The Mercury from Pottstown, Pennsylvania • Page 9

Feature Page Pottstown Mercury Feature Page Pottstown, Saturday, July 12, 1969 Page Nine Borough Native Named Hospital Commander SUMMER FUN A backyard game of ball tag can mean a great deal to someone who grows up in the city surrounded by skyscrapers, narrow streets and crowded tenements. George Bernard, 13, right, lives in a crowdcd section of Harlem. He is a fortunate youngster selected by the Fresh Air Fund to spend a vacation in the country, to see another view of life. George enjoys a game of tag with his Douglas, 7, throwing the ball and Joseph. 13, and Debbie, 4, watching.

(Mercury Staff Photo) A Pottstown native who practiced medicine in the borough for two ysars during abreak in his Army career will assume command Tuesday of Valley Forge General Hospital, the second largest installation for the treatment of men woulded in Vietnam. He is Col. Kryder E. Van Buskirk, son of a former practicing physician in Pottstown and a graduate of The Hill School. Col.

Van Buskirk is a son of the late Dr. and Mrs. Frederick W. Van Buskirk and a relative of many Pottstown residents. SPECIALIST A specialist in urology, the 55 vcar-old physician comes to the Phoenixville facility after serving five years as chief of uroloty scrvicc at Walter Heed D.C.

Among Col. Van Buskirk's patients were sonic of the most highly placed politicians and public officials. He will take command formally of the medical installation during a traditional change-of- command ceremony on the parade ground p.m. Tuesday The colonel will replace Col. Thomas L.

Robbins, who served as interim commander since the late May departure of the former head, Col. John Boyd Coates Jr. Brotherhood Illustrated In Symbol Directors of a community wide fund-raising effort designed to help the Second Baptist Church complete its church building at Jefferson Avenue and North Adams Street explained Friday promotional symbol which has been appearing in most stores. The symbol, 10 plus 12 equals 1, has blanketed the borough for the past several weeks. Printed in green ink on a glossy white, bumper strip type background, its design is to illustrate the spirit behind the church completion fund drive.

Matthew S. Santangelo, Pottstown lawyer who is serving as chairman of the fund drive, said the 10 stands for the 10 Commandments. 12 APOSTLES This, plus the 12 Apostles from the Bible, equals one brotherhood under God, he said, that illustrates why we are trying to raise money for the church Purpose of the promotional placement ol the signs in the downtown stores was to arouse a curiosity, explained, so that he would ask a clerk what 10 plus 12 equals 1 means. After the explanation was given, the lawyer said, the clerk would ask the customer if he would be interested in buying a ticket to the benefit football game. The game, pitting the Firebirds against theBridgeport (Conn.) Jets, will be played Aug.

30 at Franklin Field. All the proceeds will go toward the fund for completion of the Second Baptist Church building. WORK HALTED No work has been done on the partially-completed building since late in 1967, when financial difficulties facing the contractor and the congregation brought construction to a halt, The original idea for aid to the church fund drive was proposed by R. B. Mike Hunter, Pottstown building contractor active in local religious and charitable efforts.

He convinced Santangelo to beome chairman and a 12-man committee, including Hunter and Santangelo, was formed to conduct the drive. Later a sub-committee was formed to handle sale of the tickets while the original group concentrated its efforts on getting more people active in the campaign. OF EFFORT Earlier this week three units of the Knights of Columbus in Pottstown announced they were forming a joint committee to sell the tickets as well. Santangelo said the tickets being sold by the Knights of Columbus will be in addition to the ones being offered in stores. In all.

the lawyer added, 7.600 tickets will l)e put on sale. Area Residents Open Hearts, Homes To Offer Youngsters Another View By CHARLES PITCHFORK (Mcrcury Staff Writer) To the children who spend their lives in the crowded city and grow up on concrete and macadam, there is hope in the Pottstown area. The Fresh Air Fund gives children living in the overcrowded sections of New York City a chance to see what life is like in the rural sections of America. It provides children, many of whom have never seen wide open spaces, rolling meadows or spacious backyards and whose parents can not offer them a vacaUon, a chance to see another view of life. George Bernard, 13, was selected to participate in the Fresh Air Fund program in 19fi2 when he was five years old.

The small Puerto Rican boy lives on the sixth floor of a 16-story high rise apartment in the Spanish secUon of Harlem and until he was five had never been out of the city. WAY OF LIFE For George and many others like him, growing up in the overcrowded cities is a way of life. There are many Americans living in the large cities who have never seen a farm, a mountain or anyhting outside of their overcrowded world. Pottstown residenLs arc fortunate. They may be aware of the crowded conditions of larger cities but few realize that in an area 10 blocks long and two blocks wide there live 20,000 people, many of whom have Borough Summer Employee Earns Scholarship A State coed, working this summer as an intern at the Pottstown Police Department, learned Friday she will receive a senatorial college scholarship.

Carol P. Trump. 20, daughter of Mr, and Mrs. Arthur Trump, Heading, was advised by the office of State Senator Robert (ierhart, Reading, she will receive a scholarship providing half the tuition for this study at the university. Senatorial scholarships are distributed by members of the State Senate, and go to promu ing young students in all fields of endeavor.

Miss Trump is studying for a degree in law enforcement and correction. She will enter her junior year this fall. Her summer internship at the local police station is ptirt of her course and designed to give first-hand experience with the mechanics of law enforcement. never been more than 10 miles from home. The Fresh Air Fund gave George an opportunity to see another world.

His vacation took him from the largest city in the United States to the vast areas of green grass and trees at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Handler, Kulp Road, East Coventry Township. According to Mrs. Handler, the Fresh Air Fund started in 1877 by the Rev.

