buy.
Whereas with the food they can get that at home. This d.e. course
teaches them co-operation co-ordination, all food for course must
be finished simultaneously. Miss McGinnis fells thag course raises
their standard of living. No way of telling how much affected at home.
She thinks they excell in ART Polish girl painted drop in Auditorium.
The girls were cooking breakfast while I was there, cereal and
French toast. They were awkward but seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Project 1801 INTERVIEW Polish Living Lore
7aters, teacher of English to Poles at Holy Trinity Parish.
Eostly women(14, men 2) friendly a little shy. Asked if I might
visit thetr homes, those speaking English said "Yes" with out hesitation.
Set definite date for this. Those not speaking English said "No", as
I would not understand what they said.
Class.
The words taught seemed unnecessarily difficult. Tried hard,
seemed proud of "going to school." WIlen asked why they hadn't long ago,
Katherine answered "I work in mill, have lots of children, keep house,
no time go to school."' When asked why husband did not study for cit-
izen papers, just shrugged.
East of the class have been here 20-32 years.
Tried to start a discussion on food but they understood so little
English it was not successful. One woman when asked i, "Do you make
poppy -seed cake?" "No, we buy cake, at Polish bakery." Three of
them in Yianchester.)
Project 1801
INTiFNIET7
Polish Living LOre
Sally Jamro Byhe, Ars. 300 Lowell t., She lives with her husband's p
parents. Husband is in the U.S.Navy. He is a P'le,both his parents
and hers were born in Poland. The older EYKes are very progressive
E: aggressive politically but to the traditional religious customs and
old world food.
sally's own mother in a hospital with typhoid for 8 months.
Knew no English when she went came bck speaking it. Would act as
interpreter for,her neighbors and friends until some of the Polish
women twitted her by saying, "Mrs. America, with the Polish nose."
When When ask. -2d if old political holidays were observed now said,
Only in the church." She is a Roman Catholic. Father Buchala the
priest.
She will ask in-laws for information for me. I met her quite
causually through someone living where I live, we t-lked about 20 minutes.
Project 1801 INTERVIEW Polish Livimg Lore
KORONA, Katherine, Mrs. 32 Russel St. Member of English class, working
for second citizen papers.Holy Trinity Church.
Was dry -mopping the hall when I arrived. Lives on top floor
apartment. Rooms very clean (she expected me)Two bed-rooms,a dining
room 1 kitchen. Came her',' in 1916. Brother was in Manchester. She
said to mother(Poland), "I'm going to America" mother said"Find the
money" She went to work in Germany. Worked in garden with beets
cabbages. Carried stones to road for paving surface. Then pitched XX
sheaves of wheat, which are laid in tiers. It hurt her arms ,back
chest she was only 15 years old. "I lay in bed a week. The man said
'Too young, too hard work. Come back next year'Did you go back? No, I
am in Lanchester.
Landed
stop -over.
but lots of
time'I-aye,
in Liverpool stayed there 4 days. Ticket covers that
Goes out a looks around but is lonesome. "I came alone,
people. Russians, Germans, Poles,Jews. Jews cry all the
I -aye' make me no want to eat. Cook -man say EAT but I
no want to eat,me lonesome. Lands in Boston takes train to Manchester
She works in Amoskeag making back -cloth(?). Threads thick, woof
thin, all time tear. Me, my eyes, no good, no good. Me,in middle..
,no goodsun, light way above head. Get glasses. _Dyed to window i ma kes
cards.
Marries within two years continues to work. Has 2.daughters
i married,i working, i boy Henry in High School (classical Husband
"no give her money. All time say to men at T.T.K.--"My Woman, don't
know what8s matter with her. Has roof over head food, but want money,
money all the time." He tell me "Get job, work, childr n not little,
no need money." So she now works for women,earns 45 a week. "Geeve,
geeve, to church, to organ Izations 1,2,3, organizations."
Project 1801
INTEVIE
Polish Living Lore
KORONA, Katherine Mrs.
