USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Braddock > The unwritten history of Braddock's Field (Pennsylvania) > Part 18
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The schools of North Braddock borough have been no whit behind the Braddock schools. Indeed, there has always been a healthy rivalry between the schools of the two boroughs. Before North Braddock was or- ganized into a borough, the Bell Avenue school, a large graded school for the township was in operation. Mr. C. B. McCabe held the principalship of this school in the township, and continued to act in that capacity for some years after the borough was organized. In the borough originally was an eight room frame building in the First ward, known as the Brinton Avenue school, and a four room frame in the Third ward, called the Shady Park school. These frame structures have been supplanted with substantial brick buildings which have been enlarged from time to time until each of them now has twenty rooms, and each is further equipped with a large auditorium, which is used as a community center. The borough also has a large commodius High school building, fireproof and thoroughly modern, with gymnasium and auditorium and is now erecting a Junior high school.
Mr. John L. Spitler succeeded Mr. McCabe as Principal of the bor- ough graded schools. On his retirement several years ago, the Board adopted the unique plan of having a separate Principal for each ward, the work being co-ordinated through conferences of the Principals. This method has proven satisfactory under the careful and efficient supervision and co-operation of Miss Isabel White, Principal of First ward school, Miss Elizabeth Wakeham, Principal of Second ward school, and Mrs. Jennie S. Lapsley, Principal of Third ward school.
Under the authority of the school Board, vacation schools are con- ducted during the forenoons, for six weeks of the summer season, in North Braddock as in Braddock.
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THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF BRADDOCK'S FIELD.
North Braddock High school has always been maintained at a high standard. Its management has been and is, kept separate from the grade school supervision. Mr. S. R. McClure was far many years Principal of the High school. He was assisted part of the time by Mr. Jos. F. Mayhugh. Both of these gentlemen are now prominent and successful attorneys, and both are members of the North Braddock school Board, Mr. Mayhugh be- ing President and Mr. McClure Vice President of that body.
Mr. McClure was succeeded as Principal by Prof. E. F. Loucks, and he by Miss Cecil Dean. On the resignation of Miss Dean to accept a posi- tion in the Schenley High school, Pittsburgh, Mr. W. E. Albig was en- gaged as Principal, and is still at the head of this department.
The first class to be graduated from North Braddock High school was in 1894, and had six members. A class has been graduated every year since, save in 1915. At that time a year was added to the curriculum, making it a four-year course. In all, the school now numbers 294 grad- uates. A very active alumni association is maintained, which encourages the work of the undergraduates by providing valuable prizes. The award- ing of these prizes always adds interest to the Commencement program.
The music of the North Braddock schools deserves special mention. Its excellence is in a great measure due to the efficient work of Miss Lillian Frazier, who has had charge of this department for a number of years.
The organization and present teaching force of North Braddock schools are here given :
Directors-J. F. Mayhugh, President ; S. R. McClure, Vice President; Dr. J. C. Hartman, John W. Hanna, H. M. Glenn, E. V. White, Jacob C. Coleman, P. A. K. Black, Secretary.
Principals of Grammar Schools-Isabel White, Jennie S. Lapsley, Elizabeth Wakeham.
Principal High School-William Espey Albig.
First Ward, (Brinton)-Isabel White, Principal; Margaret K. Mor- gan, Mary I. Bell, Julia G. Gallagher, Cora Coulter, Florence E. Saunders, M. Elizabeth Magill, Sara. E. Gordon, Naomi Wilson, Irma J. White, Char- lotte Truby, Wilhelmina Falls, Pearl A. Brown, Clade McClary, Belva J. Lanich, Frances Coulter, Bess C. Montgomery, Ina P. Berringer, Marguer- ite Jameson, Margaret Stephens, Jennie Coe, Lillian M. Donovan.
Second Ward-Elizabeth Wakeham, Principal; Mary L. Campbell, Ray Jenkins, Betha J. Stutzman, Frances Martin, Ethel Christenson, Carolyn Johnston, Ella Mae Rinaid, Agnes R. Brandon, Mary E. Bryan, Elsie Alexander, Florence Applegate, S. Eleanor McBride, Lillian Mowry,
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THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF BRADDOCK'S FIELD.
Caroline Fellenbaum, Bess B. Cooper, Jennie G. Christy, Madge E. Miller.
