It was not until 1985--January 1, 1985, to be exact--that I began to take the steps that resulted in the South Bethlehem Historical Society. By then a lot of things had happened--for instance, Mrs. Bender and her friends succeeded in getting the 1758 Sun Inn refurbished and opened to the public--only to be met with what appears to be a rejectionist front from the historical establishment and the city that, as far as I can see, has continued to this day. I have never fully understood this situation, although some of it may have to do with the fact that the Inn is inconveniently located on some very valuable urban real estate. At one time, if memory serves, there were plans to put an urban high rise building there.
A few years later Burnside Plantation was rediscovered, and for some equally unknown reason (but perhaps just because it was NOT standing on some extremely valuable urban real estate at the moment), its discovery was greeted with great enthusiasm and restoration work began almost at once.
(By the way, anyone who wants to follow the Bethlehem history wars of the 1970s, 80s, and early 90s--until the lamented death of the paper--is invited to visit the Bethlehem Area Public Library, and read about it in the microfilm files of the Globe-Times. I am not making this stuff up, although it seems incredible when I look back on it.)
Everyone in the historical establishment continued to ignore the history of the South Side, though; and in my naivete I could not figure out why. I was happy with each new addition to the heritage scene, Sun Inn, Burnside, and all. It was obvious, too, that history had a fairly important role to play, was a key asset, in Bethlehem's economic future.
But interesting as all those organizations on the north side were, why could nobody see that the large-scale history, the really world-class history, was on the South Side?
There. I've gone on the record after all these years. And why do I think this way? Because world-class history is history that affects the lives of millions, not just thousands. And it was on the South Side, home to some of the most brilliant and dedicated entrepreneurs in American history, and to skilled, intelligent, and untiring workers from several continents, that this type of history was made. The South Side, with its great industrial output, was destiny's anvil.
The men and women who worked in Steel helped turn back tyranny twice in the 20th century and helped shape the skyline of America. During the Second World War, they too were part of the Greatest Generation.
Their like--and their particular contribution--is unlikely ever to be seen again.
It was too much that this contribution should never be recognized; and so the South Bethlehem Historical Society was founded. It was not designed to be about the giant industry on the South Side of the river, but about the community that grew up around it on land sold off by the Moravians of the north side--the industrial workers, shopkeepers, wives, children, clergy, and so on.
And how did I expect the historical establishment to feel about this?
Frankly, I expected it to be overjoyed. I had made an effort to dust off a neglected area of the city's history, and Bethlehem could now be seen to represent three centuries of America. It could be a great source of pride; it would make for great marketing, too.
Well, I was wrong about their reaction. Come by next time for more.

Meanwhile, you might want to read Bernie O'Hare's very different blog, Lehigh Valley Ramblings. You'll find it at http://www.lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com

Sorry I am still off schedule. I hope to get back on soon. Meanwhile...
Some people have expressed an interest in Bethlehem historical organizations, how they relate to each other, and how they help (or do not help) interpret the history of the city. I am the founder of one of those organizations, the South Bethlehem Historical Society, which has been around since 1985--although it has kept a lower and lower profile for reasons which I think will become clear later on. Herewith is my take on matters historical in the Christmas City.
When I came here (late 1972, I think, which is long enough ago to make me something of a historical relic in my own right), we were gearing up for the bicentennial of the American Revolution, and things were quite exciting, what with events, and reenactments and reenactors all over.
At the time there was no Historic Bethlehem Partnership. Nor was there a Burnside Plantation. Nor was there a restored Sun Inn, although if my memory is correct the energetic Hughetta Bender was already working on that challenge. There was Historic Bethlehem Inc., which was quartered in the old Single Brethren's House at the foot of Main Street, which mainly ran the 18th century tannery down by the Monocacy Creek, and which was working on other acquisitions. (There is an "official" terminology for these things, but I have forgotten it. In the last analysis it does not matter. Probably most Bethlehemites will know the buildings I mean.)
In addition to HBI, there were the Kemerer Museum, which specialized in decorative arts, and the Moravian Museum, a church institution which encompassed the founding and heritage of Moravian Bethlehem. Both of these were independent.
From the time I arrived here to work for the Bethlehem Globe-Times I also went to work (though only briefly, because of the shift I was working at the paper) as a volunteer for Historic Bethlehem Inc. Soon I moved to the South Side, to be nearer to the Globe-Times office.
So I became aware of the South Side, which both frightened and interested me. (I soon lost the fright, which I realized was unjustified.)
And one day I asked, in the HBI offices, "Why aren't we doing anything on the South Side?"
Back came the reply, from a young staff member, "Because nothing historical ever happened there."
I was surprised; but I shrugged it off. Although I didn't realize it. this was probably my first formal contact with what might be called the great third rail of Bethlehem's intellectual and spiritual life--the chasm which divided the immigrants of the South Side and their descendants from the descendants of the 18th century Moravian immigrants who settled on the north side.
Anyone who does not believe this rift was and (I fear) still is real is invited to go to the library and read the two-volume semi-official history of the town, "Bethlehem of Pennsylvania" and "Bethlehem of Pennsylvania: The Golden Years." In fact, the rifts recorded just among the residents of the original north side settlement are amazing in themselves.
To return, however, to the status of the historic organizations when I came here. There was around that time a loose organization called the Collegium, whose apparent function was to guide all the historic organizations in the interpretation of the city's history for visitors. To me it seemed like a perfect setup for fraternal cooperation in a worthy common aim.
I had not yet learned the First Law of Local History--ANYBODY'S local history.
That law is: "History is a contact sport."
This somewhat lengthy story will be continued in my next posting.

