By Mary Hoar, President Emerita, Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History, President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, September 13th
September 13, 1946: Twenty Latin American countries learned about Yonkers’ 300th birthday celebration, learning how we were a “city of contrasts,” both a city of gracious homes and of industries. Mary Spaulding of the State Department Radio Branch devoted her shortwave broadcast to the topic, relating the background of the city, our history and the highlights of the Tercentennial celebrations.
September 13, 1940: Bournedale Lincoln’s Patsy, a registered cow owned by Julia Dyckman Andrus Memorial Home on North Broadway, set a production record for a registered two year-old; Patsy produced 8,580 pounds of milk and 503 pounds of butter in a year! The record was supervised by Cornell University, who reported the record to the American Guernsey Cattle Club.
Tuesday, September 14th
September 14, 1947: Before several thousand spectators at Glen Park, Mayor Curtiss Frank threw out the first pitch for the PAL Eastern Seaboard Senior Championship game; he threw a perfect strike right over the plate to open the match between the Yonkers PAL versus the NYC 43rd Precinct team. During his pregame speech, he praised both teams, but ended “And I hope our boys win.” They did!
September 14, 1951: The 135th Street Branch of the NY Public Library was renamed the Countee Cullen Branch Library in honor of the late Yonkers poet and author, the first time in the history of New York City a library had been named for achievements and not a donation. The opening exhibit included 50 illustrations from “the Lost Zoo,” Cullen’s children’s story about the animals lost forever because they did not get on Noah’s Ark, pictures of the author, manuscripts, and illustrations for his other books. Cullen lived at 41 Grandview Boulevard in Colonial Heights; his widow presented a collection of her late husband’s manuscripts and materials to the library.
Wednesday, September 15th
September 15, 1942: Former Herald Statesman reporter Jack DeSimone’s wartime work made national news; the 24-year old, at Camp Croft, SC, to do PR for the camp, USO clubs, movies and recreation centers, joined with newspaper cartoonist H. H. Clay to produce a regular feature for the Spartanburg Journal. The “most interesting and popular features packed the punch of reader interest,” both for civilians and soldiers.
September 15, 1944: Seaman Second Class Henry Trama of College Place was in a nationally published picture as the unidentified sailor with Lt. General Omar Bradley, Commander of the US Ground Forces in the invasion of France, and Rear Admiral Alan Kirk, USN, Commander of the Invasion Task Force. The leaders were discussing the invasion while cruising along the French Coast. After learning the photo had been published in the McKeesport PA paper, his dad Nicholas Trama managed to get a copy. After graduating Franklin Junior High School, Trama had worked at the Riverdale Glove Mills.
Thursday, September 16th
September 16, 1945: The Washington Post reprinted the proposal made by Navy Lieutenant William Schollmeyer to create a Naval militia headquarters complete with boating docks, a warship for training, and additional facilities at Trevor Park. The plan, printed in The Herald Statesman with a sketch of how it could look, generated great interest in the nation’s capital. The Navy announced they were seriously considering reestablishing militia, and it was “feasible” smaller warships could be used.
September 16, 1946: According to Ray Kelly, President of the Yonkers Civil Service Employees Association that represented hundreds of municipal workers, the organization voted to rejected the “strike, sole collective bargaining, the union contract and the closed shop.” This was in direct conflict with the CIO who had recently organized its own union for Civil Service employees, United Public Workers of America.
Friday, September 17th
September 17, 1902: After a meeting in the City Clerk’s office attended by Commissioners and medical personnel, it was announced new buildings could not be occupied until plumbing had been inspected by a Health Commission member and a certificate of health granted.
September 17, 1945: McLean Avenue’s Yeoman Second Class Charles Kemp, serving on the battleship Wisconsin, received a citation for “courage, discipline and endurance,” he showed during the seventeen hours he and other survivors awaited rescue while drifting in lifeboats. A veteran of the Philippines, Okinawa and Iwo Jima campaigns, Kemp wore the Philippine Liberation ribbon, the Purple Heart and the Good Conduct medal.
Saturday, September 18th
September 18, 1943: Four little girls from Yonkers wrote, produced and starred in “The Enchanted Rock,” and presented the play in a backyard. The girls profit of four dollars was donated to the Yonkers Chapter, American Red Cross, “to have some work done for a soldier who needed it.” Organizers were Ann Lee Gensch of Hillview Avenue, Carol Ann Hoyer, Betty Broderick and Joan Lewis, all of King Avenue.
September 18, 1943: Eight Nodine Hill children organized into “junior commandos” as they performed extremely successful raids on their neighborhood households for tin cans. The kids went from house to house and any store not an official collection center, and then brought what they collected to the basement of DeDivitis’ Grocery Store on Oak Street, storing it all until the salvage truck collected it. The kids were so successful that many times the salvage truck filled up at the “youngsters’ depot,” then had to drop off the load and return to the neighborhood to continue collection. The group also collected waste fat, sold it to the butcher and invested the money in war stamps. The “junior commandos” were Raymond Ferucci, Lucille Kennedy, Frances Placquadio, Marie Alfini and siblings Frank, Angelo, Theresa and Carmine Forlenza.
Sunday, September 19th
September 19, 1922: William Bleakley of Yonkers received a rare honor when the Democratic Party endorsed him for County Judge. Bleakley, a Republican, already had been named as the Republican candidate.
September 19. 1928: Less than twenty minutes after the airplane Roma took off from Old Orchard Beach, Maine, attempting a non-stop flight to Rome, it was forced to return with engine trouble. On board was medical observer Dr. Leon Pisculli of Park Hill Avenue. When the flight finally was made a few weeks later, it took off without Pisculli. PIsculli later financed the trans-Atlantic flight of the American Nurse.
Questions or comments? Email YonkersHistory1646@gmail.com.
For information on the Yonkers Historical Society, Sherwood House and upcoming events, please visit our website www.yonkershistoricalsociety.org, call 914-961-8940 or email yhsociety@aol.com.
