The Eighth Hungarian Tribe, 1984 (11. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1984-09-01 / 9. szám
The New Jersey RM€RICRN-HUNGRRIRN A Special Section for the American-Hungarian Community in New Jersey Construction of the American Hungarian Foundation’s New Headquarters Underway: THE HUNGARIAN HERITAGE AND RESEARCH CENTER- by -Paul Pulitzer NEW BRUNSWICK - Work has begun on the conversion of the former Potter Needle Company factory building into the American Hungarian Foundation’s “Hungarian Heritage and Research Center’’. Situated on the corner of Somerset and Bethany streets, the 16,000-square-feet facility is scheduled for completion sometime during the latter part of 1985 or early 1986. It will house the offices of the Foundation, an exhibit area, a book and crafts shop, conference rooms, archives, and a 40,000-volume library that will also have a collection of Hungarian and American-Hungarian publications awaiting microfilming and the Edmund Vasvary Collection consisting of 24,000 different items of historical interest. When completed, the Center will also be a repository for historical documents of the Hungarian Roman Catholic Church in America and those of other denominations. A MAJOR FUNDING PROJECT The American Hungarian Foundation bought the site for its new home about four years ago. Since that time, it has raised more than $6000 for the construction project which, without the donated services of architects and engineers, would have cost at least $ 1.5-million, but will now be built for less than $1,000,000. According to Dr. August J. Molnár, the president of the Foundation since 1965, the rest of the money needed to cover the total cost of construction will not be a serious problem. “The commitments we have so far,” he said, “have come from a very, very closed circle of people. We have not yet gone out into the community to raise funds. That will take place in September, starting in the New Brunswick area and in Connecticut and around Pittsburgh. It September, 1984 It is estimated that the cost of operating the new Center will be about $250,000 a year and, according to Dr. Molnár, the Foundation has already begun negotiations for a $1.5-million endowment with a number of possible sources. Moreover, it has also received two $100,000 donations, a $50,000 “challenge grant” from Johnson & Johnson, and now plans are being formulated to reach out for additional corporate funding. CENTER TO BE A TOURIST ATTRACTION In addition to being a research facility for scholars, students, writers, journalists, and others interested in Hungarian subjects, the Center will also be open to the public as a tourist attraction. “We’re aiming at making it a tourist center,” Dr. Molnár explained, “and publicizing it as such. We anticipate, for example, having school groups come in throughout the year.” That elementary and high school students will take advantage of the research resources of the Center is indicated by the fact that an increasing number of teachers in the public school system are beginning to ask their pupils to prepare compositions on Hungary. Moreover, the feasibility of the Center as a tourist attraction is proven by the fact that, when out of state visitors arrive in the local area, many of them phone the Foundation for information about where to stay, where to go, and what to see. FOUNDED THIRTY YEARS AGO The American Hungarian Foundation was founded at Elmhurst, Illinois, in 1954. It supports research and educational programs, academic studies of Hungarian culture, history, music, art, literature, and language in American high schools, colleges, and universities, as well as various publications including the Hungarian Studies Newsletter. It is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. The members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors are: Chairmen, E. Eugene Oross; Vice-Chairmen, George A. Kellner, Zoltán Merszei, Paul A. Radnay, and Peter K.J. Vadasdy; Emeritus, The Rev. Imre Bertalan, Dr. John Butosi, Dr. Otto J. Dax, Dr. Nicholas L. Deak, Michael Hont, Andrew Kalman, and Mrs. Clara E.B. Kellner; Directors, Dr. I. Michael Kasser, Paul C. Kovi, Dr. Joseph J. Lukacs, Andrew E.B. Racz, Dr. Lajos Schmidt, Janos Scholz, Tibor Szegezdy, and Anthony M. Yelencsics. The Board is assisted by a 61-member Development Council and a 46-member Advisory Council. The present offices of the Foundation are located at 177 Somerset Street, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903 (Tel: 201-846- 5777). Page 7