"My man he drinks too much. All 104 time drunk. _lie pray, me
talk, IX no good. Every morning T.T.K. one beer, one whiskey. Saturday
Sunday, drink all time. Come home, lOke this (staggers across the
room) Husband now works in Nashua mill,gets transportation every day,
comes home eve /y night. Asked, "Will you move to Nashu, would you like
to move there'?" "No,no move. We,we know everybody, everybody here in
Manchester."
"Do you cook Polish food?" "Nd, we like every thing different,
everything American" What no golumpsi? No, husband he say "no cabbage"
He say ,"cabbage, cabbage alltime cabbage in Poland ;mot here." Some-
times me buy cabbage in can. Not ver' good, but cabbage in can"(sour-kraut)
Showed me Polish -American Citizen costume she wore in Armistice Day
parade, badges --reverse sid,- in black ,used whwen someoneis dead.
...Larye Club. Pay .25 a month to one club .20 a month to another
club. When die get 4100. FLOV:L-S. When sick in hospital,come see
you. Also showed me*husband's Polish outfit.
Showed me crocheted work. (rather coarse crude) Her eyes are
not good for other work now. She has a round box in which she keeps
her money. When lid is rremoved, a concealed music box plays a tune.
"So, no one stalmy money.' All. furnitur-i very giod excellant taste
as she says "plain,v_r' plain.' But many ornate furnishings, cushions,
covers, dis-es boxes, picturesA the inevitable Imax crucifix.
The rooms were nicely warm we got on the subject of heat, .Asked
her how they heated their houses in Poland and she described the making
of a stove. Severalmen make it A it takes two w eks lasts two years
or more. All this was described with great-gudto. "Men, take 'ground,
bigpiece. Go like this(treads with feet) make dough.,twist like bread.
Project 1801 INTERVIZZ Polish Living Lore
-3-
KOROA,Katherine
xo,prAm
Lay one piece. -.1 another piece down another piece. Soon have stove.
.:,en take wood(lumber) plenty wood, build big hood build far (deep)
Soon all finished. Sometime maybe break. V.oman take ground, make
dough(motiDns with vigorous gestures- filling cracks smoothing over.
Bake bread, bake cake bake all in stove. Burn wood ,no coal""
Her home a cottage rough,thatched roof.
Shall we go to Mrs. "nny you wait, I dress up" She
came back in a few minutes rouged and powdered but no change in dress.
Saw Polish paper there on table. Published in Chicago an organ
of an insurance company.
ShJ. or they own land on Pine Island (Manchester). Costs too much
to garden this past summer, more or less ruined by Sept. hurricane.
Then speaking of the Jews on boat coming across she said" Jews
no good, no work all time make business. Come say ,sell me this sell
me that Ao work all time make business. Buy chickens,buy eggs,buy
ducks pay leetle bit sell big, great big. _b work,all time make,
business, no good." ':ihen asked if she thought they ought to be killed
the way they are she said "no,no but no good, no work."
Project 1801
INT_RVIEW Polish Living Lore
,neighbor of Katherine Karona. Speaks no
English, understands some. Member of the class in English I visited.
Very shy. Lives in own home. A large, well repaired painted house.
Inside spotless. Came to U.S. when 17 Ec married within 1 years.
Worked at Amoskeag. Husband speaks English German. Worked. in
Germany and saved money for transportation. Grounds of home well
planned and card for, shrubs are wrapped in burlap etc. Gardens for
another man. He was repairing the sill of the back door. He came
here in 1930. Landed in L.Y. took small boat to Boston train here.
Jo wori, in the mill. Could not find out what he did do, except garden-
ing. He _:ept gesturing to himself, his wife and the room and saying,
"::ow clean, didn't use to be." Everytime there was a pause he wiuld
repeat the statement with great pride. He has his citizen papers.
The woman does beautiful crocheting. Made a lace tablecloth that is a
thing of beauty, fine enough for a weddinH. veil. Thread cost ,4. She
is studying for her first papers.