Magyar News, 1993. szeptember-1994. augusztus (4. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1994-04-01 / 8. szám

It happened in the West End of Bridgeport, in the early '30s. We were all poor, but we enjoyed a priceless life. Boy Scouts of America Troop 50 was started in 1929 under the leadership of John Kozma as scoutmaster. Two years later he passed away and a young new church member became the scoutmaster. He was not yet 21 years old and was active in Troop #54 at the General Electric plant. He became known and loved by all in the local towns. He was “Skipper Steven P. Toth” who later in life had a town park named after him in Easton. He lived in Stratford but spent all of his time in the West End of Bridgeport. In a matter of a few months he built up and recruited 40 new Hungarian members. He are some names of 1931. Andy and Bill Koleszár, Jimmy Noga, A1 Bodie, John Komjáthy, Joe Csongrádi, John Katona, Andy, Iggy and John Horvath, Tony Magyar, Steve Berecz, William Hudak, Jim Karafa, Louis Ritlop, Louis Kochis, Mike Sabo, John Ducsay, Bill Hubler, Zeke Gondos, Zeke Komjáthy, Robert Lengyel, Paul Gazso, Steve Csordás and many more Hungarian boys from the West End, South End and Black Rock areas.

We had a45-piece Bugle and Drum corp. We marched in all the parades and played at the comer stone laying at St. Emery’s Church in 1932. Three of the boys had great futures. Louis Ritlop later played a saxaphone in big-name bands in the late '30s and '40s. Two pals Joseph Csongrádi (his father edited the “Népszava” Hungarian newspaper) and John Katona (brother of Mary Katona of Fairfield) were chosen to follow an education of Aeronautical Engineering degrees at St. Louis, Missouri. Upon graduation, Katona was hired by Howard Hughes as his engineer for racingcars and plane engines. Joseph Csongrádi ended up as manager of Boston airport.

In 1931 Fr. Csemitszky wentto Hungary in the summer months to make arrangements to send our local boys to study the priesthood in Hungary. To replace him we received Fr. Tassi from Hungary. The troop was lucky in having him because he was very active in scouting in Hungary. He gave us all a 20-page booklet of Hungarian Boy Scout songs of Hungary. In no time we were singing “Daltol Hangas Erdő, Mező, Berek ahol járunk mi cserbészek...” Another song was “Gimbelem a gombolom a gombolom, cserkész ingem gombolom...”

In 1931 the Boy Scout World Jamboree was held in Gödölö, Hungary. The troop committee members solicited the local Hungarian merchants for a fund to send Stephen Toth to the world jamboree. In no time (in spite of the depression) the money was available. Upon his return the troop grew large in members because the older boys stayed with us. Steve Toth was introduced to Sea Scouting at the World Jamboree so his solution was to start the Hungarian Navy, Sea Scout Ship 50. The “Stag of Hungary.” Steve Toth was the Skipper, a nick-name that stayed with him for the rest of his life, “Skipper Toth.” At the same time

westartedayoungTroop52forSt Stephens School.

There were many happy memories such as when we went on a weekend “Starvation Hike” camp-out. No food was allowed from home, you had to fish, eat fruits, berries, frog's legs, etc. Mike Szabó sneaked in a can of “Pork and Beans.” At 2:00 a.m. he went out to the campfire and was warming the beans in the can. In no time 3 others caught him and insisted he share the beans with them. When the beans were warm enough, Szabó spit in the can on the beans and he ended up eating all of it.

There was no money for buying tents so we asked Howlands store in Bridgeport to donate to the Troop their canvas awnings they were taking down. We made our own tents all by hand to sleep 50 boys. We usually camped at what is now “90 Acres Park” off Park Ave. in Bridgeport. That was before Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course was developed. We could not afford the $7.00 fee for a week's camping by the district Boy Scout Camp at Pomperaug on Lake Zoar area. Each year we ran our own camp at “90 Acres Park” for free. There were 50 boys and leaders and each was assigned to a project, such as making a wash basin out of a small stream, a large table for eating our meals, cooks, dishwashers, guards, fireplaces to cook on, a latrine and a 5-foot deep fern-lined ice box. Fleischer’s meat market from Hancock Ave. delivered the meat and other food. Their farm was only a short distance from our (continued on page 2)

Troop #50. Steven Toth in the back. Steve Berecz is holding the flag on the left.

A reunion of former members of the Hungarian Boy Scouts in 1972. Sitting on the right in the front row is Steve Berecz.