Third Ward-Jennie S. Lapsley, Principal ; Garnett Anderson, Alma C. Cochran, Ethel Sheplar, Blanche Crozier, Forest Null, Alice E. Johns- ton, Ocie McCoy, Madge Dean, Jean Dillon, M. Leslie Hutchinson, Margaret McMinn, Myrtle Jones, Rebecca Eagleson, Virginia D. Latta, Lottie E. At- well, Stella D. McDowell, Lillian L. McCracken, Charlotte Johnston, Mabelle Agnes Means.
High School-W. E. Albig, Principal; J. Foster Gehrett, J. W. Cam- eron, Lillie Minehart, Etta Reed, Edwin Hurrell, Miss Roberts, O. P. Ballantyne.
Special Teachers-Miss Lillian Frazier, Music; Miss Esther Fromme, Diction and Dramatics; Miss Wertheimer, Physical Instructor.
The growth of the Rankin schools has been no less rapid than that of the other boroughs of the trio. For two years after the borough was organized, the children were sent to the Copeland district, then a township school. In 1894, four rooms were opened in the new Rankin school, with Miss Mary Kennedy as Principal. When Miss Kennedy resigned in 1899 to become the wife of Prof. Samuel Hamilton, then and now the efficient County Superintendent of schools, there were nine teachers. Miss Eliza- beth Thompson became Principal in 1899, and continued in that capacity until 1911 when she was succeeded by Prof. R. S. Penfield, who has had supervision from that date to the present. In 1917, the district was with- drawn from County supervision, and a borough Superintendency was cre- ated, Mr. Penfield being chosen as the first Superintendent.
In 1900 another large building was erected on the ground beside the original school. A four-room addition was built to this structure in 1913, and in 1915 a large building was constructed on Hawkins Avenue. In addition to a dozen school rooms, offices, and the like, this building has a large auditorium which is the meeting place for all local assemblies.
Rankin, more than any other borough in this section has developed the work of the free kindergarten. This has been rendered necessary by reason of the large percentage of foreign born residents. The teachers find that a year's training in doing things and in learning to comprehend and speak the language, before these children reach school age, is a great help when they come regularly into the school.
Although the borough has not yet provided thoroughly equipped manual training and domestic science departments, instruction is given in sewing and other manual arts. Special attention is given to music, drawing and physical training, under careful supervision.
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THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF BRADDOCK'S FIELD.
Rankin has never maintained a High school, but sends pupils above eighth grade to the High schools of the surrounding boroughs, Braddock, North Braddock, and Swissvale.
The organization and teaching force of Rankin schools at the present time is as follows :
Officers of the School Board-E. N. Patterson, President; A. O. Marks, Vice President; H. W. Peters, Secretary; Geo. Watt, Treasurer; R. S. Penfield, Superintendent.
Directors-E. N. Patterson, A. O. Marks, H. W. Peters, H. C. Dixon, M. J. Hughes, Jr., John Henderson, Martin Matelon.
Superintendent, Mr. R. S. Penfield; Assistant Principal, Miss Sarah Palmer; Miss Claire Griffin, Music; Miss Lucetta Arnold, Drawing, 3 days per week ; Miss Grace Petty, Sewing, 4 days per week; Miss Mary Shaw, Kindergarten; Miss Stella Duff, Assistant Kindergarten; Miss Agnes Rid- dle, Miss Marie Escher, Miss Hilda Rodgers, Miss Maude Marks, Miss Ida Williams, Miss Anne Griffin, Miss Mary McLaughlin, Miss Marguerite Todd, Miss Margaret Dieghan, Miss Rose Bonner, Miss Eva Noel, Miss Grace Pruden, Miss Mary Charlton, Miss Josie Brant, Miss Edna Johnson, Miss Mary Gardner, Miss Effie McClune, Miss Laura Heimlich, Miss Margaret McBride, Miss Ellen Anderson, Miss Bertha Stewart, Miss Rhoda Straw- bridge, Miss Jane Reno, Miss Adda M. Purdy, Miss Margaret Brown, Miss Helen Brennan, Miss Mae Myers, Miss Leah Greenwood, Miss Mary Ham- ilton, Miss Carrie Wiley, Miss Margaretta Martin, Miss Rose Roderus.
In addition to the public schools, the Braddock community maintains a number of large parochial schools. Prominent among these is the St. Thomas school which is fully described in connection with the St. Thomas parish in Rev. J. V. Wright's article on the churches. St. Joseph parish also maintains a good school as mentioned in Father Eger's account of the church activities. St. Brendin's parish, under the pastorate of Father Patrick Molyneux also conducts a parish school. All of these schools have buildings separate from the churches.
