The following text about the Slavonian-American Benevolent Society
and their home in the Slavonian Hall is from an article on the
society found on www.croatians.com:
The Slavonian-American Benevolent Society of Tacoma,
which was incorporated on April 10, 1901, is a local organization
which has survived and thrived throughout the years. Its meeting
hall was built by its predominantly Dalmatian membership in the
same year. The lodge played an important part in the lives of the
community. Besides its social significance, it paid sick and death
benefits to its members. The women's section of the lodge was
organized in 1912 and helped assist the widows .and persons
dependent upon deceased members. In 1976, the Slavonian American
Befievolent Society celebrated its seventy-fifth anniversary. The
hall still served the community and now has a place on the National
Register of Historic Places. During its early history, the lodge
was one of the most active benevolent organizations in the city of
Tacoma and the surrounding area. Its band and drill team competed
with the local Eagles and Moose lodges, which were considered the
leading benevolent groups of the country at that time. The members
were men of many talents, some of whom built a theater in the lodge
building. They presented plays using local talent from among the
families of the area. These stage plays were a source of enjoyment
to the community. In later years, the theater was rented to the
Tacoma Little Theater.
The Slavonian-American Benevolent Society conducted an
interesting ritual at the funerals of their departed members. The
American flag which flew above the hall would be lowered to
half-mast at the passing of a member, or of a state or local
dignitary. This custom continues today, and the Slavonian community
still looks to this flag as a bellwether of such solemn tidings.
When a member of the lodge died, the membership was expected to
attend the funeral. The night before the funeral, the body of the
deceased was placed in the parlor of his home, and mourners
surrounded the casket and prayed the rosary. Food and drink were
brought by relatives, friends, neighbors, and lodge members who
came to the wake, which lasted all night long. The next day, with
solemn, dramatic demeanor, the members of the lodge, led by a band
resplendent in goldbraided uniforms, marched in front of the
horse-drawn hearse with great dignity, pomp, and ceremony to the
church. The procession sometimes covered a great distance.
The Three Kings Dance, which originated in 1901 at the Slavonian
Hall in Tacoma, drew Slavonians from all corners of Washington
State. It was known as the "Tri Kraija Bali", and was, and still
is, a favorite holiday function. After the gaiety of the Christmas
season and the beginning of the New Year, there is usually a lull
in the social season. This was not so for the Slavs. The Three
Kings, or the Epiphany, is a Catholic feast day celebration of the
three kings who had followed the star to Bethlehem and offered the
gifts to the Christ Child. The dance that celebrated this event
still takes place on the first or second weekend of January. It is
not limited to those of the Catholic faith but was, especially in
the first half of the century, an event to renew old acquaintances
and meet new friends.
The watchful eyes of the elders were always on these
proceedings, and they were called the "Censor Board" by the younger
set. "This consisted of most of the mothers, sitting on benches
which lined the walls of the dance floor of the lodge, where they
would keep an eye on 'who danced with whom' and 'how many times!
This was one of their ways of predicting a budding romance, or, in
some cases, they were hoping it would." How difficult it was for
the young man who had many sisters or cousins, for he had to dance
with them at least once before he sought the girls of his choice.
It didn't make the cousins feel any better when the young man said,
"Let's dance over here so my mother can see this."
Whenever there was a dinner or dance at the lodge, during
intermission a few men and women would invariably start singing
softly some of the old country songs. Within a very short time, a
group would form, and one could hear them singing with feeling and
depth." The rafters shook from the volume of their voices, and a
feeling of warmth, love, and friendship prevailed. An integral part
of this lodge was- really its conviviality, stemming from love of
music, both vocal and instrumental."
This Tacoma lodge and its activities, which survive today, are
typical of what has taken place, and continues to take
place.
The Old Town community had a series of free classical concerts on
Tuesday nights at 7 in the Slavonian Hall. For information about
upcoming concerts check the events schedule on the Old Town
Neighborhood's
