In 2025, we will celebrate our 64th Anniversary. See the link to our 50th anniversay celebration Power
Point presentation which shows our history, events, and accomplishments since our beginning.

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The Beginning

Founding: 4 November 1961 (70 people, mostly 1956 émigrés), initiated by Géza Nagy
Purchase of the farm property: July 1962 (US $20,000, of which $16,000 was a loan)
Organizational structure: throughout 1962 (by-laws, official applications)
Non-Profit Incorporation: April 18, 1963

• Signatories:
  • Dr. Tibor Bódi, Bryn Mawr, PA
  • E. B. Demetrovits, Philadelphia, PA
  • Géza S. Nagy, Philadelphia, PA
  • Julius Horváth, Philadelphia, PA
  • József Szodfridt, Lansdale, PA

Directors:

• Jozsef Szodfridt – Mechanical Engineer, Lansdale, PA
• Joseph G. Simon – Artist, Philadelphia, PA
• Geza S. Nagy – Estimator, Philadelphia, PA
• Tibor Feher – Self-employed, Elkins Park, PA
• E. B. Demetrovits – Exporter, Philadelphia, PA
• Leslie S. Rusznyak – Sports Instructor, Philadelphia, PA
• John H. Lebick – Real Estate,  Philadelphia, PA

Officers:

• E. B. Demetrovits – President
• Jozsef  Szodfridt – Vice-president 
• Joseph G. Simon – Vice-president 
• Geza Nagy  - Vice-president
• Tibor Feher – Secretary
• Sandor Pali - Treasurer

Charter of Incorporation (Founding Charter) – April 18 1963

Common Pleas Court, Philadelphia, PA granting a Charter of Incorporation to Philadelphia and Vicinity Hungarian (Magyar) Sports Club, Inc. as provided in the Nonprofit Corporation Law.

Purpose: "For the purpose and amusement and promotion of athletics among its members by promoting and participating in games, not for profit, but conducive to physical and mental development and the amusement of its members and for the purpose of acquiring and holding a club house and other necessary paraphernalia and necessary property to be used in furthering the purposes of this association"

Shares: "Authority to issue 1,000 shares of capital stock of a par value of $50.00 each, amounting in the aggregate to $50,000." Amended in 1987 to 1,500 shares.

By-Laws (Articles of Association)

Compiled in accordance with general American regulations (boiler-plate).

Worth noting is the section on dissolution (still in force):

Dissolution
"Should the Corporation be dissolved, the shareholders shall receive the exact amount of monies they invested in shares. No profit or interest shall be received by any shareholder and should there be any excess monies subsequent to distribution, such funds shall be donated to charitable institutions which shall be named by the voting members at their last meeting."

Enthusiastic Start, Initial Difficulties
First general meeting: May 19 1963 at the Farm

They adopted the by-laws submitted for Incorporation.
They voted to sell shares and to purchase the Farm and transfer it into the Association’s name.
Seven directors were elected: Géza S. Nagy, József Szodfridt, Eugene B. Demetrovits, Sándor Páli, László Rusznyák, Pál Abonyi and Tibor Fehér.

First board meeting, immediately after the general meeting: May 19 1963 at the Farm – New leadership:

• President – Tibor Machán (coach, Vesper Boat Club)

• Vice-Presidents – Gyula Varga, László Mészáros, Béla Ughy, József Simon

• Treasurer – Sándor Páli Jr.

• Secretary – Kálmán Beőthy, Alternate – Olaf Szamody

• Recorder – Mrs Sándor Páli Jr. (Imre Páczelt)

• Auditors – József Simon, Mihály Németh, Gyula Horváth

• Supervisors – András Kerekes, Béla Nagy, Béla Szabó, András Koszó

• Membership Committee – József Szodfridt, Eugene Demetrovits, Géza Nagy

Extraordinary general meeting: January 26 1964 in Philadelphia

• Disputes over cash handling, pointing out by-law shortcomings, questioning leadership capability

• Board resigns; interim leadership elected until the next general meeting

Interim board of directors
Szodfridt József (45) Demetrovits Jenő (33) Mészáros László (32)
Rusznyák László (29) Méhn Károly (24) Páczelt Sándor (23) Vörös Lajos (16)

On behalf of the newly elected leadership, József Szodfridt informs those present that there is no money in the cashbox to cover the loan payment due in five days.

Back on Track
Second general meeting: June 7 1964 at the Farm

New by-law proposal (amendments, additions) – adopted.
Key points:

• “Purpose of the Club: Facilities to be secured for people of Hungarian origin residing in Philadelphia or its vicinity for cultural and athletic events. The Club’s language is Hungarian, providing official books to be made in English.”

• Types of membership: A. Founder members, B. Regular members, C. Associated members

• Voting: ballot for all officers (formerly directors only)

• Board appoints: a. Disciplinary committee (3) b. Comptrollers (2) c. Leader of sports d. Heads of individual sports committees & cultural events

• Duties of officers defined

• “The corporation sponsors the Hungarian boy and girl scouts in Philadelphia by providing them training and camping facilities on corporation property.”

Last page of the June 1964 minutes with the certifiers’ signatures

New leadership — June 1964

• József Szodfridt – President

• Béla H. Bácskay – Vice-President

• László Mészáros – Secretary

• Sándor Páczelt – Recording Secretary

• Károly Méhn – Treasurer

• Jenő Demetrovits – English-language Secretary

• Directors: József Bednay, Ottó Brunovszky, Tibor Fehér, Gyula M. Horváth, József Lengyel, László Lukács, Lajos Nagy

The Farm’s affairs were now back on track!

