Historic Pelham

Presenting the rich history of Pelham, NY in Westchester County: current historical research, descriptions of how to research Pelham history online and genealogy discussions of Pelham families.

Wednesday, December 06, 2017

The Town of Pelham's First Annual Children's Holiday Season Party Held in 1932


Last Saturday, December 2, Town Supervisor Peter DiPaola and Town staff welcomed more than 150 youngsters and their families to Gazebo Park and the Town Hall grounds for the 2017 Children's Holiday Party and Tree Lighting.  The celebration was joyous with peals of laughter, youngsters chattering and scampering, and a hum of excitement.

Santa and Mrs. Claus welcomed youngsters.  Each child received a small stuffed bear as a gift.  Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Trolls danced among the kids, greeting all with high-fives, dances, and hugs.  There were face painting sessions, balloon animals, a small petting zoo, festive carolers, and much more.  The evening was topped off with the lighting of the Town Tree next to Town Hall with magnificent lighting including a giant star at its very top.

Hundreds of Pelhamites enjoyed the event.  Virtually none, however, knew that the joyous celebration was the continuation of an annual tradition that began 85 years ago in 1932.

In 1932, the Town of Pelham and our entire nation were in the terrible throes of the Great Depression.  Many Pelham families and their youngsters were not looking forward to a joyous holiday season.  The Great Depression had taken its toll.

The entire Town of Pelham came together that year, led by Town Supervisor Joseph H. McCormick and Welfare Commissioner Nellie Admir, to host a giant holiday party for the children of needy families of the Town.  Though the holiday party since has evolved into a wonderful celebration for all children of the Town, the first annual children's holiday party was specifically for needy children of the Town.  

That year, the Town of Pelham oversaw a committee of nearly fifty Pelhamites raised private money and donations to support the big event.  In fact, the group raised so much money from compassionate and concerned Pelham citizens wanting to give a happy holiday season to Pelham youngsters that quite a bit was left over after the celebration.  The excess was placed in a "thrift account" at a local bank to be used the following year to continue the tradition -- a tradition that continues to this day.

When the big day arrived, Santa (played by Town Engineer Harry Phillips) distributed a bag of targeted gifts to each child, assisted by a costumed "Brownie" as Santa's helper (played by Pelhamite James Connolly).  Pelhamite James Lang, who performed professionally as a clown in the Barnum & Bailey Circus, performed as a Christmas clown.  Arthur Spafford and Arthur Walker dressed together in a horse costume that delighted the youngsters.

The event was the culmination of weeks of work.  The Town required families to apply for admission tickets for their children.  Town Welfare Commissioner Nellie Admir then interviewed every family to determine need and the nature of gifts suitable for the children.  Every child received "a bag containing a toy, two suits of underwear, two pairs of stockings, candy, apples, nuts and oranges. "  In addition, during the party (which was held in VFW Hall on Fifth Avenue), refreshments of ice cream and cake were served. 

In addition to the clowning and horse performance, during the party Christmas stories were read to the children during the event.  The special treat of a radio was provided for entertainment during the party as well.  The children sang Christmas carols, led by Mrs. George F. Harman.   

At the height of the Great Depression, the Town of Pelham began a holiday tradition for the children of Pelham that continues to this day.  Hopefully, the tradition will continue a century from now and beyond. 

 

*          *           *          *          *


"BRINGING CHRISTMAS JOY TO NEEDY CHILDREN  Entertainers and
Sponsors of Town Christmas Party Given Yesterday Afternoon for 175
Children of Needy Families.  Left to Right:  James Connolly, Santa's Helper;
Mrs. Nellie Admir, Town Welfare Commissioner, Who Arranged the Party;
Town Engineer Harry Phillips as Santa Claus; Supervisor Joseph H.
McCormick; Alan Eckert, Who Acted as Master of Ceremonies; Jake Lang,
Clown; Arthur Spafford and Arthur Walker Are Impersonating the Horse.
-- Photo by Frutkoff."  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

