Magyar Egyház, 1973 (52. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1973-02-01 / 2. szám

12

MAGYAR EGYHÁZ

MY FIRST BOOK by László Hunyady

56 lessons of progressive word-building with phono-kinetic game symbols. Illustrated. Paper 66 pp. $2.00. Published by László Hunyady, 50 Washington Avenue, Colonia, New Jersey 07067.

This is a text book to be used in the first grade in elementary (public) schools to teach reading and writing.

It is well-known that more than three-fourths of the syllables of the English words are written and pronounced phonetically. In our every-day conversations there are thousands and thousands of pure phonetic words. Teaching to read and write should logically begin with such words. In pure phonetic words the sounds can be separated.

Progressive word-building with Phono-Kinetic Game Symbols, based on the logic of the English language, derives each sound and its letter from an appropriate story and associates each sound with a reminding gesture (kinetic) and uses them as word-building blocks to form words. Writing is adding letters together, and reading is pronouncing successively the chain of letters which make up the words.

While all forms of the spelling method are the opposite of reading and their final results are only mechanical reflexes, progressive word-building with phono-kinetic symbols utilizes the mind of children to follow a logically associated sequence of sounds. There are no puzzles, no frustrations and no boredom in the classroom; the train of thoughts is intelligent thinking; the children know what they are doing,

why they are doing it and they know how to do their work. Progressive word-building with phono-kinetic symbols makes teaching and learning meaningful and converts them into a heuristic — pleasant — game children love to play.

Due to the richness and hybrid structure of the English language a two-year course of progressive word-building with phono-kinetic symbols is suggested.

MY FIRST BOOK covers the intact sounds in 36 lessons, and the selected phonetic words offer a firm foundation for the acquisition to write and read.

In the next 20 lessons heterographs, digraphs and diphthongs are derived from the original letter (s) and logical diacritical marks remind children of the new pronunciation: the gesture calls for the new sound. (Teacher’s Guide for MY FIRST BOOK available.)

The 56 lessons cover more than 800 words and a competent teacher can add twice as many to them.

(The remaining heterographs, digraphs and diphthongs are covered in MY SECOND BOOK in lessons 57-96 in the second grade; in lessons 97-112 the diacritical marks are progressively abandoned and at the end of the second year any normal child can read without difficulty.)

The phono-kinetic art of teaching uses spoken and written English without alteration; this heuristic method, used by competent teachers, enables children to learn to read and write by using their common sense, which is the key of quality education.

NEWS FROM THE CONGREGATIONS

AKRON. OHIO

The newly elected officers of our congregation are: Chief Elder: Edward Vargo, assistant Chief Elder: Tibor Szőr, Treasurer-Secretary: Mrs. Robert Rutherford, assistant Treasurer: Lajos Sarandy, Auditors: Charles Boehme, Hugo Pfahler, the members of the Church Council: József Baksa, Dr. Árpád Banda, Charles Biddle, József E. Druga, Gyula Egervári, John P. Farkas, István Gyetvai, John Kató, Andrew Marhevsky, József Miller, Andy Pall, Alex Patonai, Frank Race, Robert Rutherford, Ernest Sala, Mrs. Ernest Sala, John Sensenstein. Honorary councilman: György Homyák.

Our income during 1972: $51,793.98, our expenses: $42,016.49.

The Board of Directors of the Lorantffy Care Center opened and discussed the construction bids on February 4th, 1973 and authorized the Farinacci Construction Company to build the Lorantffy Care Center. The construction will start during the spring of 1973.

We have selected the campsite for the Labor Day B.Y.F. Youth Conference. We will use the facilities of the famous Y. Noah camp, which covers

260 acres of forestland. The campsite is about 15 miles from our church, between Akron and Canton, Ohio.

ALLEN PARK, MICH.

1973 has been designated by most Protestant denominations as a time for evangelistic advance. The general slowdown in religious activity and interest is recognized by many as a sign of the general indifference of our age. Concerned Christians are unwilling to allow the witness of the Church to be compromised and seek to revitalize our congregations and communities. In our own fellowship we are restudying the meaning of church membership and the role of the individual believer in a changing world. Our awareness that the Reformed Church must be constantly renewing itself leads us to realize that only the presence of God’s Holy Spirit can give us the apostolic grace anew.

The well-attended Annual Meeting, held on February 11th, marked the rededication of our congregation to its God-given task. Mr. Alex Nadas was elected to serve as a vice chief elder (vice president) of the congregation. Organizations reported that their many activities were blessed by God. The financial reports told of deepened commitment through giving by our membership.

Lenten Communion will be observed on Sunday, March 11th. Preparatory service will be held the evening before this Sunday, at 7:30 p.m. We maintain

the Reformed tradition of Communion services, something that is becoming rarer and rarer, even in churches of our background.

The Vietnam Armistice formally took effect at 7 p.m. on Saturday, January 27. The large assemblage, gathered for our annual Pork Supper, stood and prayed while our bells rang to mark the end of hostilities. We remembered the many who gave their lives and beseeched God Almighty for a time of peace and understanding.

Marriage: William E. Hobson and Carol S. Borbély, on January 27.

Deaths: Mr. John Porch died on January 5, Mr. Frank Ban died on January 15. May their loved ones find peace and comfort through their faith in God.

HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH COOK BOOK (7,700 copies sold) order from:

The Dorcas Guild 9901 Allen Road Allen Park, Mich. 48101

$2.50 — Postage and Handling .30

CARTERET, N. J.

The Annual Congregational Meeting, on February 4, elected Leonard Sendelsky for chief elder, Béla Kántor for vice-chief elder, Frank Vérségi for sec-