Adapted from a speech given by Falconette Commission Chair, Patricia Capozoli, at the 2022 PFA Special Convention in Enon Valley, Pa.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, we would like to honor an important female figure in Polish Falcons’ history—former National Vice President and first Physical Instructress, Maria Grosser Korpanty.
On Oct. 23, 1896, Maria Grosser was born in Tyczyn, Poland—located in the lower Carpathian foothills, with the town’s center on top of a hill surrounded by farming villages. Maria’s father served as a mayor there, and she joined the Galician Falcons organization headquartered in nearby Rzeszow in 1910. Maria left Austrian Poland in 1913 and settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In 1914, the National Instructress’ office was created during the historic 11th PFA National Convention in Buffalo, N.Y., where 379 Delegates, representing 270 Nests, were in attendance. At this Convention, an eighteen-year-old Maria Grosser was elected as the first National Physical Instructress and served one term until 1917. On a side note, the Official Seal of the Polish Falcons of America was also adopted at this Convention.
In 1920, Delegates made a significant decision at the 13th Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, to expand opportunities for women and allow them to take positions in leadership in the organization. Similarly, this decision came shortly after the ratification of the nineteenth amendment granting women the right to vote in Federal elections. At the Convention, women were granted full rights equal to those of male Members, including the opportunity to be leadership candidates.
While Falconettes had been active in the Falcon movement since its birth in 1887, the progress of women attaining national leadership in the organization slowly increased. For instance, the first all-women’s Nest (Nest 100) was organized in Chicago in May of 1899. And, it was only in 1909, when a woman named Marie Milcarek-Smigielska was elected to head a Falcon District. The stature of Falconettes in the National and District leadership of PFA has continually grown. In fact, in February 1987, ten of the twenty highest National Officers were women. Even now in 2023, the tradition of very strong, influential female leaders remains at all levels of the organization.
After her marriage to Leon Korpanty in 1917, Maria became National Vice President of the Falcons in 1925. She continued in that office for 32 consecutive years (or ten consecutive terms) until her death in 1957 at age 60. Unfortunately, Leon Korpanty, who served as legal advisor of the Falcons from 1926 to 1933, was killed in a train accident in 1933.
During 1930, every Falcon District established divisions for women—the divisions were under the leadership of Vice President Korpanty and would play major roles in the athletic, cultural, charitable, and social activities of the PFA.
Druhna Korpanty was an untiring promoter of insured membership as she held the position of National Vice President under Dr. Starzynski’s leadership. She traveled widely on behalf of the organization and was also an eloquent speaker. Upon returning from any Nest and District functions, Druhna would personally report to President Starzynski, and would usually bring a handful of new insurance applications.
During her tenure, Druhna Korpanty served as Acting National President in 1937 while filling in for President Starzynski during his recuperation in Poland after an illness. She then served again in 1952, after the passing of President Starzynski, until Walter J. Laska was elected as the next President at the 25th Convention in June of 1952.
Towards the end of May 1944, Vice President Korpanty and other Falcons leaders took part in the founding of the Polish American Congress in Buffalo. Even though the initial efforts of the PAC failed because of political actions by the Roosevelt administration, Falcons continued to participate in the PAC and Rada Polonii (Polish War Relief Council). One of the most celebrated contributions was the Falcons’ raising approximately $75,000 to purchase 750 horses to assist in the recovery of Poland’s devastated agriculture. Maria represented the Falcons both in America and abroad on numerous occasions and served a term as a National Vice President of the Polish American Congress.
The recruitment of new insured Members was the province of the dynamic and articulate Vice President Maria Korpanty. From 1944 to 1952, the number of insured Members rose by 167%. Moreover, membership drives conducted under Korpanty’s leadership during that time played a large part in this membership increase, along with a corresponding increase in the organization’s assets and amount of insurance in force.
Maria Korpanty remained an activist from her election in 1914 until her death on March 16, 1957. During her tenure, she was chiefly responsible for directing recruitment. Following her death, the office of Woman’s Vice President was left vacant until the 1960 Convention, when it was filled by Genevieve Hartman.