An article in the magazine "Wieści z Polski" describing in some detail the living conditions of Poles in the state of Texas. The history of the settlement of this state by the Polish community is recalled, the first settlers are mentioned, as well as, for example, the settlements and parishes in Panna Maria and St. Hedwig or Yorktown. Hedwig or Yorktown (Source: "Wieści z Polski", Warsaw 1929, R: 2, no. 11, p. 25, after: Jagiellonian Digital Library).

A modernised reading of the text

Report from a trip to Texas U.S.A.

Poles settled in Texas in 1854, with the first batch of Polish emigrants arriving in October of that year. They were brought here by Father Leopold Moczygemba, a Franciscan friar. The first settlers were Silesians from the Opole area. Fr Moczygemba purchased the land between the San Antonio River and Sibolo from an Irishman, John Thowig, and built a church here (today's Panna Maria). The beginnings of Polish colonisation were very hard especially when the civil war broke out. A man without arms was a slave. In addition, living conditions were very hard.

Animals (deer, turkeys) were plentiful. For flour they had to travel by oxen to San Antonio. The settlement of Panna Maria is the oldest. This year, the parish of Panna Maria celebrated its 75th anniversary. The second oldest parish is St. Hedwig Parish, established in 1856 in Martinez, 18 miles east of San Antonio and more than 30 miles northwest of Panna Maria. Parishes: Czestochowa, Kosciuszko, and Falls City were later established as a result of the expansions of Poles from the Panna Maria settlement.

Today, the above settlements have a population of approximately 800 families. Poles in these settlements own farms, the area of which varies from 50 to 300 acres. They grow cotton, which is the basis of their livelihood, and maize. Today, there is a tendency to increase cattle and chicken farming due to the long-term poorer cotton harvest. Poles in these settlements, in addition to assimilating the forms of American life, live the traditions they have brought from their homeland. The Polish community in Falls City is more Americanised.

High in terms of spiritual culture is the Polish community in Yorktown (a town east of Panna Maria with a population of 3,000). Although the Poles here also work mainly as farmers, their mentality is higher than in other settlements. The zealous and patriotic activity of the parish priest, P. Grzesionek, is undoubtedly influential here. Also the influence of German colonists neighbouring Poles. The same phenomenon can be seen in Martinez, although it is not a bigger settlement than St. Hedwig or Panna Maria. Hedwig or Panna Maria.

Polish families have retained a patriarchal character. This is seen particularly in Panna Maria. The younger generations acquire their knowledge of the Country only from the stories of older people, who like to chat a lot about the old Country. In parish schools, due to the lack of Polish teachers (there is only one Polish female teacher), the teaching of the Polish language is very poor. However, they did gather in quite large numbers for the scientific talks I organised. I have the impression that an excellent Polonia could be organised here. Apart from the above-mentioned settlements, Poles live in larger or smaller groups almost all over Texas. There are more than 3,000 Poles in Texas. In San Antonio, there are several hundred Polish families.

There are numerous Poles in Houston, where, however, they do not have a Polish parish. The Polonia should be organised here, otherwise it will become Americanised. The younger generations are settling here, intoxicated by the ideal of city life. Children here speak only American. Of the Galveston diocese, the largest Polish community is in Bremond. The parish was founded here in 1879, the Polish community was established in 1873 and the parish now has over 300 families, mostly of Malopolska origin. (Bremond is situated southeast of Waco. It is two hours by rail). The land here is sandy, because it is a low-lying place, easily subject to flooding.

In the current year, some farmers have sown cotton three times each. The reason for this was the rains falling for a long time. My research involved taking anthropological measurements on whole families. The population in general was very reluctant towards newcomers from the country. Various emissaries have exploited their patriotism in quite a disrespectful manner.

Today it is difficult to gain trust. Thanks to constant contact and strictly scientific talks, I overcame prejudice and managed to examine 220 families. The material collected is of great value. Even a cursory look through the material indicates a high percentage of Nordic elements.

The Anglo-Saxons, thanks to their Nordic physiognomy, consider themselves a superior race. The Poles, on the other hand, rank only higher than the Negroes. Poles, not knowing their anthropological value, stunned by the material culture of America, are often ashamed of their Polishness. The thesis of the inferiority of the Polish race is propagated by American scholars who seem to adhere to an outdated Celto-Slavic theory. American industrialists coming into direct contact with Poles are of a different opinion (e.g. "Ford").

The motives behind the Polish emigration were the reason that braver elements emigrated to America from Poland. The material collected will contribute to raising the racial dignity of the American Polonia. At the same time, it will provide a viable basis for discussion with American scholars.