Finland-Swedes in Michigan

Finland-Swedish Organizations

47 Finland-SwedishOrganizations A long with other ethnic groups that immigrated to America looking for a new life in the “Promised Land,” where opportunities for economic success were plentiful, many Finland-Swedes were often at a loss when their plans and hopes were dampened by harsh work conditions, illness, and untimely death. Although many immigrants brought little organizational pattern or background to combat these problems, they soon established several organizations that helped thousands of Finland-Swedes across the country. The first was Imatra, a benefit society, in 1889, followed by the temperance society Aavasaksa in 1892. Both were established in Worcester, Massachusetts . Interestingly, the first benefit or temperance society in Michigan was founded in Metropolitan in 1892.100 However, the temperance society Morgonstjärnan (Morning Star) in Ironwood on January 30, 1898, and the benefit society Österbotten in Bessemer on April 16, 1898, initiated a movement to form not only new local societies but also associations of societies. The societies in Bessemer and Ironwood became the leaders in their respective associations. In the following year, benefit societies were founded in Ironwood, Negaunee, and Crystal Falls. Representatives of the four societies met in Bessemer on February 5, 1900, and organized the Swedish Finnish Benefit Association (Svensk-Finska Sjukhjälpsförbundet). This association grew slowly 48 Mika R oinila for a few years, but later its progress was rapid. In 1915 there were thirty-eight local societies with 2,237 members, and in 1920 the membership of fifty-one active local societies was about 3,500. Of these fifty-one societies, five were located in the East, twenty-eight in the central states, six in the mountain states, and eleven on the West Coast.101 Michigan was home to several societies established in Bessemer (1898), Ironwood (1899), Negaunee (1899), and Crystal Falls (1899). Other Michigan locations included Calumet, Dollar Bay, Gladstone, Iron Mountain, Escanaba, Baraga, and Metropolitan.102 The emphasis of the Sick Benefit Association was focused primarily on aid and benefits for individuals and families in times of illness, accidents, or deaths; however, social and cultural activities were important as well. According to the constitution of the association, its purpose was to bring together in brotherly harmony persons speaking Swedish or Finnish without respect to religious or political views, to promote amity, friendship , and helpfulness, to gather collectively means to aid members who are ill or who have through illness or accident become incapable of working, to pay funeral benefits on the death of members, and to seek in other ways to promote harmony and the feeling of brotherhood among our countrymen in this land.103 After the founding of temperance society Morgonstjärnan in Ironwood in 1898, the idea of temperance gradually took hold. Within four years, fifteen temperance societies were formed, the majority in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, only to be founded alongside benefit societies that were also found in many towns and cities of the region. The temperance societies first joined the Finnish National Brotherhood, but on November 20–21, 1902, representatives from eleven of these temperance societies met in Crystal Falls and organized the Swedish Finnish Temperance Association (SvenskFinska Nykternetsförbundet). The association began with sixteen societies and about 500 members, but it grew quickly in the following years. In 1908 there were fifty-one active local societies with some 2,100 members. The growth of the society slowed down over the following years, and by 1917 there were sixty societies with a membership of about 2,600. Of these societies, eight were located in the East, thirty-one in the central states, seven in the mountain states, and fourteen on the West Coast. 104 In 1917 Michigan was F INL AND-SWEDES IN MICHI GAN 49 home to nineteen temperance societies, representing almost two-thirds of all the chapters. Temperance societies were established in Ironwood (1898), Bessemer (1898), Negaunee (1898), Amasa (1899), Crystal Falls (1899), Gladstone (1899), Ludington (1899), Felch (1900), Dollar Bay (1902), Escanaba (1902), Quinnesec (1903), Ramsey (1903), Baraga (1903), Thompson (1906), Jessieville (1908), Hancock (1909), Manistique (1911), Munising (1912), and Newberry (1915).105 Most of the work of the Swedish Finnish Temperance Association was educational, with informative and entertaining programs and social activities to promote temperance. For this reason, many of the societies built their own halls. Women’s auxiliaries (sewing societies), choirs, and brass bands were also part of the temperance movement.106 The Temperance Association sponsored three publications. The monthly paper Ledstjärnan (Leading Star), began in January 1906. Two...