Willard Parsons and was sponsored by the New York Herald Tribune. NINE CHILDREN At first only nine children went to the country for the summer. Now more "than 15,000 children are chosen and placed each Mrs. Handler said. She explained the children are chosen by one of 40 social and welfare agencies cooperating with the Fresh Air Fund.

children chosen, usually between the age of 5 and 15, come from the east side of New York, Harlem, Brooklyn, Queens, or wherever substandard living conditions make childhood a lot less happy than in our she added. fund provides the i I transportation and medical expenses. The children are placed in one of the more than 2300 friendly towns in 12 eastern states from Maine to Virginia. These children stay with the hostess or family for two, four or six weeks and can be invited again the following she said. 20 FAMILIES Mrs.

Floyd Miller, local chairman for the Fresh Air Fund, said more than 20 families in the area are involved in the program. of the program travels by word of mouth as a satisfied host tells others of the many hours of enjoyment received through the According to Mrs. Miller, the Fresh Air Fund is an independent, fully tax exempt, charitable organization with a annual goal of $625,000 in voluntary gifts to provide free vacations for New York City boys and girls. Fresh Air children spent! their life in a crowd, at home, at school and in the streets and playgrounds Since its beginning, the program provided more than 975,000 free she added. its history, the Fresh Air Fund has accepted children of every faith, race and nationality.

There is only one criteria Mrs. Miller concluded, ADAPTED WELL George Bernard adapted well to country living. This is his eighth year in the Fresh Air program. When the youth made his first trip from the city, he was overwhelmed by the sight of a cow and spacious lawns. According to George his vacations are something he will always remember.

The Handlers have been like parents lo him and their four children, Joey, 13; Douglas, Debra, 4, and Kristina. 2. have really made him feel at home. first everything seemed so different, so new. It was like a dream.

I never knew what it was like not to live in the city. I feel I am very fortunate to have been able to participate in this George laid lie said the open fields, farms, animals and green grass impressed him the most his first visits. USE ELEVATORS you go in and out the door and you are outside There is very much At home we had to go down elevators or use many steps to get outside," he aaid, George, who ls in the eighth grade, is fortunate as are many others chosen to participate in the Fresh Air program but there are thousands ol other children living in the overcrowded conditions of the large cities wIki may never know another way of hie Col. Coates received a promotion to brigadier general, a rank too high for Valley Forge under its table of organization, lie was transferred to Madigan General Hospital, Seattle, to become commander of that facility. After graduating from The Hill School, Col.

Van Buskirk studied at Cornell University and earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine In 1939. Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, he enlisted in the Army Medical Corps and was with combat forces in the South Pacific and Philippines. After the war ended, he was assigned to Japan where he served for a year before returning to civilian life. The colonel returned lo Pottstown and opened a medical office. He maintained this office for two years before re-entering the Army.

VALLEY FORGE Shortly after his June, 1968, re-enlistment the colonel was assigned to Valley Forge General Hospital as chief of urology service. Two years later, with the outbreak of the Korean War, he was transferred to Korea as commander of the 8076th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, He returned to this country in July, 1951 and served a year as chief of professional (raining in the office of the Army Surgeon General. Then Col. VanBuskirk had his first of two assignments lo Walter Reed, where he was resident specialist and assistant chief of urology service four years. DUAL ROLE An assignment to Germany followed in May.

and he served in a dual role as chief of urology service and chief of professional training at the 2nd General Hospital, Landstuhl. The Army also assigned him to serve as urology consultant to the chief surgeon for the Army in Europe. Returning to America in 1960, he was assigned to Letterman General Hospital, San Fran- cisto, as chief of urology and urology consultant for the U. S. Sixth Army.

lie was transferred to his latest tour of duty at Walter Heed in 1964. DECORATIONS During his 26-year carcer the colonel was awarded a number of decorations, including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Hi KltVm I ItltSKIRK Star Medal, the Army mendai ion Ribbon and the Combat Medical Badge. Married to the former Mary Xelia Hall. Bmghampton, N.Y., he is the father of three children, Mr Susan X. Bortz, Midi on, Wi Mrs Nancy Frances, Tucson, and Kryder K.

Van Buskirk Jr, Silver Springs, Mil Lack ol Ad equate Housing Discussed by Race Council A discussion on "the frightening lack of adequate housing for minority groups in the highlighted a luncheon meeting of the Mown Human Relations Council Friday at Downtown Motor Inn William Lawrence, vice president of the council, conducted the meeting in the ah sem of the Itev. Richard Martin, president At lending the at the request of the council Mayor Joseph A who heard tU members outline the lack of housing and their suggestions for solving if hie thought of the council on that subject was presented to Pottstown Borough Council during its June meeting The ciMincil callcd ii miii the borough lawmakers to ei local lair housing law iac! a more stringent that federal and state legislation now In existence. Borough council, however, has not acted on the recommendation nor even discussed II One of the reasons for the invitation to the mayor was to present him with the Human Belati Council's recommendation mi replacement member for council. A vani am has enisled on Hie nine memtier body since llie resignation leverai months ago Dr Yves nullet. ulto returned to Puerto Rico 11 naine ni lecommended to the mayor wai iiol pending his act to, i II I three expiring Jin il also I of iNls-slhlt lei ON I Ht Main Drag Ml I OKI ill to THIS ROAD UNDER DESTRUCTION Residents of a back road that goes from Little Oley to Knglesville say they are with the poor condition of the road So to gain nibiic attention, to the ruts and pothole tumorous signs along Ihe route.

'They ai? they painted ircle around each pothole to warn motorists, (Men ui Mail J'hotoi umiliti low in mi sum un ki us I mi NN MM KI I IS HI KMII III I I JOVI si lOtt NON Ml nn nm Mil I I Hit KI I IS IS II mom IHOHPsOV tut golf ball I wroi off the lea,.