The Function of Voluntary Associations within Community of the American Polonia

Abstract

Voluntary associations are groups of people striving together after a common-, goal. For Polish ethnic associations such a goal was to maintain a distinct national character, along with strenghtening their position in American society and developing an „emigrant” culture, enriched by new contacts with Poland. The origin, social situation and educational level, as well as a specific „character” of emigrantions (the first wave, 1880-1913 — mainly rural, non-educated population — the „old emigration”; the second wave, after 1939 — the „new emigration”, intelligensia) are causes of internal division of the population at issue. The „old emigration” was not able to gain a higher place in the structure of the U. S. A., and not knowing English lived in Polish enclaves.

The main functions of those associations was to unite the Polish colonies and’“ to gain for them a social rise. It was attempted at by developing education and culture. It is why they created associations allowing to develop interests and abilities -{singing associations, sport clubs). The after-September-1939 emigration was -especially striving to gain respect of American society for Polish culture. It could be one cause that the Polish ethnic group did not acknowledge inside it any social problems nor made any efforts to solve them generally.

An enormous dissipation of Polish ethnic groups and a rivalry among them saused the decrease of general interest in their activity (unskillfullness and inability to group action is by some thought to be a mark of the „Polish character” i. e. individualism).

The attitude of Polish ethnic groups towards American society was closely connected with their attitude towards Poland and underwent historically motivated -changes. The name used today the „Polish Americans” in fully justified.