Magyar News, 1997. szeptember-1998. augusztus (8. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1997-10-01 / 2. szám
In the auditorium. At the right is Mr. Janos Szoboszlai who showed us around. standing teacher, József Benőcs. He laid the ground for me both in the chorus and in the orchestra. I was an eight grader, a few weeks away from the end of the school year. I played violin, but since the bass player was graduating somebody had to take over that instrument. Well, in those few weeks he made a bass player out of me. then later he topped it with teaching cello to me. He did a good job and I ended up in Kassa playing live on the radio in a Gershwin Trio every Sunday noon. Later, at the university in Budapest I had the privilage to join their outstanding chorus. László Vajda was probably the person with whom I had the longest connection. He became a professor at the University in Szeged. His political standing and outspokenness made our bonding beyond what is between a teacher and a student. In my many trips to Szeged. 1 always had to talk to him. One day looking for him at the faculty, I was told that he no longer teaches, he was transferred to do library work. I got veiy nervous because on behalf of the Petőfi Circle, I was assigned to keep in touch with him in Szeged. As it turned out this wasn’t the reason for stripping him from teaching, but non the less it was his political attitude. Shortly before the Revolution, at a late evening time he took me to the University Library where he worked. He told me that the people he is to meet agreed to have me there but I am not to participate otherwise. The building was in dark, and the room we sat in was only illuminated by the lights of the street. As we know from a previous account in the Magyar News, the representative of this group at the Technical University in Budapest made the difference about their demonstration on October 23, 1956. It looks like a paradox; mischief tends to be in opposition of things, against them breaking the rules, etc. I somehow have a different feeling about it when it comes to schools. All the nasty things we did put me on a different side. It gave me a stronger feeling of bonding. It became more a part of my life, then it would be otherwise. Sure, nothing was destructive or violent. They were pranks. Good ones. During phys-ed class we were playing soccer. Ifie game went on during the recess and we didn’t want to stop. So, wg. had to cancel the next class. What did we do? We didn’t go to the classroom except for one boy who took the pin out of the doorhandle. When the teacher stormed into the room, the boy pulled out the handle and the teacher was locked in. With this victory in our sack, the game went on. At least that is what we thought. After some banging the teacher was let out by somebody and we were massacred. It back-fired. An other big event was when we summoned nature to disrupt the class. It was during spring when the “cserebogár”, a beatle about an inch and a half in size, is plentiful. One morning every member of our class had to bring in a box, a bag, or whatever container was available, filled with beatles. The beatle harvest came to many thousands. In those days we had huge stoves in the class rooms for heating. Since it was warm, these were not in use. We filled the belly of it and pulled out the stove pipe in the back. This was the escape route for the beatles. One by one. tens by tens, hundreds by hundreds, they were flying around in the room. Unfortunately we picked the wrong teacher. He made us shut the windows and have the bugs crawl allover, on our face, in our head, eyes, mouth, - it was horrible. A few got sick and this made matters worse. But we still remember it with compassion. Our heart beats faster remembering and we are happy having it in our life. I loved this school. It was almost my ALMA MATER. creativity 6y.. the flower box ltd ‘Bernadette ‘fyiaimi-Terasoivicfi Beszélünk magyarul Phone:(203)261 -3332 906 White Plains Road Trumbull, a 06611 Enjoy great home cooking in a warmfamdy^Mmosphere at Jtari of jSukptst Hungarian and Viennese Cuisine Daily 3-Course Dinner specials Reservations accepted for 4 or more Delicious Hungarian Wines from Open for lunch and dinner 12-2 and 5-9 Tuesday - Saturday. Sunday 5-9 pm. Live Music Every Night In the Galleria Building 57 Unquowa Road * Fairfield Telephone: (203)259-4777 THINKING ABOUT BUYING OR SELLING? LET JIM MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE! JIM BALLAS LET ME ASSIST YOU! CALL TODAY! Office phone. 374-0295 Voice mail: 394-5172 Serving Fairfield, Stratford, Monroe Milford, Trumbull, and Bridgeport Each office is independently owned and operated Page 7
