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WILMETTE LIFE February 28, 1930 = State Bank in Formal Opening Tomorrow BANK IS FORERUNNER J' ice-President Leary OF WILMETI'E'S GROWTH Development in Building Operations Indicator of Prog· ress in Community Growth of the Wilmette State bank its inception 25 years ago has contmuously and faithfully anticipated the remarkable development of the community. The bank was established in April. 1905, as a private bank under the title The Wilmette Exchange Bank, with Clinton C. Collins as its first president. 'J'he first bui.ld.ing was a brick structure at 1222 Central avenue, in mort' recent years occupied by Lloyd Hollis ter Inc., and now a part of the plant of the Nelson Laundry and Dry Cleaning System. Firat Move in 1907 The present site of the bank WrtS first occupied in 1907. This struct1!re" was completely ' rebuilt in 1920 with :tn attractive stone exterior while the (·resent structure represents a virtual doubling of space by extension to t~'e hack line of the building lot on Twelfth street. The. Zander Construction company nf Glenvtew were the general contractPrs !o~ the prese nt bank building. Cha··h's Clanton Hender son was the architect. Design;:tion of the bank has chan~· ccl almost C'oncurrently with the varin·.!:-i ~tages of building development. Fr,1111 the Wilmette Exchange bank it later becam e tl~e \Vilmette Exchange State I.Jank, st tll later the W i lm c t t e State bank, and today the \Vilmctt e State bank, a Trust .Company. Figures Show Growth Presidents of the bank have b~.· n four in n·Jmber. Following Mr. Collins was E. C. \Ventworth, who remained as head ;,f the bank until 1915 when S. A. \Vheelock was elected to tb:1.t c·ffice . Mr . \Vhcclock resigned in 1928 ~nd J udstHl F. Stone was placed · at the nelm. An interesti ng CtHnmentarv on the phenomenal growth of the l; ~lllk lWc: the 25 years of its existence is found in the following figures as to capital stock and surplus. In 1905 the bank set out upon it s career with capital stock of $25,000 and surplu s of $2,500. !he latest bauk statement sho\YS capItal stock of $200,000 and surplus uf sine~ ~.000 . C. E. Clifton Experiences Rapid Rise to Officership associated with the Wilmette State bank .as a teller m Ma y, 19:?7, a~ter sev-:ral years' connection with the F1rst Tru st and Savings Bank of Chic~go. H ·· is a graduate of the Universtty of [Jlinois and a member of thr Sigma Chi fraternity. He was appointed an assistant ca hier in December ~ccame C. E. Clifton, native Evanstonian, 1928. I PRIZES FOR OLD TIMERS . ~ages following in this special sectJOn devoted to the Wilmette State bank's formal opening this Saturday, contain pictures of scenes and people identified with earlier \Vil- . mette. The bank is offering prize_, to older residents of the village who can identify themselves in these pictures. The first person to identify himself in each picture will receive a prize. Detailed announcement is found on another page of this section. · President Judson F. Stone of the Open Doors at 8 o'clock for AllDay Welcome to Throngs Formal opening of the new Wilmett~ Wilmette State bank enjoys a varied of Visitors State Bank building and attendant and broad experience in the commercelebration of the bank's twenty-fif~~, cial and industrial spheres of Chicago, Officers, directors and employes of ~nniversary holds still another signifi<.ance for Vice-President William n. and has been prominently identified the Wilmette State bank today were Leary who this week observes the six- v;ith Wilmette civic life for many years. arr~pginJ last minute details in prepteenth anniversary of his association He came to the presidency of the bank ~·ratwn to welcome the throng of vi~i with the bank. upon the resignation of S. A. Whee- tors who will be guests tomorrow at the formal opening of the enlarged . Vice-President Lear); just missed be. lock in July, 1928. t!1g a native of \Vilmette, since he first President Stone was born in Canton, banking house at