By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Historian, President Emerita Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History, Member of the Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board, and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, May 29th
May 29, 1933: After a kidnapping in Massachusetts, Superintendent of Schools Lamont Hodge issued an order to all Yonkers schools forbidding dismissal of students by telephone. In rare cases of emergency, permission only could be issued by Hodge’s office.
May 29, 1953: Head of Westchester’s Criminal Investigation Division Deputy Sherriff John Hoy refused to comment on the circulating report his team, intercepted a phone call warning a gambler an alleged gambling den at 117 Nepperhan Avenue was about to be raided! Men were sent as soon as Hoy heard the call, but they found the place empty. He also denied shots were fired during the arrest of the alleged gambler for having policy slips.
Tuesday, May 30th
May 30, 1893: Archbishop Corrigan invited the clergy to visit the new St. Joseph’s Seminary on Valentine Hill near Yonkers; the elevated railroad agreed to provide a special train for the clergy to inspect the seminary so they would see the work already done on the construction.
May 30, 1914: The Iron Steamboat Company inaugurated two trips from the Recreation Pier! The steamer Sirius sailed the Long Island Sound to Bridgeport, stopping there for two hours, before returning to Yonkers. The second trip on the Highlander went to the “Peoples’ Playground” Interstate Park, a three-hour trip 45 miles up the Hudson.
Wednesday, May 31st
May 31, 1943: For the first time, the Yonkers Memorial Day Parade took place without a Civil War Veteran participating. Ninety-seven-year-old Charles Frazee of Douglas Avenue, Yonkers only remaining GAR veteran, had a minor illness, so missed being Honorary Grand Marshall and riding at the front of the parade.
Speakers at the post parade program presented a variety of messages. Lieutenant Iva Lindstrom, US Army Nurse Corp, told the crowd about the urgent need for nurses for wounded or sick servicemen overseas. YMCA General Secretary Horace Shepherd stated all were there “to honor our fellow Americans who died in the interest of human liberty, freedom and democracy.” Mayor Barnes called on everyone to “preserve our way of life… To those looking down from above, we can hold our heads high and not be ashamed of what we are doing for those in the service.”
Thursday, June 1st
June 1, 1933: The Yonkers National Bank and Trust Company’s short-term loan of $500,000 enabled the City of Yonkers to meet the $929,5000 bond maturities and overcome what official thought would be the most drastic financial crisis in the city’s history. Unfortunately, the city payroll was deferred until tax anticipation notes were sold to cover it.
June 1, 1959: The first section of S. Klein Department Store, soon to be the largest store in Westchester, opened; the remainder of the store would open nine weeks later, with 300,000 square feet of retail space and parking for 3,500 cars.
Friday, June 2nd
June 2, 1943: Fourth Precinct Patrolman Stephen Kaputa won his fight to be reclassified 1-A. He had tried to enlist several times, but his draft board had deferred him.
June 2, 1943: Lieutenant John Kelly, USN Reserve, and former Judgement Clerk in our City Court, was stationed at Dutch Harbor, Alaska. He came across a 1930 copy of the New York Times… and spotted a picture of people he knew attending the New York City Police Training School at Pelham Bay! Rookie John O’Hare was using ju-jitsu to throw Patrolman Stanley Swehoski while YPD officers Frank Jordan, Albert Will, and Anthony Milano looked on. Kelly cut out the picture and mailed it to the Court Staff.
Saturday, June 3rd
June 3, 1943: Yonkers Salvage Committee block leaders made state news with this headline from the State Salvage Committee: “Block Leaders Getting Fat!” Joseph Ringwalt reported to the State Committee our block leaders had done a great job promoting the salvaging waste fats in Yonkers homes, so good our city had a 33% increase in fats collections during the month of March.
June 3, 1944: Vice Mayor Jimmy Sullivan received a tribute from 46 Marines stationed “somewhere in the Pacific.” Corporal Stephen Kaputa, formerly YPD, learned Sullivan had become a member of the “Gallon Club” of the Red Cross by contributing his eighth pint of blood for the armed services. Kaputa and his fellow servicemen decided to honor the Vice Mayor, writing, “… the Marines and myself want you to know we consider it a great achievement. The fact that you and many thousands of others are contributing their life blood to this highly important cause makes us feel very grateful.” Sullivan framed their accolade and wrote a personal letter of thanks to each of the 46 signers!
Sunday, June 4th
June 4, 1920: Yonkers people who attended the Knights of Columbus field mass at St. Mary’s Cemetery relived the experience at their choice of two theaters, the Hamilton and Proctor’s. Filmed by Tom Griffith, chief cameraman of the Whitman-Bennett Studios, the film showed the huge crowd and close-ups of the celebrants, the Reverend Fathers Curtin, Kellly, Aylward, Mullen, O’Brien and O’Keefe.
June 4, 1931: Rumors floated around Yonkers about a plan to tear down the Hollywood Inn and the Philipsburgh Building to build a hotel… or to convert the buildings into a hotel. Both buildings were part of the estate of William Cochran. Former Mayor William Wallin, Counsel for the Hollywood Inn Board, said he hadn’t heard the report.
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 info@yonkershistoricalsociety.org
