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Buckholts SPJST Lodge No. 15

Mon, 08/01/2022 - 12:00am

Buckholts SPJST Lodge No. 15: In 1897, Central Texas Czechs organized Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas (SPJST), a fraternal society that promoted social activities and insurance benefits for its members. SPJST Members from Cameron, Marak and Buckholts established Lodge No. 15 in October 1907. The official name of the Lodge was Svornost Jihu, which translates as "Southern Unity," though that name has been seldom used. Josep Slovacek and other members drew plans and built the first meeting hall, dedicated on this site on July 4, 1911, but destroyed by a 1915 storm. Temple Architect Josef Tudlacka designed the next building (pictured above), which thieves set on fire in March 1936 to distract citizens while they attempted to rob the bank.

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Western Swing: Texas Born and Bread (With Light Crust Flour)

Fri, 07/01/2022 - 12:00am

Western Swing music. “The secret was it had a good dance tempo, mmpah-mm-pah, a 2/4 rhythm. The thing that Milton said was ‘If I pattern my music and make it a good polka tempo out the songs I play, lay the polka tempo just a little bit harder, I think I’ll have a good band.’ When you boil it down, it was a good simple, polka beat.”---Leon “Pappy” Selph.

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The Nuts and Bolts of the 2022 National Polka Festival

Fri, 07/01/2022 - 12:00am

The 55 annual National Polka Festival in Ennis, Texas has been klobase wrapped up until next year. The three days of merriment has proven that live music is alive and well in 2022. A rough estimate is that tens of thousands of folks enjoyed the festival. The wonderful people that made this event a success are all volunteers, and it takes a lot of giving people to successfully stage three days of fun.