Central avenue a'ld glimpsed the light of da\' at 1407 Ce'1 - Pa., and attended the University of Twelfth street, in response to the wide· tral str~~t. Evanston, otl a farm that Minnesota. He launched his business ly disseminated invitations issued from is now the site of the great Dycl.1e career with the McCormick Harvesting the bank earlier in the week. Stadium . . The region comprised his Machine company in 1892 and contin The occasion bears a dual signififather's expansive acres and "Bi11" ued with its successor, the Inter- cance, for, in addition to the formal ~ pent m::t·ty hours of his youth guidin~ national Harvester company, until 1905 opening, Saturday will signalize the the familr herd over its ext en ive gral'. when he entered the employ of the h\.·enty-fifth anniversary of the estabtng area. McCormick Estates of which he is iishment of the bank. Mr. L~ary attended the Evanst'11l now agent. Preparations for the formal openin(T schools, was married 111 1907 choc;e Several other large commercial in- have bet!n going forward for several Wilmette as his future home a'nd won terests claim Mr. Stone's active atten- v:eeks following several months of a position with the State Bank in 1914 tion. He is president of the Belle more or less hectic activity during !-lis rise to a position of high responsi- City Malleable Iron company of Ra- " hich period the business of the bank b;lity all'.1 trust is a tribute . to ).f r. cine, \Vis., director of the International progressed. without interruption thou" h l.e-ary's unceasing devotion to dutv, Harvester company, and vice-[)resi- f~e.quently under the most trying co~l <;~uple? with a. broad acquaintan~e dent of the Raven ~fining company d·tlons. " 1th h1s : 0mmun1ty and it s people. ~1 r. of Ctah. Tomorrow, however, the last semLeary, f,,r in stance, probab\· ktw,·:-; !\! r. Stone renders valuable assist- blance of preparation will have disapoff hand inorc ab tmt \\' ilmctt~ real es- 11!Ce in the annual \Vilm ett e Commun:1eared and when the portals are t;~te value ~ than any citizrn of t!1e ity Chest fund campaign in his cavtllagc. 1-l e is a veritab le human · cat:t- pacitr as a member uf the Advisory S\vung wtde at 8 o'clock the · host· of iog whl'n names and addres~cs of fcl- and Budget committee of the associa- visi tors. will joi~ with the bank per1\) \\. town !'l tllen are co ncerned. tion. Hi:; . club and. social affiliations sonnel 1!1 .launc~mg a ~ay of rejoicing :\ny stury about ).[r. Leary and his mcludc tl te Chicago club, Commercial and ~esttvtty. 1 here wtll be no speechmakmg or formal program in evidence a~sociatiu11 with the State hank wo~1ld clu_b, C nio~1 I_,eagu e club, Chicago Aththis occasion, just a good old:H' incomjJlete if one failed tn cite a Idle association. and :\:orth Shore Golf on fashioned reception at which there will l·tlint incrcative of hi s extreme devotion club. oe favors for both men and women ~n the in te re sts of his hank. ne dav The ambitious program of expansic:m guests and a general inspection of the !-n·eral years ago h e \\'as accosted a·t ptttlctuated by the completion of the greatly enlarged and enhanced in tcri r)r tbc teller'_:; window by a young man new bank struct ure has claimed Presiof \,Yjlmette's oldest-and yet newesto,vlw, abc·tcd. by a gun, demanded all tkn.t Stone's active supervision over a bc.nking house. ..,. !he visible assets of the bank. .Jfr. L.>Crtod of many months. . The d?ors of the bank will be open l.~·ary demurred. The visitor rcsponclrd trom 8 tn the morning until 9 o'clock . ,mth a, bullet aimed .straight at the- J Aid d( nig.ht, thus permitting all villagers .lanker s heart but ,d11ch st ruck a bar · en Sears Directs to arnve at their own convenience. of the tetter's cage window and ultiSt B k T Plately lllclged in the ceiling·. Some ate an rust Work fast work by Mr. Leary-police acti L m \Vhen the \Vilmette State bank -a chas~ through th e streets-a dead <:.,tablishe<.l a distinct trust department Cashier Anderson Proud bandit. Quite a day in the life or a m N<?yember, 1928, it called to its ranks Son of "Tall Com" Area hank tel:er of o!hcers ]. Alden Sears, member of F. D. Anderson, cashier of the \VilMr. Le;1ry i:; a memocr of the \\"il- ;j_ p10neer north shore family, his mette State bank, came to Wilmette in mettc Rotary club, Evanston lod·"~'e father! Joseph Sears, having founcl.