"It Will Be A Merry Christmas For Children Who Attend Town Party
-----
Pelham Residents Urged to Help With Program to Be Staged by Public Welfare Officer at Town Hall; Contributions Are Requested.
-----

Residents of the Pelhams are urged to assist in the first annual Pelham Christmas Party for the children of needy families to be held at the Town Hall on Saturday December 21st.  Santa Clause himself will be there with many assistants who will make sure that all the children who attend will know what a real Christmas is.  Mrs. Nellie Adair, public welfare commissioner of the town is preparing the program.  She is assisted by a large committee of prominent Peham women.  Mrs. A. C. Field, Mrs. Edward C. King, Mrs. Charles M. Russell, Mrs. Grace Logan Lyons and Mrs. Kneeland S. Durham, Jr., joined the committee this week.

The program will be financed by voluntary contributions.  Tag Day will be held in Pelham on Saturday, December 3rd and is expected to provide necessary funds.

Mrs. Adair reports that there has been a generous response to her appeal for contributions and gifts.  The following have contributed during the last week:  Miss Anne Cummins, John T. Brook, C. J. Monro, and Dr. Ken G. Hancher.

Applications for tickets should be made to Mrs. Adair, who will personally investigate every case.  Each child who attends the party will receive two suits of warm underwear, toys, stockings, candy and such clothing which the case shows will be required to keep the child warm during the winter months.  There will be refreshments, music and entertainment.

A radio will be donated for the party by Kolb & Crawford.  The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. has donated many pounds of candy.  Supervisor Joseph H. McCormick has donated 50 suits of underwear.

Mrs. Adair requests that contributions of toys, food, clothing, books, candy, etc., be sent to her office in the Town Hall where members of the committee will sort them and wrap packages.  A list of the needs of every child will be made and special packages will be prepared so that there will be no disappointments.

Women of the Pelhams are urged to join the committee in charge of the program.  During the next few weeks there will be considerable work for all who care to associate themselves with this affair.

Christmas decoration are also needed.  Send your contributions to Mrs. Adair at the Town Hall.  Let's all get behind this party and make it a Merry Christmas for the poor children of the Pelhams,"


"Santa Claus Distributes Christmas Gifts To Children At Welfare Christmas Party Yesterday
-----

Christmas joy was brought to the hearts of 175 Pelham youngsters yesterday afternoon at the Christmas party arranged by Mrs. Nellie Adair, town welfare commissioner, for children of needy families of the town.  The affair was held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall on Fifth avenue, the use of which was generously donated by the Walsh-Marvel Post No. 307.

A gala program was presented with Santa Clause and a number of entertainers.  The climax of the afternoon came when Santa Claus distributed to each of the children a bag containing a toy, two suits of underwear, two pairs of stockings, candy, apples, nuts and oranges.  During the party, refreshments of ice cream and cake were served.

The program opened with the singing of several Christmas songs by the children, led by Mrs. George F. Harman.  Then several games were played and refreshments served.  During intervals, entertainment was presented.  Jacob Lang, who clowned with Barnum and Bailey's circus for years appeared in several amusing constumes that pleased the kiddies.  One of the high spots of the program, judging from the cries of delight, was a bit of action staged by Lang and a horse, impersonated by Arthur Spafford and Arthur Walker.

(Continued on Page 5)

SANTA CLAUS IS AT TOWN WELFARE CHRISTMAS PARTY
-----
(Continued from Page One)

Mrs. Edwin A. Jimenis told  several Christmas stories, the children gathering about her in a large circle on the floor to listen wide-eyed as she told of Santa Claus.  An orchestra, led by Miss Ruth Fanelli, played music for the games and for the entertainment.  The Misses Alice Brock and Louise Lank were members of the orchestra.

Harry Phillips, town engineer, made the biggest hit of the day as Santa Claus.  Mr. Phillips was cast to perfection in this role, the kiddies climbing over each other to shake his hand and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.  James Connolly, attired as a Brownie, aided Santa Claus in the distribution of gifts.

