In this column, I am speaking to Mr. Pavis, owner of the landmark Newhard's Pharmacy in Northampton.

Jack was born and reared in a hard-working Lithuanian coal miner's family in Mount Carmel, Pa. With the closure of the mines, the family made the move to Philadelphia, seeking new employment.

Mr. Pavis graduated from John Bartram High School, receiving an excellent education.

He spent his high school and college days working at the Dubowe Pharmacy, starting as a stock boy for 25 cents an hour. He was employed at the pharmacy for nine years, developing a close relationship with the owner, Mr. Jerome Dubowe.

"Working there, I took a keen interest in pharmacy, progressing to pharmacy technician," Jack recalls. "With the encouragement of Mr. Dubowe, I enrolled at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the oldest pharmacy school in the nation.

The college is now called University of the Sciences.

"My first tuition was $500 for six months," he says. "I believe the tuition would be in the $40,000 range today.

"Each day I took the trolley to school," he says. "After school, I worked part-time at the pharmacy, it was a very busy time in my life. At the time the academic program was five years. The examination was three days in length, with written and laboratory testing."

I asked about current comparisons with the school today.

"I think the academic program is better because of all the changes in medicine that have to be addressed, but I think the business aspects of the past were excellent," he replied. "Some say the program may be extended to seven years in the future."

Mr. Pavis wrote the ideal prescription when he graduated, meeting and marrying a classmate, Ms. Charlotte Bartakovits, a fine lady from Hellertown. Ms. Bartakovits is of Windish-Russian heritage. They were married in 1965 at St. Theresa's Parish in Hellertown with a grand reception at the Windish Hall in Bethlehem.

A member of the U.S. Army Reserve, Jack expected a call from Uncle Sam. Instead, he gained employment at the Dennis Drug store chain in Bethlehem. There, he worked with fellow pharmacist Mr. Peter Stahl. The salary in 1965 for a pharmacist was $8,000. Currently the salary is considerably higher!

I then asked how his Northampton pharmacy endeavor materialized.

"I remember the date like it was yesterday – Feb. 24, 1969," Mr. Pavis says. "I had a visit from a salesman for Wyeth Drugs on Jan. 1, 1969. He told me there was a pharmacy for sale in Northampton. Where is Northampton, I was never there! I was told the owners were Mr. Aaron and Erma Newhard."

This writer knew the Newhards, as my family resided a block from the triangle-shaped drugstore. We regarded Mr. Newhard as more than a pharmacist. Folks saw him as a physician who could give medical advice. There were no medical centers in those days. There was great respect for his profession.

He worked with the legendary Dr. Charles Meixell who had dual certification as both a physician and pharmacist. His initial (we all called them drug stores) was up on Main Street, site of the Main Street Restaurant. If you wanted to see the good doctor, you walked to the rear of building to the office, no appointment required, and Dr. Meixell would examine you. You would then return to the front of the building for your prescription. In many cases he gave the patient an envelope full of pills. He also owned the lower Main Street drugstore which sold Rexall drug products.

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A new pharmacy owner in Northampton – join us in two weeks with your prescription!