1. Club Exterior
2. Article on Club 1938
3. Article
4. Article
The West Side Democratic Club was
organized in 1929 and enjoyed its Political Heyday in
the New Deal era of the 1930s, 40s and
50s. Its source of power was the Big 6th and 3rd
Wards on South Bends, West Side which could be
counted on for a 90% Democratic vote effort during that period.
If you needed a job you called the president, if you needed a
house or loan assistance was available
the club was always
your best friend and in return you were also a good friend of the
club and its candidates.
Over time the education of immigrant
children, the flight to the suburbs and the aging of the first
and second-generation immigrant population in general ate into
that power base.
This is not to say that the ethnic
voters were not a force to be dealt with prior to 1929.
There were a number of Polish, Hungarian and Belgian Clubs in the
beginning of the century and we Poles saw the awakening of ethnic
political power as early as 1880 when Charles Korpal, a Pole, was
appointed to a municipal office of Deputy Street Commissioner
(1880-1896).
Democrats dominated South Bend
politics, a Polish councilman was regularly elected from the
Third and - after 1889 - also from the Sixth Ward, the two Polish
Wards. Leading Polish politicians of this period included Charles
Korpal, Peter Makielski, Frank Kowalski, Jacob Jaworski,
Valentine Duszynski, Anthony Bilinski, Frank Gonsiorowski, Martin
Zielinski and L. A. Kalamajski.
Charles Korpal would run for city
treasurer in 1898 and although he failed to win, he polled enough
votes to prompt the Goniec Polski to write
triumphantly: "The number of Polish votes in our city has
reached such proportions that we are able to swing municipal
elections ... Soon both parties will have to reckon with our
political aspirations"
Early political organizations such as
the Polish American Political Club, The Pulaski Democratic Club,
The Polish Voters' Club, began making good the Goniec's boast.
After 1900, in addition to positions as Ward Councilmen, Poles
began to occupy places of importance in the City Council and the
City Clerk's Office. In 1913, a Polish candidate Jan T.
Niezgódzki ran for mayor, finishing third among the six
aspirants in the primaries.
But none would rival the clout of the West Side Club, in its
time.
Its still, in my heart, the only
place to Dygnus, but thats another story.
The Northwest Club reflected the multi ethnicity of the new immigrant neighborhoods that populated the Holy Cross and St Stan's parish area. The club had its origins in the mid 1930's and centered its activities around St Stanislaus Church.
Information Supplied by: Jim Piechorowski and John Kovatch
Project Started: Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Updated: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 09:14:33 PM
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