1. By JAN L. APPLE
CORRESPONDENT
A
photograph of the late Dr. Leon
Bass hangs on a wall in the lobby
of Benjamin Franklin High
School on North Broad Street in
Philadelphia. The 125 or so students who
attended last week’s tribute to Bass, the
school’s principal from 1967 through ’81,
will likely stand taller as they glance at
the portrait.
“They’ll know who he is now,” said
Principal Gregory Hailey, adding that
students will understand the significant
contributions Bass made to society — as
an educator and veteran.
The assembly Thursday at Franklin
High, hosted by the Holocaust Education
Remembrance program of the Fegelson–
Young–Feinberg Jewish War Veterans
Post 697 of Bucks County, enlightened
attendees about the strength and heroism
Bass demonstrated during his lifetime.
Bass passed away in March 2015 at age 90.
He lived at Pennswood Village in New-
town for his final 17 years.
“I wanted to be able to honor Dr.
Bass at his former school and let the
community know what he did,” said
Allan Silverberg, 72, of Langhorne, a
Vietnam-era veteran and chair of the
volunteer-run program that educates
schools and community groups
throughout the region.
The students — predominantly
sophomores and seniors enrolled in
world history and civics classes —
learned of Bass’ activism against racism,
discrimination and anti-Semitism
and heard accounts from Holocaust
survivor and hidden child Danny
Goldsmith, 84, of Hatboro, and Dachau
concentration camp liberator Bernie
Lens, 95, of Yardley. Representatives
from congressional offices and the Facing
History and Ourselves organization also
spoke about Bass’ impact.
Students viewed a slideshow depicting
Nazi Germany: concentration camps, gas
chambers, malnourished inmates, medical
experiments, the lines where Nazis sepa-
rated those who would live from those
sentenced to death.
Brian Camper, manager of school
climate and culture, provided a brief
snapshot of Bass’ younger years. As a
20-year-old U.S. Army sergeant in an all
black battalion during World War II, Bass
entered Buchenwald concentration camp
in April 1945, one day after its liberation.
The shocking, inhumane conditions
he witnessed — the smell of burned
flesh and bodies, the walking skeletons
— stayed with him.
And although Bass served in a
segregated army and was often treated as
a second-class citizen — in military and
civilian life — he proudly fought for his
country.
Bass’ daughter, Delia Bass-Dandridge,
of Hamilton, New Jersey, who attended
the tribute with husband Walter
Dandridge and their 16-year-old daughter
Kendall, thanked the group for honoring
her father.
“He would be so humbled by this
celebration of his life’s work, which was
fighting for social justice,” said Bass-
Dandridge, 56, underscoring that being
principal at the high school was one of
his toughest yet one of his most fulfilling
assignments. “It was here (in 1968) that
he first heard a Holocaust survivor speak
to students. He knew then that he had a
story to tell.”
Bass had been silent for over two
decades, never sharing the horrific
images and senseless hatred he saw at
Buchenwald. On that day in 1968, he told
his story and, according to his daughter,
then traveled across the country for
30-plus years continuing to speak out.
“My father had a great strength, a
great sense of humor and humility,” said
Bass-Dandridge. “He grew up during a
very difficult time in our country but he
had parents who constantly told him he
was good enough. He passed this message
on to his children, his grandchildren,
his students and all those who needed to
hear it. He wrote a book entitled ‘Good
Enough: One Man’s Memoir on the Price
of a Dream.’ ”
Bass also appeared in the documen-
tary “Liberators: Fighting Two Fronts in
World War II.”
“My father was often referred to as a
true hero, he certainly was my hero.”
Speaker Ronit Treatman, of Philadel-
phia, described Bass as a hero and more.
Nearly 70 years after Bass liberated her
late grandfather from Buchenwald, by
coincidence or fate, he was a speaker at
the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
where two of her children attend school.
Treatman later arranged what was to be an
emotionally charged meeting between her
family and Bass, enabling her to person-
ally thank him.
Thursday’s program marked the first
time that most in the audience had ever
met a survivor or seen graphic photo-
graphs of the Holocaust, explains Robert
Kringe, teacher leader for social sciences
at Franklin. The school’s history curricu-
lum includes such films as “Schindler’s
List” and “The Boy in the Striped
Pajamas.”
“The students think this happened
so long ago,” said Kringe. “Hearing
firsthand accounts brings history to life.”
Basheer James, 18, said that learning
about Bass’ background brings honor
and prestige to the school. “The program
was very emotional for me, particularly
hearing about Danny’s escape from the
Nazis.”
Nisa Capehart, 18, called the morn-
ing inspirational: “I feel like I could
have more courage to stand up against
injustice.”
That’s what Silverberg and his group
aim to achieve — asking students not to
be bystanders, but to speak out.
“You are the last generation to see a
Holocaust survivor,” said Goldsmith. “It
is important that we never forget what
happened.
“I am urging you — do not hate. You
would be doing yourself a disservice.
Refuse to be indifferent. If you see some-
thing wrong — do something.”
Unknown soldierUnknown soldierBucks veterans group honors Dr. Leon Bass as an educator, liberator and human rights activist.
Dr. Leon Bass was
principal of Benjamin
Franklin High School
from 1967 through ’81.
PHOTOS BY JAN L. APPLE
Members of the Jewish War Veterans (JWV) Post 697 (from left) are Jonathan Sherman of Bensalem, immediate past commander;
Jerry Polonsky of Levittown, past state commander of JWV; Danny Goldsmith of Hatboro, Holocaust survivor/speaker; Bernie
Lens of Yardley, Dachau concentration camp liberator/speaker; Lou Abramson of Perkasie, past national commander JWV
USA.; Allan Silverberg of Langhorne, program chair and past junior vice commander; and Alan Vogenberg of Langhorne.
World War II veteran Bernie Lens,
95, of Yardley, with a photo of Dachau
concentration camp. As a U.S. Army
soldier, Lens helped liberate the camp.
Robert Kringe (left), teacher leader for social sciences, and Brian Camper
(right), manager of school climate and culture, pose with Franklin students
Nisa Capehart, 18, Aigner LeMay, 16, and Basheer James, 18.
Delia Bass-Dandridge accepts a citation
from Anthony W. Luker, district director,
office of Congressman Brendan F. Boyle,
honoring her father, Dr. Leon Bass.
Ben Franklin High School
Contact
Jewish War Veterans
Post 697 of Levittown
To schedule a Holocaust
Education Remembrance
program (free of charge)
or to learn more:
jewishvetspost697.jwv.
org; jewishvetspost697@
gmail.com; 267-573-9697
COMMUNITY
A10 ♦ BUCKS COUNTY COURIER TIMES ♦ TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2016