St. Michael's parochial school was established in 1903, in a separate building, though for six years previous to that time regular instruction was given in the church. The teaching force came from Hungary, Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul society, graduates of Hungarian Normal School. At that time the school had 120 children; there are in 1917, 503. This work among people of this nationality has spread from Braddock to surround- ing towns, as Homestead, Mckeesport, Mount Pleasant, Donora, and South Side, Pittsburgh. The language used is English with the exception of
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THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF BRADDOCK'S FIELD.
Christian doctrine, and the teaching of the children to read and write the language of the country from which their parents came. The school is growing rapidly and will soon require additional buildings. Rev. A. Kaz- inczy, pastor of the parish, has charge of the school.
Sacred Heart Polish school was established in 1897. The present school building, fireproof, erected at a cost of $45,000.00, was started in 1908. Only one story was built at that time, but it was completed, three stories with nine class rooms, in 1914. The school numbers 450 children, taught by Felician sisters of Detroit. Children are taught through the eight grades, both English and Polish. Rev. J. A. Rykaczewski is the pastor in charge of the parish and the school.
Note on Supt. John S. Keefer- Prof. John S. Keefer was indentified with Braddock schools for many years, first as teacher in high school, then as Principal of the high school, and later as bor- ough Superintendent. He was cut down in the midst of his usefulness, by typhoid fever. As a slight indication of the esteem, in which he was held a tablet was erected to his memory at the entrance to the Henning lbuilding which reads:
JOHN S. KEEFER,
Superintendent 1893-1900 Died April 11th, A. D. 1900. Erected by Pupils, Teachers and Principals of the Braddock Public Schools.
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.
BY E. M. SHARAH.
The financial status of a community is measured by the business done by its banking institutions. Braddock's place in colonial history is well established. Its influence as a manufacturing center, particularly of iron and steel products, is also world wide-many of its steel men, past and present, being known and quoted in Europe almost as familiarly as on the streets at home. In financial circles, too, its banks are recognized as nothing less than phenomenal for a community of its size. Time was when men from foreign countries coming to America and earning money to send back to their families had great difficulty in procuring foreign ex- change. Private banks, posing under the sign, "Foreign Exchange Bank," or other equally euphonious and misleading title, handled a large part of this business, and the "breaking" of these banks was a common occurrence. And many a hard working man has paid his money into these wild-cat in- stitutions to bring his family to America only to find after weeks and months of anxious waiting, that his family had never received the money, and that the "Foreign Exchange Bank" had collapsed and the banker was gone. The Braddock National Bank was the first in the country to take up this foreign exchange business systematically, and wrought a com- plete revolution in the method of handling foreign accounts. The national banks of Braddock, by employing clerks and tellers who can speak to the foreign born men in their own language-whatever part of the world they are from-and by scrupulous care in the handling of these accounts, re- gardless of the amount of money involved in the transaction, have put all such private banks of this section out of business. In consequence, day laborers, foreign born as well as native, by the thousands, carry a bank ac- count; and they have come to look to their banker as financial adviser just as much as they look to their pastor for spiritual counsel.
The Braddock banks take care of the little people. The man who has but a few dollars to deposit receives the same courteous treatment, the same care, the same sound advice as to investment as does the man with the large account.
The natural result of this sympathy and fair dealing between the banks and their clients has been to create a total deposit in all the financial institutions located here that is, to say the least, unusual. Where else in
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THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF BRADDOCK'S FIELD.
the world is there a city of forty thousand population that can show a bank deposit of more than twelve million dollars, or more than three hun- dred dollars for each man, woman and child enumerated?
Even the children are encouraged to start bank accounts, and school deposits and holiday savings club accounts are systematically pro- moted and fostered. Many banks do not care for the small depositor, for such business is handled by the financial institution many times at an actual loss, but for the fact that larger things develop from these small
JOHN G. KELLY.
GEO. C. WATT.
beginnings; and the Braddock banks have learned from experience, "Once a depositor always a depositor."
Most city banks and many in smaller places close the week's busi- ness at noon Saturday. Braddock banks do regular business on Saturday until 4:00 o'clock, then open their doors again at 6:00. Saturday evening at the banks is like a rush at a bargain counter in a department store. It is not unusual to see a line of depositors in front of the receiving teller's window like that at a nickelodeon which has advertised a new Charley Chaplin film. The bank clerks and officers work more hours and more continuously than the men in the industrial plants.
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THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF BRADDOCK'S FIELD.
BRADDOCK NATIONAL BANK AND BESSEMER TRUST COMPANY.
