Mendelson, Malsch, Cipkos are inducted

The Cipko Brothers, eccentric and now deceased Coal Region philanthropists, have aroused a lot of controversy in Hall of Fame circles.

On the one hand, they have received strong support for induction into this collection of the area's most colorful characters. Their bizarre appearance aside -- Daniel wore makeup and his hairdo resembled a lush Russian hat, while Ralph had an awful toupee and a Hitleresque mustache -- these bachelors were so beloved and controversial on their home turf that they inspired their own fan club. I was a member.

Some people who objected to their nomination suggested that these were just quiet, civic-minded individuals. ''So what if they wanted unusual hair styles?'' one man wrote. ''You can see plenty of those around here that make Cipkos look very ordinary!!''

I'll dispute that, but more important, you need to understand that they were far from self-effacing. In fact, they were kings of the photo opportunity, criticized on occasion for being publicity hounds. The Hall is full of amazing color photos of them in action.

My own feeling is that when people are generous enough to share that much money with so many good causes, they're entitled to publicity. But I would hate to see them written off as recluses. They were very much in the public eye, and they loved it, as I'm sure they would love this new honor.

I understand that in some people's eyes -- not mine -- induction carries a certain negative connotation. So I've decided to open a separate philanthropists' wing of the Hall so the Cipkos can be inducted without having to associate with all those disruptive politicians, wacky gadflies and unsavory businessmen. As we knew all along, they're in a class of their own.

This year's other inductees are more traditional choices.

Allentown eyesore specialist Mark Mendelson has come close to induction several times, long before he was sentenced to the hoosegow for bribing and conspiring with a bank executive, but he always was edged in close competition. No more.

It's a shame that he's been so underrated. Few inductees have had the kind of destructive effect that Mendelson has had on his city of choice.

Mendelson's crumbling buildings have been a major impediment to efforts to revitalize the city's downtown. The unholy trio of the Colonial Theater, the Americus Hotel and Sal's Spaghetti House, not to mention the long-vacant former PNC bank building, lent an air of abandoned dilapidation to a neighborhood that otherwise was seeing progress. Another of his holdings, the Corporate Plaza, collapsed in a massive sinkhole, a natural disaster of rich symbolic significance.

The Mendelson era is fading. The Colonial and Sal's have been razed, and it appears that the vacant Americus will be sold. By moving him into the Hall, we ensure his legacy won't be forgotten.

Our final inductee is Moore Township strongwoman Nina Malsch, who was selected by the veterans committee.

The Northampton Area School Board has produced a rich crop of nominees over the years, as befits one of the area's wildest, woolliest districts, but none of them earned induction.

Although Malsch never served on the board herself, she had an enormous influence on everything that happened.

As leader of the thrifty, litigious, powerful League of Taxpayers, Malsch pulled the strings like a master puppeteer, and the current makeup of the board strongly reflects her influence. As much as anyone, she's responsible for the ultimate decision not to build a new high school, a controversy that drove years of school board elections, lawsuits and heated debate.

With the last of her board opponents long gone, Malsch has kept a lower profile, although she did weigh in strongly on the referendum to finance expansion and renovation of the district's tiny and wholly inadequate library.

She was against it, of course. The referendum failed.

bill.white@mcall.com

610-861-3632

Related topic galleries: Allentown, Disasters, School Supplies, Referenda

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