Bethlen Naptár, 1954 (Ligonier)
Snapshots of life in the Bethlen Home
BETHLEN NAPTÁR 223 school year, while Miss Marjorie Gill, a senior at Penn State University, School of Education, gave us her professional services during the summer months. The children of the Bethlen Home did outstanding work in the local public schools and once again merited four scholastic and leadership awards. Our youngsters are well liked and respected both in the local churches and the community. They take active part in the Christian education program of the Presbyterian Church, where they regularly attend the Sunday School, are members of the Youth Choir, and actively participate in the Westminster Youth Fellowship. This religious training program is followed in addition to our Christian home training, where we try to instill Christian precepts into the hearts of our children through the daily devotional periods, hymn singing, and attending our own Hungarian services at our chapel. From the age of eight, our boys and girls are active scouts: brownies, cubs, boy and girl scouts. In 1952 a number of our children had the privilege of attending scout camps for at least a week. These activities are always of great spiritual and physical benefit to all participants. Both boys and girls had unforgettable experiences to relate when they returned from their camping trips. The fine spiritual effects of Christian fellowship which our children experience at home, in the local Presbyterian Church, and in scouting, will certainly carry over into their adulthood. The second half of this picture portrays our retired old folks. In 1952 there seemed to be more order in their home, more active cooperation between them and the overseer, and a more cheerful atmosphere seemed to prevail. More and better spirit, more pastoral love coupled with more consideration and Christian discipline coming from an overseer, always results in more contentment and gratitude among those sick in body and spirit. Contributing to this peace of mind and warmth of spirit, among other things, were the birthday celebrations and the teaching and Christian application of the Gospel. It is my hope that this spirit will continue among our old folks, contributing in even greater degree to the peace, contentment, beauty, and richness of their remaining years. The present Children’s Home, enlarged with two new wings in 1941 and 1951.