Among the conspicuous objects of interest in Braddock is the stately home of the Braddock National Bank, the history of which began in 1873 when Braddock was a village of three hundred inhabitants, and Braddock Avenue was a plank road.
The first banking institution in Braddock was Braddock's Field Trust Company. It was incorporated by a special charter January 1, 1873. Its capital stock was $60,000.00, of which only $50,000.00 was paid in. Its first Directors were, Wilson S. Packer, Robert E. Stewart, Robert P. Duff, John A. Carothers, Henry R. Chalfant, Moses G. Corey, John H. McMasters, J. D. Schooley, M. D., and W. L. Hunter, M. D. Wilson S. Packer was President and John G. Kelly, Cashier. Of these men all are now dead except Mr. Duff and Mr. Kelly.
The Trust Company began business in Seewald's Hotel, the three- story brick building on Braddock Avenue near Ninth Street. It remained in the hotel until 1876, when it was removed to its own building on Brad- dock Avenue and Tenth Street, a large two-story edifice, now known as Rosenbloom's building.
In 1882 the Trust Company was merged into the Braddock Na- tional Bank, which was incorporated on the 28th of November in that year, with a capital of $60,000.00, which in a few months was increased to $100,000.00. The Bank building on Tenth Street was sold, and the Brad- dock National Bank did business in the Schooley Building until the com- pletion of its new home on the north side of Braddock Avenue near the head of Ninth Street. This building was erected in 1883, and was occu- pied by the Braddock National Bank for 23 years, until it moved to its present quarters in 1906.
In the year 1909 the Capital was $100,000.00 and the Surplus Fund and Undivided Profits $600,000.00, and at that time a Stock Dividend of 100 per cent was declared by the Directors of the Bank, increasing the capital to $200,000.00, with a Surplus Fund of $500,000.00. At the time of this Stock Dividend the Braddock National Bank stood seventh in the United States on the Roll of Honor of National Banks, as compiled from the figures in the office of the Comptroller of the Currency at Washing- ton, D. C. Since then $100,000.00 more has been added to the Surplus Fund from earnings, making the Surplus Fund at this time $600,000.00.
The Bessemer Trust Company, which is under the same manage- ment as the Braddock National Bank, was incorporated November 22, 1905. The Bessemer Trust Company loans money on bonds and mortgages
BRADDOCK NATIONAL BANK|
BRADDOCK NATIONAL BANK.
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THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF BRADDOCK'S FIELD.
and acts as executor, administrator, guardian, committee agent, registrar, transfer agent and trustee. It has a cash capital of $125,000.00 and re- sources approximating $2,000,000.00.
During the early days of banking in this country it was not con- sidered ethical for banks to advertise in any way, but Mr. Kelly, im- mediately after establishing this bank in Braddock, started a publicity campaign of education, which has been kept up until the present time. The Braddock National Bank was probably the first bank in the country to advertise, by booklets and pamphlets, through personal distribution, the value of thrift among its customers, urging upon them the benefit of industry and economy. The desirability of this kind of educational ad- vertising is now recognized by every banking and financial institution in the country.
What the Braddock National Bank is today is largely due to the ag- gressive ability of its President, John G. Kelly, who is a financier of accu- rate judgment, large experience and unquestioned integrity. The Bank today is in the front rank of National Banks. Its cash capital is $200,- 000.00 and its resources amount to nearly nine million dollars.
(Editor's Note.)-The plain statement of fact contained in this article relative to the Braddock National Bank and the Bessemer Trust Co. was given by Mr. John G. Kelly to Mr. G. W. Penn, who wrote it as it appears. The statement, while scru- pulously exact, fails to give sufficient credit to Mr. Kelly, and to Mr. Geo. A. Todd, who have been largely instrumental in building up a financial institution which is recognized throughout the country as one of the best.
Mr. Kelly has been and still is, a man with a vision. Starting in his young man- hood as the head of a small financial institution in a small suburban town, he had the daring to dream (the successful man sees visions and dreams dreams) of a great in- stitution in a great industrial center. Strict attention to the work in hand and fair dealing have built up a bank unequalled outside the great cities. When in 1906 the Braddock National Bank moved into its palace at the foot of Library Street-a fire- proof, burglar-proof structure, with immense manganese vaults-people called the building "Kelly's Folly". At that time the total deposits of the combined institutions, the Braddock National Bank and the Bessemer Trust Co., were about three million dol- lars, an amount then considered as enormous. "They" said, "That ends it! You can never get the laboring man and the foreigner to come into a place like this to deposit or to borrow money. He will be frightened away by its very splendor." Again "they" wondered-why build a one-story bank-even if the one story is forty feet to the skylight? Why not use the ground flour for the bank and have four or five stories above to rent either as offices or apartments ? The fact that this bank's architecture has been studied and copied widely by banks in other cities, and the further fact that deposits and number of depositors have more than trebled in the last ten years, is the answer to such conundrums.
