Blythedale Children's Hospital: another Ethical Culture accomplishment

The corporate department in which I work circulated an internal flier asking employees to consider donating to one of two area children's hospitals in conjunction with its annual charity drive. The company generously matches employee contributions dollar for dollar, so it's a great use of one's personal donation funds.

I checked out both hospitals' websites before deciding. The history page of the Blythedale Children's Hospital (Valhalla, NY) begins thusly (my emphasis):

Blythedale's first recorded history dates back to 1891, when a group of women of the New York Ethical Culture Society began visiting shut-in children in New York City, furnishing them with clothing and food, as well as obtaining medical attention for them.

Slam dunk! Another in a long long of past charitable causes boot-strapped into existence by Ethical Culture. Because of this history that I hold so dear, I'll be giving them a little more than I would have otherwise. It doesn't render the other children's hospital any less worthy, but this one holds a personal connection for me.

Platform VIdeo: Ethical Culture and Human Rights

The following ECS/Bergen Platform address was delivered on Sunday, December 6, 2009, by Dr. Joseph Chuman (introduced by Ed Gross):

Ethical Culture and Human Rights (12/6/2009) from Ethical Culture Society Bergen on Vimeo.

Dr. Joseph Chuman has been the leader of The Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County for over 35 years. He holds a Ph.D. in religion from Columbia University, where he is adjunct professor of religion and an academic advisor in the human rights curriculum. Dr. Chuman lectures frequently to public audiences on philosophy, social issues and humanist thought.

Ethical Culture Touches Human Beings

In todays platform at the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County Dr. Joseph Chuman, our leader, presented a stimulating presentation on the concept of human rights, it's ongoing evolution and it's growing presence in the collective modern consciousness.

One tidbit I found particularly interesting was the impact specifically, Ethical Culture has had on the revolutionary 'Human Rights' gains of our recent times. Major gains like that of child labor laws, civil rights, and public health can be traced back in part, to several of the Ethical Culture movements leaders and activist members.

Recently I took my child to the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side for a tour of a tenement with interesting historical antidotes that shed light on life in the tenements through a span of time. What I did not hear about in the museums presentation regarding the improvements to public health laws brought upon the tenement dwellings was that it was Ethical Culture leaders that spear headed those efforts. That I learned today at our Sunday platform. It's hard to fathom how many human beings were touched upon by Ethical Culture with just that one successful effort.