Alan Eckert acted as master of ceremonies, conducting the games and introducing the various acts.  Austin de Stolfe sang a tenor solo.

Due to the generosity of many local people and business establishments in donating supplies, a portion of the $500 collected on Tag Day was saved.  Supervisor Joseph H. McCormick announced last night that this would be deposited in a thrift account and held in readiness for a similar party next year.  

Assisting on the committee were Mrs. G. F. Harman, Miss Aileen Kelleher, Miss Aileen Giblin, Mrs. J. Roche, Mrs. J. C. Wilberding, Mrs. W. L. Dench, Miss Ann Hammett, Mrs. Albert C. Field, Miss Mary Lou Field, Mrs. Julius Manger, Mrs. Minnie E. Oden, Mrs. Edward A. Brunner, Mrs. R. E. Ramsay, Miss Barbara Ramsay, Mrs. G. L. Russell, Mrs. T. W. Van Twisk, Miss Marion Russell, Miss Florence Harman, Mrs. A. J. Sweeney, Mrs. J. Pickard, Miss Estelle Christofferson.

Mrs. Kneeland S. Durham, Jr., Mrs. W. F. Goeltz, Mrs. D. J. Kennedy, Mrs. J. C. Brown, Mrs. E. J. Dutschler, Mrs. Harry Phillips, Mrs. E. J. Bayle, Mrs. L. B. Smith, Mrs. William Bradley, Mrs. William Taich, Mrs. John D. Groves, Mrs. Edward C. King, Mrs. James Black, Mrs. Theodore J. Deuscher, Alan Eckert, James Connolly, Austin de Stolfe, William Burnett, James Mullins, Commander John J. O'Sullivan of Walsh-Marvel Post, and Gorham Head."

Labels: , , , , ,

posted by Blake A. Bell @ 5:03 AM 0 comments

Monday, March 23, 2015

Pelham Residents Ravaged by the Great Depression: Record Sale of Tax Liens Advertised in 1932


Pelham was no different than most communities in the region during the Great Depression that began in late 1929 and continued through the 1930s.  Pelham was ravaged by the economic and financial calamity that beset America and the world.  

 One of the most visible signs of the tragedy of the Great Depression in Pelham was the failure of the Pelham National Bank.  Organized in 1921, the bank was a successful little community bank patronized by many Pelham residents.  On January 23, 1925, the bank's fortunes changed.  Its Board of Directors named a local real estate developer flush with cash from the real estate bubble of the Roaring Twenties, John T. Brook, President of the bank.  

 Brook began growing the bank and sold additional shares of stock in the bank.  He sold a plot of land he owned to the bank and built the Pelham National Bank Building that still stands at One Wolfs Lane (the former Post Office Building).  The building cost the bank an astounding $250,000.00 to build and opened on September 14, 1929, only six weeks before the Black Tuesday stock market crash of October 29, 1929.  

 The Pelham National Bank closed on the National Bank Holiday decreed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in March, 1933 and never reopened.  It was discovered that Brook had invested bank assets in the stock market and was insolvent.  After the bank's failure, Brook was jailed after his Federal conviction for misapplying and misappropriating bank funds and received a five-year sentence.  Eventually, banking regulators were only able to return to Pelham residents pennies on the dollar as reimbursement for their lost deposits.  Some depositors lost their life savings.  To read more about the failure, see:  

 Bell, Blake A., The Failure of The Pelham National Bank, The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XIII, No. 39, Oct. 1, 2004, p. 12, col. 1.

 Wed., Nov. 30, 2005:  The Pelham National Bank Building in the Village of Pelham.  

 Thu., May 05, 2005:  John Thomas Brook, Real Estate Developer and Failed Bank President.

 Wed., Feb. 19, 2014:  Dedication of the Post Office in the Pelham National Bank Building and More About Old Post Offices.

