Youth Department History

2009 Youth Awards

The purposes of the Youth Department were, and continue to be, twofold: first to continue to increase the ranks of younger members, teens, and sub-teens, and secondly, to involve those through age 16 in activities which would groom them for leadership positions later at all levels of the SPJST and to instill in them a sense of loyalty to the SPJST and what it stands for.
The structure and development of the Youth Department as it is today took place over a number of years. The first mention of a "Youth Section" in the Supreme Lodge occurred minutes after the first regular meeting of the Supreme Lodge held at the Supreme Lodge headquarters at Fayetteville on January 12, 1953.
Appointment of Youth Director. Director Skrabanek made a motion, which was seconded by Director Holasek, that we appoint Mrs. Birdie Hilsher of Houston as Director of the Youth Section of the Order, and as our representative to the meeting of the Youth Section of the Texas Fraternal Congress, which is to convene in Dallas sometimes in the near future. The vote on this motion was 4 for and 8 against. "Secretary Chupick stated that when the appointment of the members of the committee on Youth Activities of the Texas Fraternal Congress in 1952 came up for discussion in the meeting that he nominated Mrs. Hilsher as a member of the Youth Section of the Texas Fraternal Congress to which position she was thereupon elected, but that such election did not constitute her election as Director of the Youth Section of our Order, especially since we don't even have a Youth Section in our Order." "Secretary Chupick made a motion that Mrs. Hilsher be appointed a delegate to the Youth Section meeting of the Texas Fraternal Congress. This motion was seconded by Director Navratil. Director Skrabanek offered an amendment to Secretary Chupick's motion to the effect that Mrs. Hilsher attend the said meeting as representative of our Youth Activities. Secretary Chupick accepted Director Skrabanek's amendment and the motion thereupon carried."

It thus appears that as far as the Supreme Lodge and any authority was concerned, Mrs. Hilsher's function at that time was merely to act as a representative from the SPJST to the Youth Section of the Texas Fraternal Congress. According to the record, she apparently had no clear-cut mandate or guidelines on any youth activities beyond her functions on the Youth Section of the Texas Fraternal Congress and whatever activities she was to undertake would be at her own initiative and limited only by her enthusiasm, imagination, and energies.
The next mention of youth activities occurred in the second quarterly meeting of the Supreme Lodge held in Fayetteville on April 13, 1953.
Appointment of Youth Director. Mrs. Birdie Hilsher, member of Lodge No. 88, came before the Supreme Lodge to make a report of her activities in our Youth Movement, which she had been conducting for the last several months, and to discuss with the Supreme Lodge her connection with such Youth Activities of the Order in the future. "After a long and detailed discussion of all the angles of our Youth Activities presented to the Supreme Lodge by Mrs. Hilsher, upon motion duly made and passed it was agreed that the Supreme Lodge should reimburse Mrs. Hilsher for the various expenses she incurred in connection with this work.

A question then arose about expending any funds in connection with a Youth Section or Youth Movement. The legal adviser stated that, "According to my interpretation of our by-laws, the Supreme Lodge has no right or power to create the new office such as Director of the Youth Movement and pay a salary to the Director." He stated, however, that his opinion was that the Supreme Lodge could set aside a certain sum of money for expenses incurred in promoting good will among the members of the Order and for other activities for the best interests of the Order and for other activities for the best interests of the Order and in that way promote and carry on the Youth Movement in our Order.
Upon motion duly made and passed, "It was agreed that the Supreme Lodge should set aside $50 a month for expenses in connection with the Youth Movement conducted by Mrs. Hilsher, such arrangement and agreement to be in force and effect through 1953. It was agreed that Mrs. Hilsher should provide her outlines and material for the Youth Activities on a quarterly basis, for the remaining three quarters of 1953, instead of on a monthly basis as heretofore." Birdie Hilsher submitted her final report as "Youth Director" in the Supreme Lodge meeting of January 10, 1955.

