Mary Hoar, President Untermyer Performing Arts Council,President Emerita, Yonkers Historical Society
Monday, October 19th
October 19, 1942: Yonkers Board of Ed Trustee John Class reported he read “something good had come out of Yonkers, something that was connected with the Board of Education.” The New York Sun reported on training of aircraft workers at the Yonkers School of Aeronautical Manufacturing, describing it as “an impressive experiment in the working of practical democracy.” The article reported since opening, the school had trained 1,500 aircraft mechanics sent to work all over the country. It also mentioned 75 women were studying in the school.
October 19, 1946: Jerry Siegel, creator of the comic book hero Superman, visited the Police Athletic League headquarters on Wells Avenue. Siegel was mobbed by his fans who not only wanted an autograph but also a small drawing of the superhero!
Tuesday, October 20th
October 20, 1913: Among the objects of historical interest added to the collection at Manor Hall was a facsimile of the last will and testament of Martha Washington. Mrs. Robert Calkins of 9 Fairfield Road donated the will to the Yonkers Keskeskick Chapter of the DAR.
October 20, 1916: School Twenty-one in Lincoln Park was closed immediately after one student was stricken with infantile paralysis. Doctors reported the child had the disease for ten days while in school.
October 20, 1944: Yonkers residents were surprised to see an AP photo of Sergeant Albert Altwarg of Hamilton Avenue in the Herald Statesman. Altwarg portrayed Hitler in the variety show “Regimental Rhythm,” presented by an infantry unit of the 88th Division at the Fifth Army front!
Wednesday, October 21st
October 21, 1776: Washington established headquarters on Valentine’s Hill; at the same time, a party of American light horse and infantry took possession of Philipse Manor Hall.
October 21, 1937: Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Ankebrand, came up with a four-point plan to overcome the shortcomings of financing improvements for Saunders Trades School. First, a bond would be floated to purchase $35,00 of needed equipment. Second, the evening trades school would reopen. Third, a trades school for girls would open at School Ten, and last, School Trustees would petition to use funds from the Saunders $500,000 endowment to purchase additional machinery and equipment for the school, as provided in Erwin Saunders’ will. At one point, the endowment’s investments earned so much money, authorities, feared it would become too big; authorities funneled income earned by the trust into the general city treasury, with the understanding the city would meet all school needs.
Thursday, October 22nd
October 22, 1922: Corporation Counsel Lewis presented an ordinance he drafted to Yonkers Alderman to prevent future encampments of gypsies. It would require a $500 fee for a license for a group of twelve people or more to camp anyplace in Yonkers, and, at the discretion of the Commissioners of Public Safety and Public Health, Yonkers could refuse the permit.
October 22, 1924: Yonkers traffic officers began using the Manhattan method to check on cars exceeding parking time limits, chalking the time of arrival on a tire as the officer made his rounds. Summonses were issued to cars that had excessive overtime.
October 22, 1930: Both Mayor John Fogarty and President of the Board of Education Leslie Sutherland were the principal speakers at the formal opening of Longfellow Junior High School on North Broadway. Thousands toured the building after the ceremonies.
Friday, October 23rd
October 23, 1907: One hundred-fifty “strikebreakers” arrived in Yonkers to take over the jobs of striking trolley drivers on the third day of their job action. Streets swarmed with people, limiting the ability of these drivers to operate the Yonkers trollies.
October 23, 1937: The Nodine Hill Water Tower collapsed. The 175-foot structure collapsed like “house of blocks,” causing thousands of dollars in damage to homes, cars and property in the neighborhood. A wall of water slammed the area, filling streets with knee-deep water, steel, bricks, and mud. A year earlier, the Common Council approved demolition and replacement of the tower using Public Works Administration funds. Washington red tape held up final approval of the project.
October 23, 1941: The War Department notified Private First Class Peter Schur’s family of Mulberry Street he had been awarded the Soldier’s Meda; he rescued an enlisted man drowning in the shark infested waters of Manila Bay.
Saturday, October 24th
October 24, 1935: The Yonkers Chamber of Commerce announced their plan to build a municipal seaplane terminal on the Yonkers riverfront; it was to be a WPA project.
October 24, 1947: After a delay of several months caused by Yonkers’ inability to obtain parts, City Manager Montgomery announced the new traffic signal at Odell Avenue and Saw Mill River Road finally was in operation.
Sunday, October 25th
October 25, 1943: The October 25th edition of the Algiers Daily, local publication of the servicemen’s publication Stars and Stripes, reported a band of four American soldiers, led by Yonkers own Staff Sergeant Ralph, had “fought like lions” against the Germans in the Corsican campaign. Evans’ group rescued several wounded Moroccan Goumiers holed up in a cave by the Gulf of St. Florente. Because the Germans were so close, the Americans carried the injured men to a small fishing boat, while splattered with gunfire. Realizing escape was impossible, they then brought the wounded to a deserted house hidden in the forest. When the fighting ceased, the injured men were brought to the American encampment for medical treatment.
October 25, 1946: A group of Yonkers city officials and officers of our Tercentennial Commission welcomed the destroyers Fochteler and Isbell to Yonkers to celebrate Navy Day; the city greeted the ships with factory whistles, sirens, “Miss Tercentennial” Isabelle Russell, the Gorton High School band and cheers and whistles from hundreds of people at the pier and along the riverfront. The welcome party, on a sleek Coast Guard cutter, enjoyed a short tour of the Hudson before they boarded the two ships. Tax Commissioner Joseph Lennox chaired the four-day Navy Tercentennial Tribute to Yonkers.
For more information on the Yonkers Historical Society, Sherwood House and our upcoming events, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/YonkersHistoricalSociety. We also are on LinkedIn and Twitter @YonkersHistoric. For information on membership in the Yonkers Historical Society, please call 914-961-8940 or email yhsociety@aol.com.
