William Penn, 1964 (47. évfolyam, 5-21. szám)

1964-10-21 / 20. szám

LIFE INSURANCE

SINCE

1886

VOL. XL

VII.

OCTOBER 21, 1964 51

NUMBER 20.

WILLIAM PENN OFFICERS MEET WITH PRESIDENT JOHNSON

The William Penn Fraternal Association and other fraternal organizations throughout The United States responded to a telegraphed invitation from President Lyndon B. Johnson for a meeting with the various fraternal leaders September 21, 1964. The conference of the President and the fratemalists took place in the White House at 4:30 p.m.

Representing the William Penn were National President Elmer Charles and National Secretary Albert J. Stelkovics. It was a tight schedule for Messrs. Charles and Stelkovics who shortly after noon had to excuse themselves from the first day’s session of the fall semiannual meeting of the Board of Directors. The two National Officers flew to Washington and departed for Pittsburgh in the early evening.

The purpose of President Johnson’s invitation was for an “exchange of views with you and other outstanding leaders of fraternal organizations in our country . . . important and desirable.” He has been having meetings with leaders in various fields in order to know the thinking of the many segments of our society.

The fraternal leaders assembled in the East Room, then met President Johnson in the Gold Room. Mr. Johnson said: “This House is your house and this office is your office for it is the office'-cf all the people of this country.” He then proceeded to talk about the crucial matters affecting our nation and the world, and he stressed the vital role of all the fraternals in the welfare of our country. He concluded: “This nation was not born to serve ourselves, but to serve ail mankind.” Following this the President, his entourage, and the guests entered the State Room where they enjoyed a social hour with buffet dinner, etc.

The conferences and meetings of President Johnson with various representative leaders have proved beneficial and constructive, as reported by National President Charles and National Secretary Stelkovics to the Board of Directors.

Pictures were taken at the White House meeting. We expect to publish one in our November WILLIAM PENN.

THE VALUE OF COLLEGE

Along about this time of year the average harrassed father with a son or daughter in college is busily juggling the family budget to come up with the money for another round of campus costs.

And if he’s like most, he’ll be understandably grousing a bit over the mushrooming trend of those bills.

He may find some solace, however, in the fact that if costs of a college degree are going up, so are the dividends.

Attesting to that is a report bv the Survey Research Center ol the University of Michigan graphically illustrating a widening gap between the future potential for a college graduate and one going into the job or career market with nothing but a high school diploma.

It showed that in 1956-57 the average head of a family with a college degree earned $8,500 a year — $3,400 more than the typical high school graduate. By 1961-62 the average was up to $11,070 with a $5,330 annual differential over the high schooltrained level.

Of course, earning capacity is not the only college dividend.

But it’s a comforting statistic that pop can ponder while he’s writing this year’s checks.

MORAL: For your children’s future college education, consult your Local William Penn man. He will have a reasonable solution for your problem.

JUDGE FIOK HONORED AT WELL-ATTENDED TESTIMONIAL DINNER

It was honor to whom honor was due and an occasion of! festivity on the evening of September 12, 1964 in the Grand Ballroom of the Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel, when approximately seven hundred friends and well-wishers assembled at the Testimonial Dinner in tribute to Pittsburgh’s first American citizen of Magyar descent to be appointed to the bench, Judge Albert A. Fiok.

The program was opened by the toastmaster, Bela A. Karlowitz, Esq., who called upon Miss Julia Orosz, announcer of the Sunday Hungarian program on Station WAMO, to lead the guests in the singing of the National Anthem. This was followed by Louis J. Spisak (Capt., U.S.A. Ret.) leading the Pledge of Allegiance. Then the Invocation was given by the Rev. Stephen Szőke, Pastor, Hungarian Reformed Church of Duquesne, Pa.

Following these preliminaries, the guests sat down to enjoy a delicious dinner enhanced as the Julius Phillips orchestra • played music of refinement. At each place was an attractive program printed by the WILLIAM PENN FRATERNAL ASSOCIATION, one of the sponsoring organizations of the Testimonial Dinner and of which society Judge Fiok is a member. The other sponsoring- society was THE HUNGARIAN REFORMED FEDERATION OF AMERICA.

After the dinner, toastmaster Karlowitz announced that there was an impressive assemblage of notable persons present to honor Judge Fiok.

First to be introduced was Dr. William D. McClelland, Chairman of the Allegheny County Commissioners. Dr. McClelland praised the honored guest as a man respected by all regardless of party ties, whose father was also respected for his major contributions to Hungarian journalism, especially in his own publication, the “Magyarság.” As a commissioned officer in World War II, Judge Fiok was awarded the Bronze Star, also the Croix de Guerre by the French Army. Dr. McClelland concluded his words by stating that Judge Fiok is admired and respected by his eighteen colleagues and indeed is a credit to Allegheny County.

Next to greet Judge Fiok on this memorable occasion was the Honorable Joseph M. Barr, Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh, whose theme was: “Why Are We Here Tonight?” The Mayor told his attentive listeners that this was a tribute truly deserved — the American dream come true. Our forefathers came to this land of freedom and new opporunities, and, despite many hardships of various kinds, their hopes were largely realized and many saw their children and their children’s children attain success which would have been denied them in the Old Country. An example of the New World Dream come true is Judge Fiok himself, the son of immigrants and himself a native of the then Austria- Hungary. According to Mayor Barr, this Testimonial Dinner was evidence that the promises on the Statute of Liberty are not in vain, and the Mayor quoted some of its words, but which are so inspiring that we reprint the source, “The New Colossus” (written by Emma Lazarus in 1883), in toto:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes .command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

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