Erie Polonia Does its Part
The President of the Local Citizens Committee of Erie, Alexander Slomski, attended a meeting in Cleveland, Ohio in February 1918. The meeting was regarding recruitment of soldiers for the Polish Army.
Two different sources indicate two different addresses for the recruiting stations. One was at Stachowski’s Insurance Office located at 1208 Parade and the other at Recruiting Station No. 1 at 1309-1311 Parade Street, which is the Polish Forester’s Club.
Head of recruiting was J. A. Zebrowski, who put out a call for men physically and mentally suited for the job.
The physician who selected the recruits was Dr. Melchior Mszanowski.
Besides recruiting, a Polish Relief Aid Committee was formed to raise money for the medical needs and requirements for the troops. The following members were elected: President, Aleksander Slomski; Vice-President, Hipolit Pogorzelski; Secretary, Walenty Koston; Financial Secretary, Stanislaw Lyzikowski; Treasurer, Alexander Baniszewski; and Directors, Jan Mikulski and Stanislaw Nowotny. The headquarters for this committee was located at Polish Foresters Club.
Attorney Francis Nagorski was named Honorary President and organized a tag day, where over $9,000.00 was raised.
There was also a great parade held by the Polish community in Erie on the 1st Anniversary of the United States entry into World War 1, April 6, 1918. A Polish Army Band Concert was headed by a committee supported by Tadeusz Wronski, Chairman (a well-known Polish opera singer and teacher living in America, instrumental in raising money with Ignacy Paderewski.) Also in the committee were Pawel Rys, Jozef Ignasiak, and Jozef Kaczmarek.
There was also a ladies Polish White Cross Committee.
Two different sources indicate two different addresses for the recruiting stations. One was at Stachowski’s Insurance Office located at 1208 Parade and the other at Recruiting Station No. 1 at 1309-1311 Parade Street, which is the Polish Forester’s Club.
Head of recruiting was J. A. Zebrowski, who put out a call for men physically and mentally suited for the job.
The physician who selected the recruits was Dr. Melchior Mszanowski.
Besides recruiting, a Polish Relief Aid Committee was formed to raise money for the medical needs and requirements for the troops. The following members were elected: President, Aleksander Slomski; Vice-President, Hipolit Pogorzelski; Secretary, Walenty Koston; Financial Secretary, Stanislaw Lyzikowski; Treasurer, Alexander Baniszewski; and Directors, Jan Mikulski and Stanislaw Nowotny. The headquarters for this committee was located at Polish Foresters Club.
Attorney Francis Nagorski was named Honorary President and organized a tag day, where over $9,000.00 was raised.
There was also a great parade held by the Polish community in Erie on the 1st Anniversary of the United States entry into World War 1, April 6, 1918. A Polish Army Band Concert was headed by a committee supported by Tadeusz Wronski, Chairman (a well-known Polish opera singer and teacher living in America, instrumental in raising money with Ignacy Paderewski.) Also in the committee were Pawel Rys, Jozef Ignasiak, and Jozef Kaczmarek.
There was also a ladies Polish White Cross Committee.

On the ceiling of vestibule of St. Stanislaus Church, Erie, Pa. is a depiction of a symbol first used in the 1863 January uprising in Russian occupied Poland. Poland was partitioned between Russia, Prussia and Austria between 1772 and 1795. It ceased to exist from the map of Europe until 1918. This was a common emblem used by many Polish-American organizations to unite the immigrants in their desire for an Independent Poland. In the center is Our lady of Częstochowa to represent the Blessed Virgin Mary who is the Queen of Poland. The White Eagle represents Poland. The White Knight on horseback represents Lithuania. St. Michael the Archangel represents Ruthenia (present day Belarus). All three countries where once part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The description reads “God Save Poland.”