"JC's," as we called it, was close to the neighborhood occupied by the Marquette Parkers. JC's featured art exhibits at which the Displaced-Persons generation selected modernistic paintings for their homes. Each fall, the center hosted a "Madų Paroda," or fashion show. Expert knitters like my Mom and her friend, Donna, sometimes featured their pieces at the show. Children of the Marquette-Park DPs attended Lithuanian School every Saturday at the center.
JC's also sponsored a Lithuanian choir for teenage singers. I belonged to the choir for a couple of years. The choir practiced every Wednesday night. For me and three of my suburban friends—childhood pals from our satellite, Lithuanian School—choir practice was an opportunity to get out of the house during the middle of the week. Choir practice also served as a pretext when we decided to engage in other mischief. We played hooky so often from choir that the choir master once barely recognized us when we showed up in full folkdress for a performance. (Hi, Mom!!)
Jaunimo Centras is the place at which Lithuanians greeted Simas Kudirka when he finally emigrated to the United States. I sang at the reception that welcomed Kudirka to America.
Finally, JC's organized many stimulating historical conferences for the older set:
Gage Park, Chicago, December 1967. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, joins others for a presentation at JC's.
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