While in all these and in many other innovations, the directorate of the bank has loyally approved and seconded every advance step, yet the directors themselves are the first to acknowledge and give credit to Mr. Kelly for taking the initiative in every thing that makes for advancement.
Mr. Geo. A. Todd, the cashier of the bank, has been Mr. Kelly's loyal assistant in all matters pertaining to growth and development. Starting as collection clerk in 1887, he has held various positions through promotion,-book-keeper, teller, assistant cashier, cashier,-and is now, though still a young man, regarded as a substantial part of "Kelly's Bank.
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THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF BRADDOCK'S FIELD.
The bank building, the erection of which occupied two years, is a magnificent edifice of Grecian architecture, conspicuous among the most handsome bank buildings in the world. It is 60 feet wide and 132 feet deep, with a ceiling 40 feet in height. But no description of it can con- vey an adequate conception of its beauty and its grandeur. It must be seen to be fully appreciated, and as it is one of the principal objects of in- terest in Braddock, it is beheld with admiration by thousands of visitors every year.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK, BRADDOCK, PA.
The First National Bank of Braddock, the oldest National bank in the Borough, began business under a charter issued by the United States Government October 4th, 1882; the bank was opened for business on the tenth day of November, 1882, and the personnel of the bank was as follows :
Philander C. Knox, President, Wm. H. Watt, Cashier,
and the following were directors : Philander C. Knox,
Robert Arthurs, D. Leet Wilson,
Jessie H. Lippincott,
Ralph Bagaley, Mort. C. Miller,
L. Halsey Williams.
The bank was first located at 906 Braddock Avenue and about six months later moved to the corner of Tenth Street and Braddock Avenue. This building was purchased by the bank, and occupied until April 1st, 1889, when it removed to the Masonic Building, corner Library Street and Braddock Avenue. This building was occupied until 1904, when the pres- ent Braznell Building was finished, and the First National Bank of Brad- dock and the Braddock Trust Company took possession of the room in which the First National Bank is at present located. The capital stock at the beginning was $50,000, which about two years later was increased to $75,000, and still later, to $100,000, the present capitalization. The sur- plus fund which has accumulated from the earnings, and has been left af- ter the payment of dividends during the entire existence of the bank, amounts to $100,000.00, and the undivided profits to $75,000.00. The de- posits since the organization were as follows :
At the end of the first ten years $205,000.00
At the end of the first twenty years 560,000.00
At the end of the first thirty years 1,235,000.00
At the present time over 2,000,000.00
and the total resources are over two and one-half million dollars.
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THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF BRADDOCK'S FIELD.
4
The Hon. Philander C. Knox, the junior United States Senator from Pennsylvania, and former Secretary of State under President Taft's Ad- ministration, was the first President of this bank. The late W. H. Watt, the father of Geo. C. Watt, the present executive officer, was the first cashier, and afterwards became president. Mr. James A. Russell, who is now the chairman of the board, was president from the time of the
HON. P. C. KNOX.
H. C. SHALLENBERGER.
death of Mr. W. H. Watt until the annual meeting in January, 1917, at which time he relinquished the office in favor of Mr. Geo. C. Watt. Mr. Watt has been connected continuously with the bank for the past twenty- seven years.
Mr. F. G. Bishoff, vice president, has been connected with the di- rectorate of the bank for the past twenty years, and Mr. E. C. Striebich, the cashier, has been with the institution for the same length of time. Mr. Striebich started as messenger boy and worked his way up to his present position.
The present board of directors, all local business men of the high- est type, and men known for their ability in a business way, are Jas. A. Russell, Geo. C. Watt, F. G. Bishoff, Leo A. Katz and Harry W. Benn.
£
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THE UNWRITTEN HISTORY OF BRADDOCK'S FIELD.
BRADDOCK TRUST COMPANY, BRADDOCK, PA.
The Braddock Trust Company was organized in January, 1901, and began business the following May. The capital was $125,000.00. It was originally called the Peoples Trust Company, but later changed to the Brad- dock Trust Company.
Mr. Eli R. Dowler was elected the first president and served until
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