Dr. William Crocker, first Managing Director of the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research
By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Historian, President Emeritus Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History, Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board Member, Revolutionary Yonkers 250 Chair and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, March 24th
March 24, 1931: The Society of Arts and Sciences awarded its 1931 medal for Outstanding Scientific Achievement to Dr. William Crocker, Director of Yonkers’ Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research.
March 24, 1939: Local bus companies asked Yonkers help placing World’s Fair direction signs in Getty Square, bus terminals and around Yonkers.
The companies were considering building a manned information booth to answer questions!
The first sign was placed at the Yonkers Ferry slip, announcing,” YONKERS GATEWAY TO NY WORLD’S FAIR… SHORTEST ROUTE TO FAIR… AVOIDS CONGESTION.”
Tuesday March 25th
March 25, 1939: Crestwood’s Dr. William Walker announced he and his brother, former NYC Mayor Jimmy Walker, used a specialized instrument to locate what they believed was a three hundred-year-old sunken ship off the North Carolina coast.
The instrument and secret chemical formula, kept hidden by Dr. Walker in his Crestwood home, was given to Mayor Walker by Italian scientist and inventor Americo Granazio.
The Carolina Exploration Company leased the instrument from the Walkers to treasure hunt. Dr. Walker’s son, William Jr., worked with the company at Topsail Reef to retrieve the hoped for treasure.
March 25, 1943: After a break in the neighborhood 24-inch water main shut off their water, people in lower Nodine Hill by Elm Street and Nepperhan Avenue were given water pails.
Wednesday, March 26th
March 26, 1939: Reverend Sprague’s sermon at the Memorial Methodist Church on Saw Mill River Road was about gambling in a school! He claimed third grade Yonkers children were being trained to become serious gamblers; a teacher was holding weekly classes in bingo, playing for candy.
According to Sprague, “… harmless as it sounds, the gambling spirit is instilled and children become fair game for punch boards, slot machines, and later for more serious forms of gambling.”
March 26, 1943: US Commander-in-chief of China, India and Burma, Lt. General Joseph W. Stilwell sent his regards to his Yonkers friends in a letter to boyhood friend Anton Koch. Koch, a well-known basketball referee and retired NY Telephone Company manager, played football with the General at Yonkers High School.
Thursday, March 27th
March 27, 1939: Ultra-high frequency radio transmission expert and radio engineer Donald Whittemore of Briggs Avenue installed the National Broadcasting Company’s radio transmission and receiving set aboard the Yankee Clipper, a Pan American Boeing 314 clipper trans-oceanic flying boat! Not “just” a radio engineer, he also was a pilot, operated a home based amateur radio station, and had broadcasted during Oregon trial flights and cross country flights. His next project? Arranging broadcasts on the clipper’s runs from the US to Ireland.
March 27, 1942: Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company’s Assistant General Superintendent Thomas Appleyard testified at a public hearing on the need for Saw Mill Valley flood control. He stated flooding cost his company 5,000 workdays in the previous five years!
Appleyard also informed the hearing not only were employee days lost, flooding damaged thousands of dollars of company property. When flooding was threatened, workers had to stop work to build barricades protecting the mills. He added heavy rains caused stagnant pools, a public health threat.
Percy Peck of the Yonkers Chamber stated flood control was imperative from Yonkers northern border south to Ashburton Avenue. He testified flooding kept new industries from locating here.
Friday, March 28th
March 28, 1942: Director Dr. William Crocker announced Boyce Thompson Institute was creating five demonstration Victory Gardens, 40 by 50 feet each. Gardens would be on Beechwood Terrace, McLean Avenue & Sanford Street, Oakland Avenue, Colonial Parkway North, at Boyce Thompson Institute and behind 290 Jessamine Avenue. Crocker said the gardens would be ones “anyone can grow” and contain “vegetables furnishing an abundance of vitamins.” The Institute gave planned demonstrations every Saturday afternoon.
March 28, 1943: Staff Sergeant John Quinlan of Truman Avenue had a narrow escape during an American air assault on Rouen, France.
The Yonkers tail gunner in the American Flying Fortress trans-oceanic downed a Nazi Fock-Wulf; his guns were put out of commission by another German plane. When his plane landed, he found an unexploded 20-mm canon shell in his compartment, one that could have killed him!
Saturday, March 29th
March 29, 1942: The Yonkers Business and Professional Women’s Club announced they would not hold its annual selection of “Yonkers Outstanding Woman.” They had held the poll for three years, but, with the country at war and thousands of women volunteering for community and defense work, they could not hold the contest.
March 29, 1945: Yonkers Postmaster William Cronin received a letter praising Yonkers letter carrier Theodore Russak, serving in the Armed Services.
Major Robert Malcolm, MD, wrote children set a fire outside his home in South Carolina; by the time Russak came along, the blaze was threatening the major’s home. Russak took immediate action, putting out the fire before any real damage was done.
By coincidence, Major Malcolm had lived in the Dunwoodie section of Yonkers for three months
Sunday, March 30th
March 30, 1871: Governor John Hoffman signed the New York State Legislature act creating the Yonkers Police force.
March 30, 1941: Assemblyman Malcolm Wilson’s efforts resulted in elimination of the 25-cent charge for adult visitors to Yonkers’ historic Manor Hall.
March 30, 1942: City Manager Raymond Whitney reinstated two policemen let go from YPD years earlier! Whitney ruled they should not have received more than a fine of 30-days pay. John Hinkle was off the force for five years; Frank McMahon was off for 15 years.
Councilman Edith Welty had sponsored legislation authorizing reexamination of the charges against both officers.
Questions or comments on this column? 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.