Recently I learned that David Freeman gave a talk suggesting that the South Side of Bethlehem was a highly Moravian place.
I guess that is all a matter of interpretation. It is true that at one time the Moravians owned the land over here, which they had divided into farms. It also is true that until Lehigh University "redeveloped" the small neighborhood which lay just to the north of it (I believe this happened in the 1960s), there was a Moravian Church on the South Side--this church was part of the neighborhood that was flattened to make way for some exceedingly ugly university buildings.
Nevertheless, back before the mid-nineteenth century, the Moravian community sold its South Side holdings, to be used for the development of heavy industry. It did this, knowing that the result would be a succession of non-Moravians, who would work in the new industrial plants and deal firsthand, and in their own bodies, with the pollution and other dangers caused by the new industries.
This does not mean that the newcomers, with their many religions and languages and countries of origin, were ever to be considered an integral part of Bethlehem. No indeed. Despite the array of ethnic backgrounds evidenced by the names of the city's mayors and council members down through the years, it has been as if city government has been a veneer laid atop real life. John Strohmeyer, former editor of the Globe-Times of Bethlehem (and a Pulitzer Prize winner), noticed in his book, "Crisis In Bethlehem," how much of government actually went on behind the scenes, at the behest of Bethlehem Steel. There were other organizations endued with the power to make it clear who really was part of Bethlehem and who was not-- for instance, the public schools. And, I would argue, in later years, such other secondary cultural constructs as the historic organizations of the north side. I remember that, when I first came here in the early 1970s and was briefly a volunteer at Historic Bethlehem Inc., I once asked at the HBI office, "Why aren't we doing anything on the South Side?"
"Because," came the incredible reply, "nothing historic ever happened there."
Indeed?
Getting back, however, to David Freeman and his speech. No indeed, Mr. Freeman; the South Side is not especially Moravian, and has not been for well over a century. The Moravians sold it, and then different things happened, some of which they could have predicted and other, perhaps, that were less foreseeable.
I plan to continue with other aspects of this story.

If anyone tried to visit my developing health blog on Blogspot and had technical difficulties, I'd appreciate your letting me know.

What is with the thousands of decent, well-meaning Americans who annually get themselves elected to school boards, and the decent, well-meaning administrators who are supposed to assist them (Mark that--ASSIST them!) in running America's public schools? In the Bethlehem Area School District the financing of the schools seems to be out of control, and the tolerance of the citizenry for more taxes is reaching a limit. The Bethlehem Press quoted a resident as saying, "There seems to be a reluctance to even look at holding the line on taxes."
Another citizen was quoted as saying, "I'd like to see some real cuts. If that can't happen I'm asking the school board and (School Superintendent Dr. Joseph) Lewis to step down."
Both these comments were made at a recent school board meeting at which the board agreed to $654,000 in cuts from the proposed 2006-2007 budget of $158 million. This will move the proposed tax millage increase from 1.61 mills to 1.16 mills. It evidently was not enough for at least some of the people who are asked to foot the bills.
Irascibility over budgets is, of course, not limited to residents of the Bethlehem Area School District. It seems that just about everywhere you look, citizens' sense of grievance over expenses for public schools runs into rock-hard determination on the part of boards and administrations to do things their way, hang the expense.
It has been said that the administration and governance of the public schools is one of the most thankless jobs in America; and this is easy to believe. It is in the hands of board members who are doing their civic duty, usually for no pay; and of administrators who often seem to be well-trained in everything except relationships with the people they are supposed to serve. As a result, they can come across as lordly and insensitive.
Both administrators and board members are bound by so many regulations, federal, state, and local, that they can hardly turn around. These days, too, they are caught up in philosphical controversies that were unknown just a few years ago.
So--or this is the theory--they tend to be hard-nosed with the citizenry whenever they can. Budget time would be a logical time.
I can't answer for the theory; but I DO know that, this year at least, the Bethlehem Area School Board could make one move which might make a tax increase unnecessary. It is this: Abandon plans to demolish the historic, historically valuable old Broughal Middle School and replace it with a piece of architectural mediocrity. Refurbish the current Broughal School, at an immense saving, and you will have a safe, serviceable, and beautiful structure at a fraction of the cost of the proposed "educational factory."
The School Board should give serious thought to doing this. It should also remember that it may be legally bound to report the planned destruction of a historic school to the State Department of Education. This step has very likely been overlooked.

You may wish to have a look at Bernie O'Hare's witty and interesting blog Lehigh Valley Ramblings, at hhtp://www.lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com
Also at my just-started Health Quest blog, http://www.health-quest.blogspot.com
Please let me know if you have technical problems with this new blog.

Since I have been exercised enough about the situation created by erstwhile candidate Tony Rybak to post a few off-schedule entries, I decided to post off-schedule again and let any out-of-towners know the results. As this is written, Joe Brennan appears to have won. I confessed to a fellow blogger that I will sort of miss Tony--he kept the adrenaline running. But never mind; I am sure to find new interests.
Again, you may want to check out another regional blog I like; it's a great one. It is Bernie O'Hare's Lehigh Valley Ramblings, and it is at http://www.lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com.
I, also, am adding a blog, and it will appear Fridays. It is about restoring, maximizing, and (hopefully) keeping one's health. Whether you want to know how to maximize your chance of surviving a hospital stay or how to use herbs and other alternative treatments safely, come by--and feel free to add your own opinions. You can already get an idea of it at http://www.heath-quest.blogspot.com. It will appear Fridays, as a rule.
I expect to post again here at the Bethlehem Blog Times on Sunday. I hope it's back to the usual schedule.