Charter Of the St. Petersburg Lithuanian-Zhmud charitable society.

Charter Of the St. Petersburg Lithuanian-Zhmud charitable society.
St. Petersburg, Russia. E. Evdokimov printing house, 1898 16 p. Publisher's cover, reduced format (12.3 x 16.7 cm). Good condition; extinguished library stamp; moderate contamination; torn cover on the spine; jammed the lower right corners of the pages.

[The society's Charter was approved on September 25, 1892 by the police Department. Its founders were St. Sov. Ivan Ventskovich, teachers, schools Casimir and Casimir Bagdonis, dentist Ivan Pashkevich, and A. Brazaitis, N. Buzas, I. Rymkevich, S. Baltramaitis, Pavalkis A. L. Antonevich, I. Gagarinski, M. Yanushkevich, P. Suboch, K. Badopal, Eve. Ashmont, M. Januskevics, I. Pashkevich, I. Urbas.

The aim of the society was "to provide funds for improving the moral and material condition of poor Lithuanians and zhmudins living in St. Petersburg". This goal was intended to ensure "the delivery of clothes, food and shelter are not able to purchase their own work; assistance in finding training or service, the acquisition is material to the profitable marketing of products poor workers; delivering and facilitating ways for charity and education of orphans and children of poor parents; poor supply medical benefits; room for the elderly and terminally in the poorhouse; setting up schools, charity homes, almshouses, hospitals, etc. charitable institutions; providing the poor with funds to return to their homeland."

The honorary Chairman of the society was Prelate Ivan (Anton) Ashmont, honorary members – the Bishop of the diocese Zhmudskaya Mieczyslaw Pollulion, Bishop of Lutsk-Zhytomyr diocese Nedelkovski Karl, Prof. Ignatius Baltrushis, inspector of the same Academy John Matsulevich, Prelate and Apostolic protonotary Konstantin Matsulevich, spiritual Secretary of the Roman Catholic Metropolitan of Mogilev Canon Kazimir Prapolianis, merchants Edmund Novitsky and Mikhail Kulvets, Col. Vikenty Matulaitis (since 1898 Chairman of the society's Committee, previously Vice-Chairman), railway engineer Peter Vileisis, Director of the Lithuanian theater Longin Winkler, etc.

The annual membership fee was $ 6, but the Charter could be replaced by personal work; the title of member, in particular, provided "the doctors who took the free use, pharmacists are obligated to supply protected by society poor medicines might low price, to teachers, free of charge who undertook to teach the children of the poor, under the care of society and such individuals who will declare the desire to take care or to keep your account someone from the poor, protected society."

A significant part of the society's funds were spent on non-refundable benefits and loans to young people for higher education. No less important was the care of the cultural program: at the evenings organized by the society, plays were performed in the Lithuanian language, both original and translated (in one of the plays depicting the end of the harvest in Lithuania, more than 50 performers, singers and dancers in Lithuanian national costumes were involved). The proceeds from the evenings accounted for more than half of all receipts to the company's cash register.

For 10 years, from 1893 to 1902, the company's cash register received almost 25,000 rubles, of which membership fees (from 73 members) amounted to 4,410 rubles, donations for charitable needs-1,584 rubles, for the purchase of the company's own house-2,550 rubles, interest on capital in securities-890 rubles, income from organized evenings-15,560 rubles. Allowances and loans for the education of young people for the same period amounted to 3,828 rubles; 3,036 rubles were spent on other charitable needs, and 9,626 rubles were spent on organizing club evenings.

The company's events were held at different addresses; the addresses of the Board were usually given as the apartments of the Secretary or members of the Committee.]