Early Years — Lots to Do

• Maintenance, renovation, improvement of the building: foundations, walls & roof, painting, sprucing-up

• Creating and furnishing large interior halls

• Bringing in water (own spring), heating, building toilets

• Roads and parking areas

• Creating a lake where the swamp had been, developing the spring

• Establishing a camping area, bringing in water and electricity

First structure: bridge over the creek (1964)
Swimming in the small lake (1967)
Farmhouse and surroundings (1967)

Culture Committee

Task: Organising cultural events

• Literary and other artistic performances

• Exhibitions

• National commemorations

• Joint events with other organisations (Assembly of Captive Nations)

• Musical and dance evenings

Details: inviting performers, transport, accommodation, writing/printing/folding invitations, addressing/stamping/mailing, preparing the hall, running the event, sales.

Developments over the Years

• 1972 – Swimming pool, pool building, pavilion, sports field

• 1985 – Katalin Hall, guest rooms in the Farmhouse

• 1996 – 1956 Memorial unveiled on the 40th anniversary of the Revolution

• 2004 – József Szodfridt Memorial

Pool under construction (1970)
Gala decoration in the new Katalin Hall (1985)
Unveiling of the 1956 memorial on the 40th anniversary of the Revolution (1996)

Scouting

• Spring 1962 – Troop formation: Mrs János Egyed (“Aunt Pötyi”), József Szodfridt, Béla Ughy, Géza Valentényi

• June 17 1962 – First meeting, Valley Forge State Park: present were patrol leader László Pigniczky, troop leader Katalin Vörös, assistant leader Erzsébet Vörös and cub-scout candidate Ági Koszó

• July 1962 – First two-day excursion at the Farm

• September 1962 – Troops registered in the Hungarian Scout Association

  • No. 10 Jedlik Ányos – troop leader Géza Valentényi

  • No. 48 Leövey Klára – troop leader Mrs János Egyed

  • Sponsoring Authority: Philadelphia Chapter of AMSZ, president Dr Imre Székely

• 1962, 1963 – First two troop camps at the Farm

• 1964 – Troop leader József Szodfridt

• 1965-1975 – Troop leader Katalin Vörös

• 1967-1975 – Troop leader László Pigniczky

• 1970 – Farm Scout Hungarian School, folk-dance group

• 1971 – The Farm (PKMSE) becomes Sponsoring Authority of Troop 10; Women’s Group of AMSZ Philadelphia Chapter becomes Sponsoring Authority of the girls’ troop

• 1980-1989 – Troop commanders: Magdi Gótzy and József Pénzes

Unveiling of memorial plaque (1971)
The first ITT-OTT meeting was held at the Farm in 1972

“If things at the farm could speak, the soul would sing. Invisible secrets hide behind things … when you walk across the bridge, reflect before the freedom-fight memorial by the lake, … you stop before the open-air stage at the forest edge, watch the children playing football on the sports field, drink a cup of coffee in the dining hall … You know how much sweat, how much work, how great a spirit is behind this moment!”
— Tibor Cseh

ITT-OTT Hungarian Friendly Community
Oregon, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Connecticut

Presidents of the Farm

1961-1963 – Tibor Bódy
1963-1964 – Tibor Machán
1964-2003 – József Szodfridt – 39 years!
2003-2010 – Alajos Remetei
2010-2017 – László Lengyel
2017-March 6 2021 – Erzsébet Veres
From 2021 – Róbert Lengyel

Our Assets

• 1962 Capital — $50,000

• 2002 Value after 600 % inflation — $300,000

• 2002 Estimated real-estate value — $1.5 million (five times the original investment after developments)

Spiritual value is far more important than material value.

That:

• Over the past 50 years—two generations—the Farm has formed a small Hungarian community “where every well-intentioned Hungarian found a home.”

• “There is a place far from the homeland where the memory of heroes is honoured and they remember those for whom no bell tolls, no ceremonial salvo is fired—the nameless heroes who, even in the drabness of everyday life, did not lose heart and won our country’s freedom.” (József Szodfridt)

• We have created a family-centred community.

• We have found our unique place among organisations of emigrants, exiles and refugees.

• Here one small troop of western Hungarian scouting grew into part of the large organisation during the 1960-80s, enriching it with new, young leaders.

• A weekend Hungarian school and folk-dance group found a home and support here.

• The Farm has provided space for Hungarian culture and intellectual nourishment for all of us living far from our homeland.

What Next

Twenty years after the political change in Hungary, our place in the world has changed — we are Hungarian-Americans. It is reassuring and joyful that our scattered Hungarian community still has reserves: children and grandchildren whose Hungarian roots have not been severed.

Our tasks:

• Maintaining contact

• Keeping track of and acknowledging one another

• Welcoming newcomers with love, from both Hungary and minority regions

• Training a new leadership team from the next generation

• Following our traditions, giving space to promoters of Hungarian culture

• Participating in Hungarian-related charity actions

• Spreading the Farm’s reputation as widely as possible, also using new mass-communication methods (mailing list, website, etc.)

This is our task and it is not a small one. (Attila József)

Our Goal

To preserve the Farm and its spirit and pass it on to the next and future generations.

May God bestow His blessing upon it!

View our historical photo gallery