Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1920, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “The New Year was ushered in by a very cold day. The Madam had the girls from the Bohemian House (another settlement House where she taught sewing) out for dinner and I am sure they enjoyed themselves.”
The “Madam” was Moses’ wife Susan “Ella” Robbins Moses. The “Bohemian House” was actually the Bohemian Settlement House. The Women’s Presbyterian Society established the Howell Neighborhood House for Home Missions in 1905, also known as the Bohemian Settlement House, located in the “Little Pilsen” neighborhood. The first settlement house was in a small building on the corner of Nineteenth Place and May Street. By 1912, a fund-raising drive resulted in a new building at 1831 South Center Street (now known as Racine Avenue). Since its establishment, the Bohemian Settlement House served a community predominantly composed of Bohemians, Poles and Czechs, offering social services and personal welfare assistance. Services expanded over the years, and by 1914 the there was a library, English Night School, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Sunday school.
The Bohemian House was featured in “Home Mission Monthly” in 1912 (Vol. 26, No. 5, page 125). Helen I. Duncan wrote an article entitled, “The Bohemian Settlement House:” Her is the article:
“In ‘Little Pilsen,” a district with a population of 40,000 Bohemians. The former May Street Mission, which appeared in last year’s report as the Centre Avenue Mission, has again changed its name, and now appears with enlarged facilities and opportunities as the Bohemian Settlement House. In seven years the work which started with a kindergarten for children of this crowded Bohemian neighborhood has so grown and developed that it now includes all the activities usually carried on by a social settlement. These activities are supported, however, by religious backing which so few social settlements believe to be essential.
“Most interesting phases of our educational work are the new Bohemian school for children and English school for adults. To the Bohemian school, held twice a week, come fifty children who want to learn to read and write the mother tongue, which they speak in their own homes, and which is often the only language the parents can read. In English school, as in most of our classes, no direct attempt is made to present the religious side of our work; Protestants, Catholics and Free Thinkers are welcomed without question. We are finding, however, that even when no words are spoken, the Spirit of Christ is working through these classes. They are proving a source of help and inspiration to many who can not yet acknowledge the Christian Church. But as we win confidence and trust, our church membership too is growing: we were glad to count fifty-four communicants at our Christmas morning celebration of the Lord’s Supper. For the last two years all the religious work has been under the charge of the Rev. Vaclav Vanek, a most able and gifted Bohemian preacher.”
By 1965 the Bohemian House merged with the Bethlehem Community Center to form the Neighborhood Service Organization. The new charter stated the Neighborhood Service Organization’s goal: “To be a neighbor to the neighbors in such a way that families are strengthened, lives are made more meaningful and purposeful and individuals see and understand the dignity and worth that is theirs as children of God.” Over time, the demographics of the neighborhood changed, and by the 1970s Mexican immigrants replaced many of the Central European immigrants. The Bohemian Settlement House is still serving immigrants, and is now known as the Casa Aztlàn. Here is some additional information from the National Park Service about Pilsen Historic District, Cook County, Illinois: https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/hispanic/2010/pilsen_historic_district.htm
Also, the University of Illinois at Chicago holds the Bethlehem Howell Neighborhood Center Collection, including the Bohemian Settlement House. In their special collection (MSBHNC70) Here is the link for more information: https://findingaids.library.uic.edu/sc/MSBHNC70.xml
To be continued…
