Page:Czecho-Slovak Student Life, Volume 18.djvu/214

We have just received the entire collection of J. S. Baar’s books from Czechoslovakia, printed by the Zemědělské Knihkupectví and we can not help thinking of the great Czech novelist, leader and priest, who died only two years ago. We have spent many pleasant moments with this Father Sheehan of Bohemia who will be read as long as Czech literature exists.

J. S. Baar was born in Klenči, Šumava, in the year 1869. His ancestors were of German-Bavarian origin, who became thoroughly Czech by contact. He undertook his high school studies in Domažlice. At first his efforts in this direction were only half-hearted, but later his father’s words had such an effect upon his youthful soul, that his undergraduate studies merited an “omnia eminenter” recognition. His desire was to become a ‘Kukátkář’ (Spectator) after the fashion of Kosmak. In pursuance of this ideal, he entered the seminary corps of the archdiocese of Prague where he was ordained priest in 1892. He was first appointed chaplain to the German parish of Primda. Here he experienced several painful episodes, which he amply describes in his first stories on the Priesthood. However, his horizon of thought was broadened during his stay at subsequent missions, notably those of Spálené, Pořice, Stachov, Ořech, and Ounětice. His stay in these places turned his attention in the direction of the “Chod” people, their joys and wants. When he subsequently became the pastor of the mission in “Ořech”, which is close to Prague, his sentiment turned entirely to agricultural folk, and hence-forth his literary endeavors became almost exclusively a description of them and their problems. When he retired, he came once again, back to his beloved birthplace, where he could now, undisturbed, devote himself to the “Chod” people. Here he also lived in intimate friendship and confidence with the Pilsen professor-author J. Fr. Hruška and with the author J. Vrba. Here he also peacefully passed away, departing this life, at the age of only 56 years, on Oct. 25, 1925.

His writings were published in part by the so-called “Dědictví Svatojanské”, and reprinted in various periodicals in Europe and America. The “Zemědělské Knihkupectví” has now published an entire collection of his writings.

Of necessity, the written literary endeavors of Baar must be divided into several classes. In the first place, of note, are his minor works written in the spirit and fashion of Kosmak. They are principally sketches of his native village “Hunás”, “Několik Povídek” (in the main all tragic village events) and “Mžikové obrázky”, a work written in three parts.

Baar’s first literary attempt was at poetry, his first poems being still extant in the collection called “Rodnému Kraji”. He did not continue along this line, being discouraged by K. D. Lutinov—who quickly perceived Baar’s