Verhovayak Lapja, 1954 (37. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1954 / Verhovay Journal
June 16, 1954. Verhovay rá MOTOR CITY NEWS BRANCH 36 — DETROIT, MICHIGAN By Jolán Lucas MICHIGAN VERHOVAY DAY Journal PAGE 13 AFTER THE BALL WAS OVER ... Everything, even the nicest of things, must sometimes come to an end. So it was with our never-to-be-forgotten Victory Dinner and Night of Budapest Dance. The above picture was taken after the dance was over, please note the tired, but happy, expressions on the faces of Dr. Andrew Kovács, Vice President, Mrs. John Sabo, wife of the National Auditor, John Sabo, and M. Bokor, President of Branch 345, Aliquippa, Pa., who is father of Mrs. Sabo. REVOLUTIONARY WAR HERO - MICHAEL de KOVÁTS COMMEMORATED I somewhat slipped up on the write-up of the coming big event — MICHIGAN VERHOVAY DAY — last month, due to the fact that we were moving into our new dream home around deadline day. However, quickly and in short, following are! the facts: TIME and DATE: Sunday, June 20, 1954 — all day. PLACE: Handler’s Park, Trenton, Michigan. PARTICIPATING BRANCHES and REPRESENTATIVE BRANCHES: Detroit’s Branches 36, 443, 500 and 511, and Flint Branch 214. Other branches to be represented will be: tha rest of the Michigan Verhovay1 branches: Branch 123, Kalamazoo; Branch 136, Grand Rapids; Branch 215, Muskegon Heights; Branch 403, Port Huron; and Branch 429, Dearborn. GUESTS OF HONOR: The Picnic Committee has also invited Michigan’s Governor G. Mennen Williams; Judge Stephen Roth, attorney from Flint; Congressman John Lesinski; Gerald K. O’Brien, Wayne County prosecutor; and other city officials. Also, the National Officers and members of the Board of Directors will attend this very impressive occasion. All of these guests have accepted the invitations. We know they1, will enjoy themselves. ADMISSION: Only a small fifty cents (50c); children under twelve will be admitted free if with their parents. DOOR PRIZES: Cash prizes: 1st, 7th and 8th prizes each $10. REFRESMENTS: All the familiar refreshments expected at outdoor picnics will be on hand in abundance. All the children will be given gifts... a surprise! MUSIC: Joe Balint’s Hungarian orchestra will regale the guests •— dancing and singing. ROUTE TO PICNIC GROUNDS: Out Fort Street to Wreeland Road, then left and follow the signs to the picnic grounds . .. OR . .. Out West Jefferson Avenue to Toledo Road, then right to the picnic grounds. GENERAL INVITATION TO ALL: If all the above mentioned branches will be well represented, plus the guests, plus the friends of the nearly 6,000 members in the Detroit area, we should all have a grand time. As for me, I’ll be there with bells on and that lovely new cotton dress which I purchased especially for this great occasion. I’m sorry I missed the MOTOR CITY NEWS in May, but movmg day is bad enough, and unpacking stuff that I hadn’t seen for over two months made me even more harried. Now that the Lucas Family is well settled, PLUS the use of Brother Steve Horvath’s IBM electric typewriter from his office, your Ferret should be well on the road ito continue writing her two columns VERY REGULARY. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes and sympathy. I’ll be back in July. All tragic events usually have a happy ending. May 9, Pittsburgh, Pa., A large number of Hungarians of Western Pennsylvania gathered this bright Sunday afternoon to do homage to one of her war dead, Colonel Michael de Kovats. Despite a city-wide transportation strike which virtually (.immobilized every street-car and bus in the city, a surprisingly largo audience was on hand to attend the ceremonies . Col. de Kovats was the proto-type, the first of a long line of Hungarians and Americans of Hungarian descent to give their lives for American Liberty. It was 175 years ago during the Revolutionary War that Col. Kovats lost his life in a cavalry skirmish with the British at Charleston, South Carolina. A pleasant surprise greeted the (audience as they filed into the spacious auditorium of the Soldiers and * Sailors Memorial Hall. In the center of the stage mounted on a pedestal was Zoltán Csakvary’s famous portrait of Col. Kovats in his Hussar dress uniform. On either side of the •portrait were the American and Hungarian flags. Attractive yopng ladies beautifully attired in Magyar costumes complemented the setting. Besides the young ladies there appeared on the stage a distinguished group of speakers, a squad of soldiers from a nearby Army installation and representatives of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. As was fitting the program opened with the singing of the National Anthem by Joseph Bercsi Jr. He was accompanied by the Thegze-Gerber Orchestra. The opening address by Committee' chairman, George Szécskay was given both in Magyar and English. Speaking for the Mayor of Pittsburgh, Mr. Callahan expressed the Mayor’s regrets at not being able to attend and conveyed his official welcome. Mr. Albert Fiok, Assistant District Attorney, acting as Master of Ceremonies lent his quiet dignity to the occasion. Mr. Fiok’s first task was to introduce the former Prime Minister of Hungary, who served in that capacity 1942 until 1944. Mr. Kallay spoke eloquently about the true patriotism of Col. Kovats. (The full text of his address appears in the Hungarian edition for June.) The Hon. Blair F. Gunther, Justice, State Superior Court, and president of the Polish National Union, expressed warm personal regards and said it was a privilege to join us in honoring so great and beloved a hero. Eugen»-1, O'Neil representing Congressman James Fulton, spoke about the valuable services Colonel Kovats had contributed to American History. The Hon. Francis Tapich, Judge Advocate of the County of Allegheny for the American Legion — voiced his praises of our hero and dwelt! on the historical events in an interesting fashion. Margaret Bársony, accompanied by the Thegze-Greber orchestra, sang two beautiful ballads; “Hymn of Rákóczi’ and “Rákóczi At The Border.” Both ballads were composed by Boczonadi-Szabo. “The Rákóczi March” and a rhapsody by Liszt were beautifully rendered by pianist Stephen Mozsy of Cleveland. Angela Korossy von Staudach delivered a poem entitled “Hungarian Lament” and the program was further enriched with Mrs. Peggy Blanchard Hencz’ solo, “Népem, népem, magyar népem.” The climax of the ceremony camel with the placing of the wreaths. First, each of the young ladies placed a red rose at the portrait. This followed by the placing of wreaths by members of the Veteran’s organizations present and represéntatives of 'the various Hungarian groups. Master of Ceremonies, Albert Fiok expressed his gratitude to those men and women responsible for the program and who helped in making itj the impressive ceremony it was. The ceremonies ended with everyone rising and singing the Hungarian National Anthem. $50; 2nd $25; 3rd $25; 4th, 5th, 6th, THE YOUNGER GENERATION CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROGRAM It was an eventful occasion even for the younger members of Verhovay. Shirley Putz, member of Branch 36, Detroit, Michigan, did her share in entertaining the many members and guests. She is shown above doing her pantomine of a popular vocal recording.
