| Albany Township Section |
| Article Submitted by Don Stanton from scrapbook clipping (Undated) |
| Formatted & Published by Joyce M. Tice 2006 |
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Right: Memory of the Nineties - A trip to the past, via a buggy similar to the
one he used when he first began his practice 62 years ago, is taken by Dr. A. J.
Bird of New Albany, Pa, while Dr. E. Roger Samuel of Mount Carmel, national
"Doctor of the Year" looks on during last night's testimonial dinner in honor of
Dr. Bird at the New Albany High School. (Star-Gazette Photos by Don Leavenworth) |
Pennsylvania Honors New Albany’s Dr. Bird
250 Pay Tribute to Doctor
New Albany – About 250 people attended last night’s testimonial banquet at
New Albany High School honoring Dr. A. J. Bird of New Albany for his 62 years of
Public service. Dr. Bird is 85.
Among those who praised work done by Dr. Bird were Bradford County Judge
William M. Rosenfield of Towanda; Joseph Gavenenis of Mildred, Pennsylvania
American Legion Commander.
Dr. Stanley Conklin, head of Robert Packer Hospital medical department; Dr.
Herman Fischer Jr., of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Medical society District
Councilor.
Dr. Elmer Shelley, Pennsylvania Medical Society president and Dr. E. Roger
Samuel of Mount Carmel, national “Doctor of the Year.”
Program for the evening included: Invocation, the Rev. Paul J. H. Zelinka,
pastor of the New Albany Methodist Church.
Introductory, Alfred Cool, New Albany Chamber of commerce president; welcome
to guests, Richard Norton, special testimonial committee chairman.
Toastmaster, Howard Miller, New Albany Chamber of Commerce past president;
Judge Rosenfield; quartet, Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Wilcox Jr. and Mr. and Mrs. Leigh
Beardsley.
Introduction of area doctors, who have practiced over 50 years, including
Dr. G. E. Boyer of Troy, Dr. C. M. Bradford [Canton],Dr. H. C. Brown of Wysox
and Dr. A. B. Dann of Canton.
Dr. C. M. Coon of Milan and Dr. E. M. Dailey of Dushore were unable to
attend.
Duet by Cool and Beardsley; Dr. Conklin and Dr. Fischer. Walter
Robinson, humorist, presented “Tales from Birdlife.”
Dr. Shelley, Dr. Samuel Joseph Frawley, special awards chairman, presented
representatives of various local organizations who presented Dr. Bird with
gifts.
Representatives and organizations which they represented were; R. F.
Downing, charge lay leader, New Albany Methodist Church; Ralph Driscoll,
commander, Towanda American Legion Post 42.
Thomas Simpson, past chef de gare, Voiture 549, 40 & 8; Bruce Haverly, past
commander, New Albany Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Ralph Mosier, past master Evergreen Lodge 163, F. & A. M.; Nelson Rieley,
president of the Towanda Rod and Gun Club; G. B. Johnston, New Albany Volunteer
Fire Co. president; and Cool.
John Mincavage, New Albany Chamber of Commerce vice president, introduced
some of the “babies” whom Dr. Bird had delivered in the past and have become
members of the community.
Dr. Bird expressed his thanks for the honor bestowed on him by the
testimonial.
The event was sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Bird was fairly overcome with all that had been done and said.
Modestly he arose to express his deep appreciation which very apparently came
from the heart. “I don’t feel old,” he said. “I work the same as I
did but still time goes on.”
“Sometimes in the rush and change of modern times, he said, “I have felt I
was just fading away, like MacArthur said, but this affair tonight makes me feel
more that ever that what I have tried to do has been very much worth while.”
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Left: Bradford County Elders - A total of 280 years of medical services is
represented by the five doctors shown above. From left: Dr. A. B. Dann of
Canton, 52 years; Dr. C. M. Bradford of Canton, 53 years; Dr. Bird, 62 years;
Dr. H. C. Down of Wysox, 63 years; and Dr. G. E. Boyer of Troy, 50 years.
Another 100 years of service would have been added to this total had it been
possible for Dr. C. M. Coon of Milan and Dr. E. M. Dailey of Dushore been able
to attend. Both have at least 50 years of service each. |