~d November, 1927, to assurne the position l~nights l)[ Columbus, and actiYe in [t,~ the V1llage of Kenilworth in 1890. of assistant cashier at the bank. He ,tffairs of the St. Francis Xavter Sears is a graduate of Yale uni- was elevated to the cashiership in De'er~tty and has had broad banking ex- ~tmber, J928. He is a native of Fort church. pe.~tence. He was a director of the 0od.~e, h., and attended Drake uniQuiet Dignity Dominates \\ tlmette State bank prior to the :·crstty at Des Moines. Prior to com\Yorld war in which he served with mg to Wilmette he was associated wi Lh Bank's Decorative Theme :he rank of captain. He was formerlv the Security Trust and Savings bank Leaded cathedral glass of amber cast ~ssociated. with the Northern Trust at Fort Dodge. Mr. Anderson is secrelend a tone of quiet dignity to the~ ompany cf Chicago in trust work and tary of ~he Northern Cook County president's office and women's lounge ~~su~lled his.dduties wtih the local bank Bankers' Federation and chairman of Ill the \Vilmette State bank. This atvtce~prest ent and trust officer. Mr. the Audi: and Finance committee of mosphe. re of quiet dignit_ v, l)Ossessing l~rears lS a member of the . Indian H!ll the Wilmette Chamber of Commerce. d olf club, University club and the a onunant ~ubstantial quality, is con- Harvard-Yale-Princeton cl~b. He 1 ·s ATTRACTIVE WOMEN'S LOUNGE ,·eyed also, 111 the general decorative scheme of the bank. \Valls arc done an ~rd~nt an~ler. He, of course. lives Women clients of the vVilmette State 11: Kemlworth. bank will have their own rest room in highlight, pleasantly restful to the and lounge. The room is located just ~.:ye, colonnad.es of \\'arm bro\\'n marble o.ff the lobb~ at the entrance, is beau· accentuate the spaciousness and height Spurns Baseball Laurels t1fully appomte.d and equipped with of the lob~)Y flanked by the appropriately appomted officers' desks and tellfor Career as a Banker an attractive wtcker suite. ers' c.ompartments. The ceiling of \ acousttco-celotex construction pro.,. ides Vhen \V. Ballard Robinson, Jr., dea suitable noise absorbant. cided . to ma~e banking his career LOUNGE FOR BANK CLIENTS . (:n inviting lounge for clients of the Jrga~t~ed baseball lost one of its most --------l 1 rot~11stng. prospects and the guild of Vv1lmette State bank is provided to the left of the lobby just inside the Storage Vault Among New comtc str~p art1sts a worthy comfrere. entrance. .\1 r: Robmson, assistant cashier and · Features at State Bank assistant trust officer of the Wilmette A feature at the Wilmette State St~te bank left the University of Il1iAN ACKNOWLEDGMENT h.ank which might easily escape the no- t~ots, where he gained fame as a memThe Wilmette State bank desires ~rce of the casual .obs~rver is the large ber of the varsity base ball team to beto ,express grateful acknowledge~torag-~ vault bmlt m the ba ement come a~sociated with the First Trust ment of the generous interest of tr11 r:ledtately below the main floor vault. and Savlllgs Bank of Chicago. He ca1ne Wih~ette residents who so kindly Thts adequately protected space is for t0 the Wilmette bank as a note teller prov1ded photographs of earlier Wiltl:e purpose of storing large quantities in 1926. He is a member of the Wil- mette for reproduction in the ac01 valuables too bulky to be comfor- 111ette .Optimist club. Baseball and percompanying pages of this Formal tab~y house in the regular safety de- petration of comic illustrations comOpening Section. postt vault. prise his pet hobbies. President Stone Guides Bank's Big Gets in On Three-U1 ay Expansion Program Celebration T omorrou' INVITE VILLAGERS TO ANNIVERSARY RECEPTION M:.