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WILMETTE . LIFE December 14, 1928 Calling Attention to the Artistic .Tiling in the new home of the Second President lOVE TO lUEllE AYE. BIG IARI IN PROGRESS (Continued from page . 61) store at Main street and Central avenue. , h . Wilmette in that day wasn t t e vtllage it is today. Th~'re was not the banking bu~iness, but m a modest way the First National was a profitable and successful enterprise. It began to grow ' aimost from the start an4 continued to grow. But during it growth there came a change in leadership. Mr. Baker retired from the bank and J. M. Appel became the president. Knudaton Becomes President The next move of the bank come 1ll 1921 when it took quarters in the Mc Guire and Orr Block on Central avenue which it has just vacated. There it has remained ever since, but during the time it was on Central ave nue there came another change in leadership. That was a tittle less than three years ago when E. B. Knudston. a man of vast banking experience in Chicago and ~~in neapolis . purchased Mr. Appel's interests and became the third president of the First National. Mr. Knudston has surrounded himseH with an experienced ant efficient staff of officers and employes and tlw slogan of the First National now housed in ·a beautiful and commodior;-. building is : "Let's go ahead." FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING o/ Wilmette This artistic tiling with its beautifully blended subdued colorings, giving the banking room a warm and homelike ·atmosphere was furnished and installed by the JOHN 233 Chicago S. HAWKINSON Co. Tn.F. for FLOORS, wALLS, FIREPI.ACES RAILWAY EXCHANGB BUILDING Tel. Harrison 0881 The Fine LINOLEUMS and ]. M. Appel became the second president of the First National Bank of Wilmette in 1922 when he succeeded the late F. ]. Baker, who had started the bank in 1916. After leaving the Wilmette Ba\1k, Mr. Appel, who was active in organizing the Broadway National Bank located · at Broadway Terra Cotta Front Gives and Devon avenue in Chicago, hecame Bank Imposing Appearance President, which office he still holds. Mr. Appel also is president of a bank Colorful and imposing is the best in Highland · Park. way to describe the front and entranc,. of the new home of the First Nationa! Bank. The. architect3, s~eking sonw Heating and Ventilation thing that would enhance the archiWas John R. Kehm's Task tectural beau tv of the business district. With winter upon us, everybody is decided on a- terra cotta front, whiclt interested in heat. The First National met with the approval of the bank. The selection ~f the color design also found little difficulty in solving this problem. There are two boilen, either was approved, '~hich accounts for the one cap~ble of heating the entire build - beautiful vari-colored material whic:1 ing, the heat being generated by two adorns the front of the building aud Hardinge Oil Burners. The work of also in the panels of the entrance hati. the contractor, John R. Kehm, conThe terra cotta gives a speckled apsisted chiefly of installing new radiators pearance and resemble3 granite to a throughout the bank and offices, and great degree. Several tons of the ma revamping the system generally. terial were required for the big job. But another important matter has It required eleven weeks to complett> been efficiently taken care of. That the terra cotta construction. Fi~;;t, concerns ventilation. There is a fan eight weeks were required to cook it in the basement which blows pure air in the kilns. Then three weeks more· into the bank. The air is then carried were required to set it against .the out through grilh m · the ceiling. walls · . CARPETS for the The First National Bank of Wilmette were furnished and laid by FIRST NATIONAL BANK SELECTED KeCOY·BBUTBB A 43-45 So. Wells St., Chicago C~ · MARTIN JACOB· SON State Liscensed Phones Central 3898-99 EXCLUSIVE DEALERS IN CARPETS, RUGS AND LINOLEUMS FOR THE HOME, OFFICE OR STORE ORIENTAL AND DOMESTIC RUGS Pho"e for Sam~les and Estimates PLUMBING CONTRACTOR 1117 CENTRAL AVE. WILMETTE, ILl.~. PHONE WILMETTE 3