John T. Brook, Ca. 1924-25.
Source:  French, Alvah P., ed., History of Westchester County
New York, Vol. V, pp. 170-71 (NY, NY & Chicago, IL: 
Lewis Historical Publishing Co. 1925).
NOTE:  Click Image To Enlarge.

 Another visible sign of the economic and financial tragedy suffered in Pelham as a consequence of the Great Depression was the massive increase in delinquent property tax payments and consequent tax liens levied against Pelham properties in 1932.  Town officials scrambled to try anything to alleviate the pain and suffering of Town residents resulting from the required sale of tax liens that they knew, in many instances, would lead to subsequent foreclosures.  Town Supervisor Joseph H. McCormick unsuccessfully sought State legislation to reduce the penalty for tax delinquencies from 12% to 7%.  Another plan to allow installment payments to pay off property taxes turned out to be administratively unworkable.  Finally, the Town proposed to postpone tax lien sales for a month to give residents a little more time to come up with the money.

 On April 29, 1932, The Pelham Sun published the Notices of Sales of Tax Liens, together with an article about the massive increase in the number of tax liens offered for sale.  The list of liens covered much of three pages of the newspaper.  The listings included more than 1,300 tax liens for delinquent taxes offered for sale by the Town, the School District, the Village of North Pelham, and the Village of Pelham Manor.  The liens covered many residences as well as business including the real estate business of Pelham National Bank President John T. Brook.

 Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog transcribes the text of the article about the record number of tax liens offered for sale.  The text is followed by a citation and link to its source, as well as links to each of the three pages of advertised tax liens for sale.

Architect's Rendering for the Planned
Pelham National Bank Building.  Many
Pelham Residents Do Not Realize that
the Building Was Built with the Grandiose
Plan to Enable it to Expand to Nine Stories
as the Bank Grew.

 "Record List Of Tax Liens Advertised; Sale May Be Put Over For Thirty Days
-----
May 25 Is Regular Date for Sale of Liens; Supervisor and Mayors of Pelham Manor and North Pelham to Consider Postponement for Benefit of Taxpayers
-----

 What is believed to be the record list of tax liens is published this week and advertised for sale by Supervisor Joseph H. McCormick.  The liens cover delinquent State, County, Town and School taxes in the three Pelham villages and village taxes in North Pelham and Pelham Manor.  For the benefit of many taxpayers who are victims of the financial depression it is planned to postpone the sale from May 25 to June 24.  Supervisor McCormick and Mayors Edward B. Harder and Lawrence F. Sherman are considering the thirty day moratorium.

 The postponement of the sale is expected to benefit many property owners who are in severe financial straits because of the depression.  The extension of time may permit many to prevent mortgage foreclosures and avoid interest burdens which will be imposed when the tax lien is sold.  Several proposals for relief of delinquent taxpayers have been made during the last few months.  Supervisor McCormick attempted to effect legislation to reduce the penalty for tax delinquencies from 12% to 7%, but was unsuccessful.  It has also been proposed that taxes be paid in two installments, but confusion which would result in the halving of the three separate taxes on local property caused this plan to be abandoned.

 Although the 1931 delinquents are greater in number this year than previously, Receiver of Taxes Robert A. Cremins reports that many taxpayers have paid their 1932 taxes during the first month of collection.  During April no collection fee was imposed.  Beginning Monday a penalty of 2% will be added to the tax.

 The list of unpaid taxes will be found on pages 3, 4 and 13 of this issue of The Pelham Sun."

 Source:  Record List Of Tax Liens Advertised; Sale May Be Put Over For Thirty Days, The Pelham Sun, Apr. 29, 1932, Vol. 23, No. 6, p. 1, cols. 1-2.  See also id. at p. 3, cols. 1-4; p. 4, cols. 1-6; and p. 13, cols. 1-8.  
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak." 

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

posted by Blake A. Bell @ 5:06 AM 0 comments