William Penn Life, 2010 (45. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2010-05-01 / 5. szám
velvet draperies, embroidered with butterflies, hummingbirds and carnations by women at the Budapest studio of Bodrog Erszébet. According to Mitchell, "the motifs were copies from those on a regal gown made for the queen, Maria Theresa, in the 18th century." Over time, the draperies became badly faded and eventually required replacement. In the mid-1950's, the Hungarian Room Committee decided to replace not only the curtains but also the window. A member of the committee, Lewis Diera, had studied the art of designing stained glass windows in Budapest. It was Diera who created the water color drawings upon which were made the five stained glass windows depicting famous people from Hungarian history. The windows were installed in 1956. Being situated directly opposite the room's door, the windows are the first thing you see upon entering the room. And they are worth more than a cursory glance. The first window depicts the legend of the White Stag, in which the two sons of King Nimrod, Hunor and Magor, followed a white stag into a fertile valley, a land which would become the Magyar homeland. The second window represents the foundation and organization of a nation in the Danubian Basin by the Magyar tribes. Featured are the likenesses of Árpád, who settled his people in the basin; Szent István, under whose leadership Christianity and Western culture were introduced to Hungary; and King Béla IV, who was responsible for the reorganization of Hungary after the Tatar invasion. The third window shows King Mátyás, under whose reign Hungary became one of the great powers of Europe. The fourth window depicts Prince Rákóczi Ferenc who sacrificed health and fortune to lead the Hungarians in their fight to free themselves from the repressive yoke of the Hapsburgs. The Rákóczi window was the gift of the Rákóczi Aid Association, which merged with the Verhovay in 1955 to form today's William Penn Association. The fifth window represents the cultural climax of the 19th century. Pictured here are world-famous pianist and composer Franz Liszt, painter Mihály Munkácsy and the great Hungarian poet and hero of the 1848 War for Independence, Sándor Petőfi. uring the years after the installation of the windows, interest in the room among the Hungarian community began to wane, just as it has in the years following the dedication of the classroom itself. Gomory realized his committee needed a new project, one that would not only revitalize interest in the room but also expand the committee's mission. Perhaps he reflected upon his own words, written at the time of the room's dedication more than 20 years earlier: "If we would be just happy, thankful, and contented, we would be part of the past, like any other piece of historic stone in a memorial; but we want to live, and it is our resolution to learn, to cooperate, and to be a creative part in the future of the university's great work 16 0 May 2010 0 William Penn Life Visiting the rooms The Hungarian Room is one of 27 classrooms comprising the Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh. Located in the University's Cathedral of Learning, each of the rooms is designed to depict the culture, art, history and traditions of a specific ethnic group. Although the classrooms are of museum quality, 25 are currently used as functional classrooms. Therefore, on weekdays, many are in use and may not be available for viewing.. The rooms are open daily except Thanksgiving Day, Dec. 24, Dec. 25, Dec, 26 and New Years Day. Tours are offered year-round Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and on Sundays and holidays from I 1:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The rooms close at 4:00 p.m. Allow 90 minutes for a complete tour. Cost is $3.00 for adults and $ 1.00 for youths ages 8 to 18. For more information, call 412-624-6000 or visit the Nationality Rooms website at www.pitt.edu/~natrooms.
