Verhovayak Lapja, 1940. január-június (23. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)

1940-05-30 / 22. szám

f Page GLIMPSES OF WASHINGTON WW TJ.r TVJ 4 t) n A TJ Ü'T' XTATjnf» By MARGARET VARGO The writers can sing its praises; the movies bring us glimpses of it; and our friends tell us what they saw there; but we truly don't realize how wonderful our Nation's Capital is until we’ve been there. We find pleasure in the beautiful architecture, but we’re most impressed by the as­sociations of the scene with our historical knowledge of the events of the past. The finest signifi­cance of the city is the memory of the many great men in whose honor the monuments, portraits, and other honors have been placed on the avenues, in the parks, and in the buildings. Our party of four persons—a teacher and his wife, and my girl-friend and I—arrived in Washington recently after a trip of approximately 230 miles, having been riding since 6; 30 P. M. Friday from Fairmont, West Vir­ginia. Our host and his wife had been in Washington a number of times and their ability to “get around” and guide us on our first visit was truly marvelous! They have relatives whom they were going to visit, and they graciously invited my friend and I to go along. This was a kind­ness very much appreciated by us, for we certainly had a wonder­ful time!' Upon arrival, our tired and sleepy feeling left us and we were ready to enjoy the thrill of see­ing the much advertised “Beauti­ful Washington at Night.” The unique type of street plans as criginated by the Frenchman, L’Enfant, has been carried out. We entered the city on the Ar­lington Bridge. We naturally saw first the highest work of masonry in the world, the 555 foot Wash­ington Monument. (I can’t re­frain from remarking here that the depth of the Consolidation Coal Company Mine at neighbor­ing Carolina is almost as great— being 528 feet.) In the reflecting mirror pool can be seen the Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol, which with its majestic dome looms in the distance. We drove around and around, viewing the well-lighted buildings and looked forward with great anticipation to visiting them in the morning. Along the tree-lined streets (there are supposed to be approximately six trees to each resident) rise those stately and massive build­ings. After a good night’s rest in a hotel, my girl friend and I met our “guides” for breakfast and immediately set off to tour the city. Our first stop was at the Bureau of Engraving Building, but we were not permitted to enter, since the employees do not work on Saturday. We were somewhat disappointed, since we bad particularly wished to see the printing of currency. We walked through the cold, brisk air to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Building. It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining brightly in the clear, blue sky. I was most interested in the tour in the F. B. I. Building. We were shown many things. Hundreds of employees were work­ing—filing and sorting the re­cord cards of criminals. Exhibits of machine guns, death masks, and clothing of the criminals, worn at the time they were shot by the F. B. I. men, were shown. Modern methods of fingerprint­ing were explained. The card­­sorting device wrhich sorts 150 cards per minute was demon­strated. This is truly one of the most interesting places we visited. The Smithsonian Institution, consisting of the Natural Museum and the New National Museum, was our next stop. It is said that if one were to take eight hours a day viewing the objects exhibited there, and looking at every item, he could complete the job in seventy-four years. Some of the things we saw which I considered the most important and interesting were: 1) The original “Star-Spangled Banner” which inspired Francis Scott Key to write our national anthem. (You'd notice that the field of blue with the stars is on the wrong side. This mistake has not been corrected because of the fraility of the old flag, which would certainly be destroyed if any attempt were made to turn it around.) 2) The gowns of the White House Ladies. Truly a lovely ex­hibit, girls! 3) The Spirit of St. Louis. How thrilling it was to see the plane which made so much history in air transportation! 4) The Winnie Mae. The air­plane flown around the world by Post and Gatty in 1931, and by Post alone in 1933. (This recalls to our minds that Wiley Post with Will Rogers met a tragic fate in Alaska.) 5) Dinosaurs and whales. 6) Meteorites, precious stones, and ores of all kinds. 7) Teddy Roosevelt’s collection of lions, brought back from his African Exposition. 8) Many exhibits showing the history of transportation. 9) Replicas of villages and their inhabitants—representing people of the Pueblos, the Hopi Tribe, Japan, and various places of Africa. The “snake dance” was most natural­looking. _ 10) A reproduction in miniature of the coal-mining town of Wat­son, West Virginia, (This town is a very short distance from here, being right next to Fairmont.) The replica, presented to the In­stitution some years ago by the Consolidation Coal Company, was complete in every detail to the curtains in the windows of the houses, board walks, and even the irregularities in the surface of the land. Naturally, the tipple and other buildings with their machinery necessary to the pro­duction of coal, were all there too. As I’ve already mentioned, the teacher who drove us there, was very familiar with every­thing, and we were glad to be led to this fine exhibit from our home-state. Next came our visit to the Washington Monument. I decided that I wanted to walk up and would ride down in the elevator. I W’anted to see the West Vir­ginia Stone, which is to be found in the wall when one reaches a landing. Beside each landing can be seen stones from different states as well as from different organizations, and some from other countries. Each landing only takes you ten feet higher, so it’s a long climb. I located the West Virginia stone when I had as cended 210 feet. The stone re­presented our state seal, on which a farmer and miner are pictured. Around them are boughs of our state flower, the rhododendron. I was w'ell-rewarded for the long, 900-step climb, for upon leaching the top, a most complete and lovely view of a very large territory can be seen from those windows which look .like mere specks from the ground. From there, one sees the ‘Tidal Basin” around which are the cherry blossom trees; the streets which all run toward the Capitol Build ing and truly make a very beauti­ful pattern; The Capitol and the White House, the latter being a truly magnificent looking “house.” I purchased some souvenirs, of which I’m very fond. I particularly love getting post cards from dif­ferent cities, and have a rather nice collection of them, to which I made an addition on this trip. Our