The record does not reflect much in the way of youth activities until the fall of 1955 when the minutes of the Supreme Lodge meeting of October 10, 1955 reflect that Supreme Lodge President Marek read a letter that he had received from Sid Pokladnik of Dallas, written in the form of a petition in behalf of District III, that a contest be conducted in alll seven districts of the Society to select a queen of the SPJST at the next convention in 1956. The estimated cost of such a contest was given at $1,400, of which the Supreme Lodge was requested to supply $700 and the remaining $700 to be raised by the seven districts. A motion was made tpo table the matter but it was not voted on. It was then decided that President Marek should submit this matter to the local lodges for their reaction and let them decide by ballot whether or not such a contest should be held. The results of the balloting and the decision would then be canvassed and made in the January meeting of the Supreme Lodge. It was agreed that if this project was not approved by five of the seven districts that it would be dropped. Number of votes was to be the same as the last convention. In the January 1956 Supreme Lodge meeting it was reported that, according to the voting by the lodges in all the districts, the matter of the queen contest at the next convention failed, that only one district, District V, voted in favor of the contest, five districts voted against it, and one district was still unreported. Of the lodges that voted, 22 were in favor and 89 were opposed.
The "direct control over ... youth activities" was placed under the vice president of the Supreme Lodge in the XVIIth Covention in Temple 1956. Joe B. Hejny was elected vice president in that convention. He had precious little to go by - primarily his own ideas on how to involve the youth in various activities. Most other fraternals did not have a Youth Department, so they offered little help. He had to "sell" many of his ideas, first, to the Supreme Lodge, and secondly, to the membership. It was slow going, largely by trial and error, but the program did seem to capture the interest of the young people. His first help in administering the Youth Program was in the position of local lodge youth leaders, and a little later, district youth directors, as they were titled at that time.
As the program broadened in scope and activities increased, it became apparent, just as it had become apparent in insurance sales, that there ought to be someone responsible for youth activities in the districts. Consequetly, District Youth Directors, as they were titled then, came into existence the latter part of 1956 in some districts, in other districts a little later.
As time progressed and youth activities became more intensified and caught the interest of an increased number of youth, the need was seen for a position in the Home Office for a person to supervise youth activities under the Supreme Lodge officer in charge of the Youth Department. Since the vice president, who was the head of the Youth Department at that time, was also in charge of the Insurance Department- sales, lodge and district sales representatives - and since he was was working very hard to promote the growth of the Society through insurance sales, talk began of having an assistant to help him with the Youth Department. Additionally, in his editorial of January 1, 1964, six months preceding the XIXth Convention in Waco in 1964, Vestnik Editor Nick Morris addressed this matter and asked that the delegates to that convention consider creating this position as a help to Hejny. Among other things, Morris said that " Hejny" is only ONE person and he can achieve only so much...in short, Bro. Hejny needs help."
The idea of a State Youth Director apparently appealed to the delegates and the position was created, effective November 1st of that same year. The Youth Committee to that convention recommended the creation of the position and the person was to be appointed by the Supreme Lodge. Vaclav (JIM) Kucera of Corpus Christi was selected as the first State Youth Director. He served from November 1, 1964 until September 1, 1965. James J. Janousek of Dallas was the new State Youth Director on January 1, 1966 and served until October 1, 1971. Dorothy Massey of Temple succeeded James Janousek as the next State Youth Director and she served from December 1, 1971 until December 1, 1980. Jann (Thomas) Wilson of Belton succeeded Dorothy Massey as State Youth Director on December 15, 1980. She was selected by President Morris and his selection was ratified by the entire Supreme Lodge in their January 1981 meeting. Others have succeeded Massey in the important position of State Youth Director and have continued to involve youth in areas that shape them to become integral individuals.
Although the participation and interest in the youth program has witnessed a "hill and valley effect" - increased participation one year and a slackening the next - the general overall participation has been good. There have been a number of refinements and changes. Anything created by human beings is bound to have its imperfections. The merit point system is probably one of those, but every time this system was examined under close scrutiny with a view towards change or substituting something else, no better system has been devised.
The SPJST, through its conventions and through actions of the Supreme Lodge, has shown its concern for the youth through sizeable outlays of funds over a period of many years.
The youth at a number of lodges, with the support and approval of the adult members, have staged numerous activities independent of the Youth Program itself, such as king and queen contests and May Fetes, and were of great help at their parent lodge in staging bazaars, picnics, ethnic festivals, dramatic productions, fund-raising projects, and many other similar activities.
Today, the SPJST Youth Program serves as a model of other fraternal Societies and other groups interested in developing their youth.

State Youth Director History

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