Magyar News, 2002. szeptember-2003. augusztus (13. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2003-07-01 / 11-12. szám
HUNGARIANS AT THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY American Hungarian Educators Stage an International Gathering May I start with putting some statistics together to show the scope of this outstanding event. In four days they had 13 panels with over 100 presentations on different subjects about Hungarian and American Hungarian education and culture. The lecturers came from 33 universities and colleges, including Hungary, Canada, Austria, Australia, Romania and Slovakia. The furthest in the USA came from San Francisco. Connecticut was represented by three speakers. The question might be: How did all this come to be? Well, thirty years ago a Hungarian educator in Cleveland, Enikő Enikő Basa Molnár Basa Molnár, had the idea and at a Hungarian gathering announced her plan and started organizing The American Hungarian Educators' Association. Today she is the Executive President of the organization. She set the goal to have Hungarian related matters supported within the profession, and extended to others who participate in cultural matters. Every year the Association meets and broadens the scope and level of their activities. Following are two articles by the Connecticut representatives. Editor "Hungarian Culture, Global Culture" Some time ago Joseph Balogh wrote a piece for the Magyar News about why Hungarians are so smart. Dick Nemeth and I were reminded of that article when we found ourselves at Columbia University on Saturday, April 26, 2003. We were attending the 2003 Annual Conference of the American Hungarian Educators' Association, where we had the privilege of making a presentation. We were surrounded by dozens of those smart Hungarians about whom Joseph wrote. Some of them came from Austria and Hungary, while many of the younger were Americans of Hungarian descent who taught at various universities. The Plenary Address was given by László Zilahi, Head of the Department of Hungarian Minorities, Ministry of Education, Budapest. Dr. Zilahi spoke on the topic "Awards Policy of the Hungarian Ministry of Education; Plans for Interactions with Hungarians in the West". The Keynote speaker was Gábor Horváth, Ambassador Consul General of the Republic of Hungary. A variety of panels focused on such diverse topics as Hungary and the World in Modem History, Hungary and the EU, Promoting Biculturalism in Hungary and the United States, Heritage and Ethnic Identity, Imre Kertész: From the Holocaust to the Nobel Prize. Even “How to Write a History of Hungary for Non-Hungarians” by Professor Deak. Dick Németh and I spoke as part of a panel which was kind of vaguely titled "Ethnicity Here and There". We discussed the history of the Hungarian immigrant community of Bridgeport and Fairfield, Connecticut, about which we have published in the Magyar News. As I mentioned to Joseph Balogh, we were there as "stringers" for the Magyar News. So, we and the News were placed in the rarified air of academy at Columbia, surrounded by bright and creative Hungarians, young and old, all of whom had a compelling interest in some aspect of Hungarian art, culture, or literature. We spoke about "Hunktown", in the West End of Bridgeport, which for so many years was filled with triple-deckers, a bar on every comer, and dozens of Hungarian-owned businesses and cultural organizations. Where else could you find four Hungarian churches and a Hungarian synagogue within a square mile or so? Dick pridefully described the outstanding record of the predominantly Hungarian Western Jacksons, one of America's best all-time semi-pro football teams. The Westerns were undefeated for six straight seasons of play with local, regional and all-star teams. And Dick's father was team captain. We then went on to discuss the settlement of Hungarians in Fairfield, where they arrived to build houses and start gardens in such places as Villa Park, Karoly Robert Kranyik delivering his lecture Col.Dick Németh photos Park, and Lenox Heights. I finished up with a brief mention of Gustave Whitehead and his flights, relevant to the discussion because Gustave's wife was Hungarian and many of his helpers were also Hungarian. This part of the presentation was particularly significant because while this year is the 100th anniversary of the first Wright Brothers flight, it is the 102nd anniversary of Gustave Whitehead's successful flights which took place in the West End of Bridgeport, and in Fairfield. Dick and I were gratified by the wonderful reception we received from the audience. One retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and onetime captain of the Roger Ludlow High School football team joined with a retired professor and dean from the University of Bridgeport to acquaint Hungarians and Hungarian Americans with our unique chapter in the story of Hungarians in America. Robert Kranyik Retired Dean of University of Bridgeport Hungarian Organizations are alive and working hard Dilemma of Hungarian organizational work in the United States. First of all, I wish to express my heart-felt appreciation for the invitation extended to me by the American- Hungarian Educators' Association, and specifically, I wish to express my thanks to Professor Judit Némethy for most graciously initiating and relaying the invitation. It is a pleasure and privilege to speak here today. The topic of my talk is related to the dilemmas of Hungarian organizational work in the United States. To start with, permit me to offer an emphatic disclaimer. Page 3
