Compiled by Tara Simmonds
Archives & Special Collections Department
Harriet Irving Library
University of New Brunswick
P.O. Box 7500
Fredericton, New Brunswick
E3B 5H5
October 2001
This finding aid was funded by a grant under the
Canadian Council of Archives Control of Holdings Program.
Administrative History: The John Hasek Society began as an
organization called Education for Democracy, (hereafter referred to as
EFD), and was founded in Toronto, on January 5, 1990, by a group
of people concerned with political development in Czechoslovakia, including
the founding president, John Hasek. Branches of EFD developed in
all major cities in Canada, and EFD organizations were also formed in the
United States, Britain, and Australia. All these organizations cooperated
with the EFD committees in Prague and Bratislava. The intention of EFD`
was to help a newly-liberated Czechoslovakia to return to a democratic
system by providing conversational English instruction to Czechs and Slovaks
interested in learning or up-grading their existing knowledge of the language.
EFD was not meant to supplant any existing language education, but merely
to act as a co-ordinating body on behalf of volunteers and employers.
In the annual general EFD meeting held on October 1st, 1994 (seven
months after John Haseks death), it was moved that the name of the organization
be changed to the John Hasek Society. This motion was carried,
and the name was officially changed. In January, 2000, David Code began
the legal process of dissolving the organization, as its services were
no longer needed.
Scope and Content: This fonds documents the workings of the John Hasek Society, formerly known as Education for Democracy. Included in this fonds are a number of application packages (including application forms, résumés, cover letters, academic documents and letters of reference) from various people interested in participating in the program, as well as by-laws, minutes, correspondence, and material concerning fundraising and feedback about the program.
For the most part, arrangement follows original order.
Notes:
Title: Title of the fonds is based on the name of the creator
at the time of donation.
Immediate Source of Acquisition: On November 7th, 2000, David
Code (who followed John Hasek as president of what became the John Hasek
Society) donated Files 1-4 (b-d), as well as 5-7. On July 31st,
2000, John Haseks son, Anthony Hasek, had donated file 4(a) from
Toronto.
Arrangement: For the most part, arrangement follows the original order imposed by the creator. File 4(a), however (donated by Anthony Hasek), was incorporated into the numbering system of the files sent by David Code, as the documents found within this file are similar in nature to the other documents found in file 4 of Codes original system.
Language: While this fonds is predominantly in English, it contains material written in Czech.
Related Material: The University of New Brunswick Archives also holds The John Hasek fonds (MG H 182).
1. By-Laws of EFD -- 1990-1993
This file contains the By-Laws of Education for Democracy,
as well as the names and addresses of the Education for Democracy board,
1993.
2. Minutes - EFD -- 1991-1995
This file contains minutes from Education for Democracy from 1991-1994,
as well as from 1994-1995, when it became the John Hasek Society.
3. Requests for Teacher -- 1992-1995
This file contains correspondence, as well as various lists (including
state funded schools, EFD clients in the Czech Republic, and others).
Material is found in both Czech and English.
4. a) Recruiting, 1990-1991
i) Adams
- Boutet
ii) Bray - Conlin
iii) Cool - Dickson
iv) Dietrich - Frechette
v) Familiadis
- Hajccman
vi) Hala - Holomer
vii) Hopkinson - Kelly
viii) Kendle - McLeod
ix) McMahon - Penkala
x) Misutka - Saes
BOX 2
xi) Sandy - Sweeny
xii) Szczokin - Zylstra
xiii) *various names
b) Recruiting, 1991-1992
c) Recruiting, 1993-1994
d) Recruiting, 1995-1998
These files contain material used in the recruiting process for the
John Hasek Society (or Education for Democracy, as it was called in
the earlier years). Included are lists of applicants, correspondence,
articles, and sometimes feedback forms. Primarily, however, these
files contain application packages (including application forms, résumés,
cover letters, academic documents and letters of reference.)
There is an especially large portion of application packages in file
4(a), which are, for the most part, arranged alphabetically. File 4(a)
xiii, marked with an asterisk (*), contains single sheet application
forms which do not fit in with the order of the rest of the application
packages.
The title for file 4(a) was imposed by the archivist.
5. Briefing and Feedback -- 1990-1998
This file contains material such as memos, correspondence, response
forms, course requirements, teaching aids, articles, and information for
participants. Most material is in English, although some is also
in Czech.
Included in this file is an information booklet for participants from
1990.
6. Fundraising -- 1993-1998
This file primarily contains correspondence, receipts and blank donation
sheets.
7. Board Correspondence -- 1990-2000
This file contains a list of members of the board of directors for
1994-1995, a study which was conducted concerning the feasibility of the
program, as well as correspondence, lists of potential members, and material
related to the professional partnership program.