William Penn Life, 2010 (45. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2010-08-01 / 8. szám
Life takes us on a journey, sometimes on a straight and obvious path. That path can also meander and take us to places we've dreamt as a possibility but not quite a reality. The key ingredient to realization is destiny. The journey toward that destiny can be quite a story, such as the life of Professor August J. Molnár, executive officer and president of the American Hungarian Foundation (AHF) in New Brunswick, New Jersey. For the past 55 years Prof. Molnár has performed this role and there have been many who have touched his life and who have made this all possible for him. Walking towards the door of the Foundation's Hungarian Heritage Center on Somerset Street in New Brunswick, I am struck by the beautiful simplicity of the building's architecture. This was once the sight of the James Potter Needle Factory where many immigrants were employed. Here, you are welcomed with a warm, Hungarian feeling, which was probably what building architect László Papp had envisioned. A friendly woman waves to me as she waters the flowers in the courtyard. Waiting with me to enter the building is Susan, a high school junior who is reporting for her first day on the job at the Foundation. It is a sunny, warm morning, typical for late June in northern New Jersey. I am early for my 11:00 a.m. appointment as I ring the door bell. After a minute or two, a man approaches from inside the building to open the door. He is wearing a short-sleeve, blue-and-yellow striped shirt, suspenders and a blue tie with thin yellow diagonal stripes which hangs loosely knotted and from his unbuttoned collar. For a moment, I see "Gus," not "Prof. Molnár." He is pleased to have Susan on board and happy to spend part of the day showing me around and telling me his story. For an 83 year old, Prof. Molnár is fresh and excited about what the day has to offer and begins describing how his previous week had ended. He explained that teachers participating in the Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar in Hungary and the Czech Republic had their orientation program in conjunction with the City of New Brunswick and Rutgers University, both with which Prof. Molnár has a close affiliation. The Fulbright participants visited the Hungarian Heritage Center, and Prof. Molnár made a presentation to the teachers. Such is the life of Prof. Molnár: demanding, a bit daunting at times, with a bit of diplomacy added for good measure. Apparently it's not boring because Prof. Molnár has spent most of his life devoted to the Foundation's credo to "Conserve, Collect, Celebrate" the Hungarian culture in America. Throughout his days at work, Prof. Molnár is surrounded by many aspects of the Hungarian culture. Currently at the Foundation's museum is a vibrant display of Hungarian folk art. After guiding me on a quick tour of the awesome displays, Prof. Molnár leads me upstairs to the Foundation's archives. Along the way, lining the outside wall of a number of shelves, are the intriguing coats of arms of the major Hungarian universities, which were donated to the Foundation by the University of Pittsburgh. Laid out before us in the archives are rows upon rows of shelves of the vast Edmund Vasvary Collec-William litnn Life 0 August 2010 0
