FACES AND PLACES: They wrote the columns (10/10/93)

FACES AND PLACES

by Myron B. Kuropas

They wrote the columns

During the past 60 years The Ukrainian Weekly has had to rely on hundreds of writers to keep its readership informed.

Some, like Stephen Shumeyko, The Weekly's first editor, Gregory Herman, then the UNA supreme secretary, Alex Zabrosky and William Popowich regularly produced articles on a variety of topics related to youth issues during the UNA gazette's early years.

Others wrote often enough to warrant a regular column. Among the first was Stephen Mamchur who wrote under the nom de plume "Burma-Capelin" during the 1930s. The man was both a superb writer and a brilliant analyst who really knew how to call a spade a spade. He was especially severe with the "old guard" leadership that demanded that the younger generation operate as their organizational clones.

"The attempt has been made," wrote Capelin on September 12, 1936, "to inculcate Ukrainian culture or Ukrainian ideals - whatever the tinge may be, religious, nationalistic, socialistic or something else - into the second generation...The second generation simply cannot fit into the scheme of thinking, the way of behavior, and the organization of the first generation. By virtue of having been born in America, its fates and fortunes lie within American conditions..." Fifty years later, Dr. Mamchur's words are still worth repeating.

Regular columns in The Weekly mushroomed during the 1950s. Olga Lachowitch penned "A Woman's View." Ted Victor produced a column devoted to music and the arts. The multi-talented William Shust offered "Impressions." Walter Danko wrote about sports and compiled the annual Ukrainian "All-American" football team, composed of players of Ukrainian origin who excelled in college football.

The person who perhaps holds the all-time record as a Weekly contributor is Theodore Lutwiniak who authored a column titled "The UNA and Youth" for over 25 years. He began writing during the late 1950s. No Weekly writer, before or since, was more dedicated to the Ukrainian National Association than Mr. Lutwiniak. He promoted the UNA among young Ukrainian Americans as often and as vigorously as he could. Sadly, no one has come along to take his place.

Additions to The Weekly stable of regular columnists during the 1960s were Oleh Zwadiuk, who wrote a sports column, and Helen Perozak Smindak, who produced "Panorama of the Ukrainian Social and Cultural Scene."

Columns in The Ukrainian Weekly exploded during the 1970s with Mr. Zwadiuk writing "Sports Scene," Pat Lutwiniak-Engelbrecht penning a column on family life and health, Helen Perozak Smindak offering "Ukrainian Events in the Big Apple," William Myron Danko producing "The UYLNA Corner," Roman Sawycky enlightening readers with "Sounds and Views," a column devoted to music, Roman Lysniak, regaling us with the adventures of John Subota, a fictitious Ukrainian comedic figure, Marion Kushnir Burbella keeping readers informed with her "Senior Citizens' Corner," Ihor Stelmach producing sports columns, and Anisa Handzia Sawyckyj roving the Ukrainian American countryside with her "Uke-Eye" column.

"Uke-Eye" was especially interesting, because it featured reactions to a variety of different questions by a cross-section of the Ukrainian American community. On February 20, 1977, for example, "Uke-Eye" asked if Ukrainian women were "liberated." One respondent believed that they were but chose to retain a more "traditional" posture regarding home, family and the perpetuation of Ukrainian culture. Another respondent "felt a greater sense of independence and opportunity in Ukraine years ago as a student than I do now in the U.S. ... Arriving from Europe 10 years ago, I felt a vast difference there; women didn't limit themselves to careers as teachers or secretaries...I think 50 years ago Ukrainian women were much more liberated as a group than they are now..."

On May 1, 1977, "Uke-Eye" asked seven young people if it was possible for them to provide their children with the kind of Ukrainian upbringing they had received. One interviewee believed it was not as easy as it was when most Ukrainians lived in a ghetto, "but it's still possible and necessary - you've got to have tradition." She added that "99 1/2 percent of the problem lies with the parents, not the children; some parents are insecure about passing on their heritage, others push it down their throats..." Still another respondent indicated that she would send her children to Saturday school but "wouldn't force them to attend parochial school or belong to youth organizations. As a teenager, I found the former too rigid and the latter too jingoistic."

Ms. Sawyckyj continued to write for The Weekly during the 1980s as did Mr. Sawycky, Mrs. Burbella, Mr. Stelmach, and Mrs. Smindak. They were joined by Marta Korduba, who penned two columns during her term as the first UNA director of fraternal affairs: "Fraternally Yours" and "Scope on the Young Ukrainian." Other new faces who appeared on the pages of The Ukrainian Weekly during the 1980's were Nadia Odette Diakun who wrote "A View from Canada," Orysia Pasczak Tracz, who authored "A Ukrainian Canadian Perspective," Andre Worobec whose column "The Fraternal Corner" appeared on the UNA page, Eugene Iwanciw, who offered a column titled "The Washington Scene" and yours truly who began writing "Faces and Places" in 1984.

Ms. Tracz continued into the early '90s with a column titled "A Western Canadian Perspective," while Chris Guly presented "Centennial Sojourn," dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Ukrainian Canadians. Mr. Worobec and I also continued to write. We were joined by Marta Kolomayets, whose popular column, "A Journalist's Notebook in Ukraine," provides readers of The Weekly with an insider's view of Ukraine and its people.

What did all of The Weekly's many columnists (and if I've omitted anyone, I ask their forgiveness now) have in common? Regardless of their subject matter, they all shared a passion for their subject, an eye for a good angle, and a better than average writing style.

They were also committed. It's not easy to produce a column by a regular deadline, especially when one has other full-time professional and familial obligations as did many of the columnists. And yet, there they were. Writing. Week after week. Month after month. Year after year.

Why is it, I wonder, that The Weekly had so many columnists during the 1970s and so few today? Was there more to write about during the 1970s? Was the Ukrainian community in North America more interesting 20 years ago?

Or, and there is evidence to suggest this, has our community reached such a state of anomie that neither its detractors nor its supporters believe it does much good to openly express thoughts and feelings?

Think about that. And then write a response. Who knows, it could be the beginning of a regular column.

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