Scrapping Our History

While surveying the progress of the 15th Street Bridge Project, our staff photographer made a depressing discovery. There, lying in the scrap metal area of the City Recycling Yard, was a former icon of Allentown. Once, in our not so distant past, these distinctive light stands symbolized the All American City. This particular light standard, and it's base, were in excellent condition. At one time these lights were so cherished that prominent citizens would use their influence to obtain one for their yard. One can be seen on the northwest corner of Ott and Parkway Boulevard, once home of a well known cardiologist. While the larger version, outfitted with flower bowls, lit Hamilton Street and 7th Street, smaller models illuminated the West End. When Allentown made it's recent plans for it's 250th anniversary, our meager sense of history was apparent. The best our imported mayor could think of was hiring someone to write new lyrics to the Billy Joel song. This city has a proud history, but it will take an archeologist to find remnants of it in the future.

Mobilizing Israel

Although the media is focused on the conflict with Hamas in Gaza, the fighting within Syria has been spilling over the Heights in Golan. Syrian opposition fighters have occupied villages bordering the DMZ, resulting in counter attacks by Assad's army. Israel must defend itself from the weapons of both factions. If

this wouldn't be enough for most military forces, Iran supposedly is much closer to their nuclear goal than previously thought. Although political decisions are second and third guessed in Israel, nobody disputes the the qualifications of their Defense Minister,former Chief of Staff and Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Barak is the most decorated soldier in Israel's history, which has been one fight after another for survival. Born on a Kibbutz, he commanded an important tank brigade during the Yom Kippur War. He led the commandos who freed a highjacked plane. He helped plan the raid on Entebbe in Uganda. As the Israeli Defense Forces mobilize on all fronts, they're directed by a steady hand.

The Obama Era

Once and a while you get to cover a few topics with one post, so it is today. This most compelling painting is currently on display at Lehigh University. The curator explains that the show of African art on Obama was not meant as political, but rather depicts the African art propensity to represent sources of pride. Nelson Mandela is also an often used subject. Although I haven't seen the show, yesterday I chatted with Bill Clark, retired art instructor at Cedar Crest. Clark spends much of his time in Africa, and was very much involved behind the scenes with this show. Because of the subject matter and timing, right before the election, the show was not without controversy. Lehigh art director Ricardo Viera addressed the issue.

"To me that is fine," he says. "I don’t run from controversy." He adds that if it has to occur, the place to be controversial is a university. He says the campus is where these things should be happening because students are supposed to be learning, discussing and seeing all sides of the ideological spectrum."This is about humanistic things," he says. "This is about a person. There are many things beyond politics."

Fordham University President Joseph McShane, as discussed in yesterday's post about Ann Coulter, could learn a lesson from Viera. With your permission, I will squeeze one more topic out of this post. Pride in Obama's ethnicity was not limited to Africa. Also controversial was the voter results from Philadelphia. Obama won every vote in 59 voting districts, with a tally of 19,605 to 0. Although the percentage, and the reported turnout of 90%, would normally fuel a demand for scrutiny, Obama's win was beyond the margins of doubt. As the world turns, my attention turns toward today and tomorrow. Israel is now defending itself on two fronts, with more enemies lining up. Resolution of the budget and tax cuts are crucial to our economy. My hope is that President Obama will fulfill the expectations of all citizens, regardless of who they voted for.

Peter Pan Prevails

I'm not much for academia. What do you call a 55 year old man who has spent his life with 18year olds, Peter Pan. New York City's Fordham University, a Jesuit Institution, recently cancelled an appearance by Ann Coulter. Until I read about the cancellation, I never realized that Fordham was Jesuit. I know that Muhlenberg College is Lutheran, but I also know it's about the only place in Allentown to get a good bowl of matzo ball soup. After their Republican Club announced Coulter's appearance, University President Joseph McShane used the Jesuit card. He expressed hope that the student body wouldn't stand idly by while such a demoness spoke. The Republican Club was forced to cancel her, to spare the speaker from being ambushed. One of the highest voter turnouts in Allentown last Tuesday was at Muhlenberg, students are engaged and curious. Fordham's President did his students a disservice.

A Tailor from North Street

The Allentown Housing and Development Corp. recently purchased a home at 421 North St. That block of North Street was destroyed by fire, and the agency has built a block of new houses on the street's south side; it will next develop the other side of the street. The deed transfer caught my attention because Morris Wolf lived in the house in 1903. Wolf signed up with the Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry on July 18, 1861, in Philadelphia, when he was 22 years old. He was a private in Company A, of the 3rd Cavalry. This unit was also known as the 60th Regiment and was later called Young's Kentucky Light Cavalry.It defended Washington, D.C., until March 1862, then participated in many of the war's most famous battles: Williamsburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. Wolf had signed up for three years and was mustered out Aug. 24,1864.

Recently, to commemorate Memorial Day, the local veterans group placed more than 500 flags at Fairview Cemetery. If that wasn't enough of a good deed, the group also set upright more than 300 toppled grave markers. Visiting Fairview recently, I saw they had not overlooked the graves of either Mr. Wolf, or another veteran, Joseph Levine. I have concerned myself with Allentown's Fairview Cemetery for the last few years. I first became interested in the small Jewish section, called Mt. Sinai. This was the first organized Jewish cemetery in Allentown. Currently, all the synagogues have their own cemeteries, and Mt. Sinai has been mostly unused for many decades.

Mr. Wolf lies next to his wife, Julia, who died in 1907. Morris would live on for 30 more years, passing away in 1937, at age 98.
Mr. Levine, a World War II veteran, and his wife, Ethel, were the first and last people to be buried there after almost 25 years of inactivity. When Ethel died at age 93 in 2000, it was the first burial at Mt. Sinai since 1976. Joseph was 103 years old when he passed away in 2006.

The Housing and Development Corp. and North Street are now part of Allentown's new neighborhood initiative called Jordan Heights.Although soon there will be a new house at 421 North St., there is a history that will remain with the parcel. Once a tailor lived there who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg.

reprinted from November 2011

Hurricane Sandy Tree Fund

My post for last Monday revealed the devastation Hurricane Sandy wrought on the trees of our park system. Early in the week I visited the Park Department, leaving a message that I wanted to establish an independent tree fund to help address some of this damage.

   Although City Officials never responded to my message, last night Friends Of The Parks sent me an advanced copy of their new initiative.  Students of this blog know that for my taste, I find that group too cozy with the Administration.  However, I will put the trees first, and inform my readers that Friends has now established a Hurricane Sandy Fund, they can also be reached at 610 432-7275.