afternoon and evening wras spent in viewing the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol, the very brilliant-white building—the Su­preme Court Building, and the Army Day Parade. The latter wre watched for over two hours. It was magnificent! Along historic Constitution Avenue came the wonderful bands, the army, the navy, and representatives of all organizations and schools of the city. The flags fluttering in the breeze, the perfect rhythm of the marchers, and the strains of the excellent patriotic music was most thrilling. I’ll feel quite at home when I see in the News Reel at the Theater glimpses of that beautiful and very colorful parade. Outstanding also in Washington is the Union Station, which is the largest room under one roof in the world. A building now' under construc­tion, which already promises to be superb in its beauty, is the Mellon Building, which when completed, will have cost $53,- 000,000. On Sunday morning I attended the eight o’clock mass at St. Patrick’s Church—an old but very pretty church. Its beautiful ar chitecture, lovely, quiet and solemn services fill one with a feeling of great reverence and inspiration. That particular mass was a spe­cial Knights of Columbus anni­versary service, and the members attended in a body and at a part of the mass stood in the aisles with upraised swords, this action being very awe-inspiring. Our brief visit to the airport was indeed enjoyable. We had great fun watching the “Blimp” ascend and descend with its pas­sengers. Airplanes of every de­scription landed within just a few minutes of each other. The National Zoological Park is the leading institution of its class in the world. The collections number about 2400 specimens of various animal life, including large and small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and insects. The Park's heterogeneous population, native and exotic, has been gathered from every conti nent and every clime, and most of the groups are exhibited with a realistic-looking background re­presenting that species“ natural habitat. Two other places we visited, although located in Virginia, are considered very much a part of Washington, due to their histori­cal significance; Arlington Na­tional Cemetery and Mount Ver­non. Arlington Cemetery is opposite Washington. Here one is impressed by the perfect rows of tomb­stones, the beautiful marble am­phitheater, the tomb of the Un known Soldier where a guard walks back and forth continously. Verhovayak Lapja May 30, 1940 The Verhovay Overseas Club is Born The Verhovay Overseas Club has achieved a note­worthy distinction since its recent organization a few short months ago. While little or no publicity had been given to it in its form­ative stage, a wide scope of interest has manifest itself already and followed our progress in spite of the fact that we haven’t really gotten under way as yet. In this modern age of streamline designing, noth­ing is complete without a due share of fanfare and publicity. For this purpose, I have been appointed by the Verhovay Overseas Club, namely to bring to the at­tention of our public the activities of our group, and to promote its interests in every conceivable way. Primarily the motive for the organization of the Over­seas Club was to create good fellowship among those of us fortunates who have crossed the briny deep, and have visited our “Mecca,” Hungary. However, the suc­cess with which our organi­zation has been received, has imbued us with a deep­er tenacity of purpose: it has resolved itself into an institution with a high ob­jective, namely, to re-educate ourselves and our brother­hood to our Hungarian herit­age. It is only natural, and I might add, it is morally obligatory that those of us, who have visited and seen Hungary, should take upon themselves this initiative. In conceiving the Overseas club, its founders had hoped that with a nucleus of young men and women, whose ex­periences have formed in them deep convictions, a movement may get under way to fill an urgent need— a fraternity of American born Hungarian youth with similar ideals. This now is our goal and objective. It is indeed fortunate that the seeds have fallen Robert E. Lee’s home Is interest­ing to 'visit. So mneh has been written about the Washington Mansion, the Washington Tomb, and the fur­nishing of the mansion at Mount Vernon, hut you really experience a great pleasure when you your­self are actually there. Enroute to Mount Vernon we passed through Alexandria, Virginia, where the George Washington National Ma­sonic Memorial stands. After returning from Mount Vernon, we had time just to take one last look at our great Capitol, Washington, before start­ing homeward, for on Monday morning we had to be at work. We look back at trip as one which provided us with much knowledge, pleasure, fun, and also great inspiration^ on so fertile a soil as Pitts­burgh and its vicinity. This locality can boast the un­usual distinction of having the greatest number of American-Hungarian youth who have visited Hungary. The unanimous acclaim with which these young men and women have responded to the organization and devel­opment of the Verhovay Overseas Club leaves little doubt as to the assurance of success for the club. At this time I should like to bring to the attention of everybody expressing inter­est in the Overseas Club that an important meeting will take place in the Car­negie Library in Homestead, on June 16th, at which time many important issues will be discussed. This will be an opportune time for all desir­ous of joining the club to get a?i idea of our activities and to meet our members. After the meeting entertain­ment and refreshments will follow. For further announce­ments and information read the Verhovay Journal. •—Edward M. Kurjack, Publicity Director Verhovay Overseas Club.--------------O-------------­MESSAGE TO THE FERRET Dear FERRET: Is the following statement true or false? A writer’s letters, manu­scripts, or whatever you wish to call them, reveal many ot his or her likes and dislikes (if the reader is interested in said person and his oar her writings), what he or she conceals, unless personally interviewed. The reason for stating this is, because after reading your column, I find that many of our members and contributors are complain­ing that our editors are try­ing to change or “deaden” the Journal. My typographical style was dropped of my OWN accord long before the new editor was added to assist the editor in chief. If you have the issue of October 26 you will find that it was changed that month. I am still the same girl you all met two years ago this month. Please, just because my last name happens to be “Biro,” do not mis-judge me. With sincere and best wishes to all, I remain Fraternally yours, Ann V. Biro, 1 alias “Mystricky.*

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