William Penn Life, 1987 (22. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1987-06-01 / 6. szám
Page 8, William Penn Life, June 1987 Director to retrace 1937 tour of Hungary 7 always dreamed of the day when I might make a trip to Budapest and the Hungarian countryside. ’ By John E. Lovász Managing Editor PITTSBURGH — One hundred members and friends of the Association will be traveling abroad this month as part of our Hungary Tour ’87. National Director William C. Kohut will be flying to Hungary with the group, but he will not be making the same journey as most of the other group members. His journey will not only be one through a foreign country but also one through time. He will be participating not in Hungary Tour ’87, but rather Hungary Tour ’37. It was 50 years ago that Mr. Kohut and 24 other members of the then-Verhovay Aid Association traveled to Hungary free of charge as winners in Verhovay’s membership drive contest that year. This summer, Mr. Kohut and his wife Helene will retrace the steps he took as a much younger man on his first visit to the homeland of his ancestors. "I’ve been looking forward to this excursion for a long time,” Mr. Kohut said. "I have traveled to Hungary a number of times since 1937, but this time will be special since I’ll be tracing much of the same route I took that first time.” The route may be similar, but many other aspects of traveling to Hungary — and traveling abroad in general — have changed during the last 50 years. For starters, the 1937 tour group traveled to Europe by boat, or more specifically, on the S.S. Europa. While today we can fly to Europe in just hours, it took the Europa four-and-a-half days to make the journey from New York to Europe. Since it took several days to travel one-way, the average traveler spent a much longer time in Europe than the two weeks our 1987 tour group will stay in Hungary. Traveling abroad in 1937 was never seen as "the getaway” solution to one’s everyday cares and pressures. It involved a more heartfelt separation from home and loved ones. Staying in Europe for two months as opposed to two weeks allowed the traveler to become more intimately acquainted with the foreign surroundings. One was more apt to create friendships with the locals and develop a greater empathy for them. It was this "promise” of foreign travel which appealed the most to a 21-year-old Verhovay member from Homestead, Pa. "Since the days when I wore short pants and went to grade school,” wrote the young Mr. Kohut in 1937, "I have always dreamed of the day when I might make a trip to Europe, Budapest and the Hungarian countryside. "The fulfillment of this dream w as one of my greatest ambitions, for it would acquaint me with the country from which my parents emigrated some forty years ago; it would enable me to re-establish old family ties; it would enable me to see how 'the other half of the world lives.’” These words began "A Verhovay Itinerary” written by Mr. Kohut upon his return from Europe and published in serial form in the Verhovay Lapja beginning in November 1937 and running through August 1938. In this series, Mr. Kohut offers a detailed account of the people, places and events he encountered in Hungary. He also occasionally shares his feelings on how different parts of the experience affected him. His reaction to crossing the border into Hungary for the first time is the kind of which lasting memories are made: "This was a golden hour, my felicity was unbound. I simply could not contain myself. In my excitement I threw my hat out of the (train) window, and in the station yard a lively scramble followed. But I didn’t care what happened to the hat. No doubt, it will probably remain as a souvenir for one of my young Magyar brothers or sisters.” It is also doubtful that Mr. Kohut will find his hat on his journey this summer. But, 50 years later, that still doesn’t matter. What he is looking for is something within himself. "I am anxious to see if those old feelings come back, if those places still touch me as they did then. That would be nice, wouldn’t it?” Officers of the American Hungarian Educators Association are (from left) Katherine Gatto, secretary; Marta Pinter, president; Al Bartfay, treasurer; Enikő Basa, executive director; and Julianna Ludani, board member. Hot pictured: George Bisztray, vice president. Hungarian educators hold annual meeting UPPER MONTCLAIR, NJ — About 75 leading Hungarian educators from across the United States gathered here recently for the 12 th annual conference of the American Hungarian Educators Association (AHEA). The conference was held April 23 to 25 on the campus of Montclair State College. Among those addressing the group was Elizabeth Szabó, fraternal director of the William Penn Association. She spoke to the educators about the history, ideals and goals of the William Penn. The William Penn and educators from the Pittsburgh area will coordinate next year’s conference PITTSBURGH — Attorney Alfred G. Yates Jr., son-in-law of National Vice President Stephen M. Lang, has been recognized by Trial magazine for his written answers to its "Legal Ethics” exam. Trial magazine is the monthly publication of the American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA). Prof. David Austern, director of Education for ATLA and a which will be held in Pittsburgh. Al Bartfay of Branch 129, Columbus, Ohio, currently serves as treasurer of the AHEA. The AHEA is a professional and scholarly organization devoted to the teaching, dissemination and research of Hungarian culture, history, folklore, literature, fine arts, language, music and scientific achievements. It provides an opportunity for those interested in Hungarian studies and heritage to further their interests. This year’s conference featured presentations by more than two dozen educators, discussing a wide range of topics related to Hungarian studies. teacher of legal ethics at the American University Law School, prepared the questions and invited readers to respond with their written answers. Attorney Yates was one of 10 winners announced in the April edition of the magazine. Mr. Yates, a member of the Pennsylvania and West Virginia bars, practices law in Pittsburgh. Tri-State Miss Magyar pageant set for July 18 PITTSBURGH — The Hungarian Ethnic Group of Western Pennsylvania (HEGWPA) will sponsor the 1987 Miss Magyar of the Tri-State Area Pegeant July 18 at the Colonial Manor Restaurant picnic grove. The group is hoping for a wider participation from all Hungarian organizations and churches in the Ohio-Pennsylvania-West Virginia tri-state area. Last year Elena Polinsky was crowned Miss Magyar. Since winning the title, Miss Polinsky has become more actively involved with Hungarian heritage affairs and is now program director of the Hungarian Ethnic Dance Group. The top finishers in this year’s pageant will receive prizes of U.S. Savings Bonds. Miss Magyar 1987 will be officially crowned during Hungarian Day at Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, Pa. For more information on the pageant, contact Rose Gerzsenyi at (412) 864-0042 or Alexander Jozsa Bodnar at (412) 422-1886. Correction________ Last month’s story on our Association’s Fraternal Insurance Counselors (WPL, May 1987, p. 12) failed to note that Sales Agent Winn Kipp is among William Penn employees currently working towards his FIC designation. Submissions For Our July Issue Are Due June 19 Yates earns ’Trial’ honors Helping to bridge the communications gap between the older generation of Hungarians and the new for the preservation of the Hungarian heritage ... Hungarian Heritage Review jHuuqnrian Hi'ritnqc Kciucfo t A ODruksrui ^’i-rnlr | The official publication of the Rákóczi Foundation- International (USA) and the Rákóczi Foundation (Canada), the HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW is the only monthly magazine of its kind in North America published in English primarily for American and Canadianborn citizens of Hungarian descent who, for the most part, can neither read, write, nor speak in Hungarian yet, because of their “Hungarian Consciousness", want to learn about their “roots". Because it fills a real need, the HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW merits the readership-support of all Hungarians concerned about the future of the Hungarian heritage in North America. Subscribe to it TODAY, either for yourself of for your children and grandchildren. Subscription Price: $25.00 a year Make your check or money order payable to the Rákóczi Press-International, Inc. and mail to: Rákóczi Press-International, Inc. P. O. Box 2203 Union, New Jersey 07083 The preservation of the Hungarian heritage is our mission.
