Konvitz, Milton R. (Milton Ridvas), 1908-2003

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Philip W. Lown (1890-1976)

Philip W. Lown was born in Lithuania in 1890, which was then occupied by Russia, on the seventh day of Hanukah. When he was eleven, he attended a rabbinical school in Vilna. At the age of fourteen or fifteen he participated in the Russian Revolution in Lithuania in which he protested the czar and risked the brutality of the Cossacks in 1905. After the Revolution was crushed, he needed to escape the social unrest and poor living conditions so he immigrated to the United States in 1907, part of a mass exodus of Lithuanians from their country during 1868-1914. 2

In the United States, Lown found work as a milkman, a paper hanger, and a shoe factory worker in Maine. He hired a private teacher to obtain an elementary education so he could go to Lynn Classical high school at age twenty-two. When he turned twenty-five, Lown attended the University of Maine in 1914 and received his B.S. in 1918 for chemical engineering. When World War I began in 1914, Lown joined the army and worked as a researcher to combat chemical warfare. After he served his new country, he worked for seven years in the textile dyes industry. He proved himself successful in business and purchased a factory. When the business became less profitable he sold it and in 1926 became a joint owner of Pilgrim Shoe Company. He later became president of Penobscot Shoe Company in Old Town, Maine and Lown Shoes, Inc., in Auburn, Maine.

Starting in 1937, Lown invested his profits into the small Jewish community in Maine and tried to help Jews that faced danger in Europe. Until his death in 1976, he worked tirelessly on boards for Jewish education: the American Association for Jewish Education, B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundations, Maine Jewish Council, World Council on Jewish Education, and the Y.M.C.A. of Auburn, Maine, amongst others. He established Camp Lown in 1946, a summer camp for children that focused on teaching Jewish history and education. He founded the Lown School for Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and the Graduate Center for Contemporary Jewish Studies at Brandeis University, became the President and Chairman of Hebrew College in Massachusetts and served as President of the American Association for Jewish Education, the Y.M.C.A. of Auburn Maine, and the Community Chest of Lewiston, Maine. Lown also became involved in Zionist activities and was present at a meeting on July 1, 1945, where he met with David Ben-Gurion and helped plan critical assistance to the Hagana. He received countless awards and honors for his work in Zionism, Jewish education in America, and Jewish communal institutions.

Lown received his Doctorate at University of Maine and Brandeis University. His first wife, Anna, was born in New York in 1900. His second wife, Sally Lown, was also dedicated to Jewish education and was present with Lown in many of his activities. He worked with the same organizations into his late eighties, up until his death on November 1, 1976 at Miami Beach. 3

  • 1890: Born in Lithuania.
  • 1901: Attended Rabbinical School in Vilna, Lithuania.
  • 1905: Participated in Russian Revolution in Lithuania.
  • 1907: Arrived in Boston, Massachusetts.
  • 1911: Attended Lynn Classical High School.
  • 1914: Served in United States Army as a researcher to combat chemical warfare.
  • 1914 - 1918 : Attended University of Maine and received B.S. in Chemical Engineering.
  • 1926: Became joint owner of Pilgrim Shoe Co.
  • 1937: Became involved in Jewish Education in New England.
  • 1939: Helped to form Maine Jewish Council for United Jewish Appeal.
  • 1946: Camp Lown opened in Oakland, Maine.
  • 1953: Chairman of the Second National Conference for Jewish Education.
  • 1955: President of American Association for Jewish Education.
  • 1959: Chairman, Program Committee, B’nai B’rith Hillel Committee.
  • 1961: Received Henrietta Szold award from Boston University.
  • 1961: Received the 14th Annual T. Kenyon Holly Memorial Plaque.
  • 1972: Lown School for Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and Graduate Center for Contemporary Jewish Studies opened at Brandeis University.
  • 1976: Died at Miami Beach on November 1st.
Footnotes 1 Information used in this finding aid is from the following sources and other sources as indicated: Materials from the collection. 2Encyclopedia Britannica. “Lithuania.” 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/343803/Lithuania> May 24, 2012. 3The Lewiston Daily Sun November 3, 1976. <http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1928&dat=19761103&id=GT0pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3WUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2538,444986> May 31, 2012.

From the guide to the Philip W. Lowan, Papers, undated, 1913-1975 [bulk 1944-1974], (American Jewish Historical Society)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Perkins, James Alfred, 1911-1998. James Perkins papers, 1963-1969. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Konvitz, Milton R. (Milton Ridvas), 1908-2003. Some aspects of Negro-Jewish relationships in Detroit, Michigan. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Konvitz, Milton R. (Milton Ridvas), 1908-2003. Milton R. Konvitz Liberian project. Files. Cornell University Library
referencedIn George H. Sabine papers, [, ], ca. 1886-1960 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Jerome New Frank papers, 1918-1972 (bulk 1929-1957) Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
creatorOf Konvitz, Milton R. (Milton Ridvas), 1908-2003. Milton R. Konvitz. American Ideals Lectures. Audio recordings and compact discs 1973-1974. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Papers, 1901-1958. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Jerome New Frank papers, 1918-1972 (bulk 1929-1957) Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
referencedIn Baron, Salo W. Papers, 1900-1980 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Konvitz, Milton R. (Milton Ridvas), 1908-2003. Correspondence to Chaim Potok, 1967. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Felix S. Cohen papers, 1916-1992 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Jung, Leo, 1892-1987. Leo Jung Papers, 1878-1992, 1970-1979. Yeshiva University
referencedIn Sabine, George Holland, 1880-1961. George H. Sabine papers, [ca. 1886-1960]. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Konvitz, Milton R. (Milton Ridvas), 1908-2003. Milton R. Konvitz. Papers, 1942-1986. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Konvitz, Milton R. (Milton Ridvas), 1908-2003. Letters, 1971-1975, to Lewis Mumford. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn James Perkins papers, 1963-1969. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
creatorOf Philip W. Lown Papers Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center at New England Historic Genealogical Society
referencedIn Horace Mann Bond Papers, 1830-1979, 1926-1972 Special Collections and University Archives, UMass Amherst Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Association for Jewish Education corporateBody
associatedWith Baron, Salo W. (Salo Wittmayer), 1895-1989. person
associatedWith Ben-Gurion, David, 1886-1973 person
associatedWith B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundations corporateBody
associatedWith Bond, Horace Mann, 1904-1972 person
associatedWith Brandeis University corporateBody
associatedWith Cohen, Felix S., 1907-1953. person
associatedWith Frank, Jerome, 1889-1957. person
associatedWith Goldmann, Nachum person
associatedWith Goldmann, Nahum, 1895-1982 person
associatedWith Hebrew College (Newton Center, Newton, Mass.) corporateBody
associatedWith James Alfred, Perkins 1911- person
associatedWith Jung, Leo, 1892-1987. person
associatedWith Kallen, Horace Meyer, 1882-1974 person
associatedWith Lown, Philip W. person
associatedWith Maine Jewish Council corporateBody
associatedWith Minkoff, N. B., 1893-1958. person
associatedWith New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations corporateBody
associatedWith Perkins, James Alfred, 1911-1998. person
associatedWith Sabine, George Holland, 1880-1961. person
associatedWith Sachar, Abram Leon, 1899-1993 person
associatedWith Sachar, Arbam L. person
associatedWith Sonneborn, R. G. (Rudolf Goldschmidt), b. 1898 person
associatedWith World Council on Jewish Education corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Boston (Mass.)
Michigan--Detroit
Liberia
United States
Subject
Education
African Americans
African Americans
Jews
Jews
Law
Zionism
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1908

Death 2003-09-05

Americans

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 54430245