This Was Doylestown, 1963

Philadelphia bank denied permission for Doylestown branch -

An effort by a Philadelphia financial institution to locate in the Doylestown area has been blocked by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking.

The Philadelphia Saving Fund Society (PSFS) has been denied permission to open a branch in Doylestown because "adequate banking services and facilities now exist."

PSFS applied for a branch office in the Elbert W. Halderman building at North Main and East streets. Halderman, a former Doylestown Borough Councilman, operated his own farm machinery business in the building, which is across the street from the Doylestown Shopping Center.

G.A. Patterson, Secretary of Banking, turned down the PSFS application to branch out into the Doylestown area. His decision is final.

Fred Wigfield, of the Department of Banking in Harrisburg, said the agency made a thorough investigation of the financial institutions in Doylestown, which are Doylestown National Bank and Trust Co., Doylestown Trust Co. and Doylestown Federal Savings and Loan Association. They are providing adequate banking services and facilities for the Doylestown community.

"There is no need at the present time for increasing or adding bank facilities in the Doylestown area," Wigfield said. "Before the Secretary of Banking will allow the granting of any application for increased banking facilities, the applicant must first show and determine that there is a need for additional banks."

The PSFS application was opposed by the three Doylestown financial institutions as well as Solebury National Bank of New Hope, Chalfont National Bank and Bucks County Bank and Trust Co.

Elmer C. Cates, president of the Doylestown Trust Co., commented: "We are pleased at the decision of the Secretary of Banking for it was made only after careful study and examination of efforts being made by the banks of this area to provide our community with banking services."

Doylestown Fire Co. extinguishes grass fire -

Efforts of Doylestown Fire Co. volunteers snuffed out a block-long grass blaze at 10:30 a.m. Monday and kept it from spreading to three or four nearby homes.

A spark from a trash fire jumped to the property of John Long on Linden Avenue and ignited the blaze, which firemen said spread quickly in the dry grass.

The property owner on whose land the trash had been burning, Mrs. David Jones of Linden Avenue, called the company. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire had spread about 300 yards. Volunteers doused it in 15 minutes. Three trucks and 25 men were at the scene.

Fireman Ollie Groman issued a warning to residents in the aftermath of the grass blaze.

"They can be dangerous, too," said Groman, "but 90 percent of the time they're nuisances. The loss of time to the firemen's employers often gets out of hand."

Groman said "the grass fire season is upon us" and urged residents to keep a check on all trash fires.

"A gust of wind will take it away. Even though the ground is still wet, the grass is dry," he said. Much of it is dead from the winter's frost, he added.

During 1962, the Doylestown company battled 53 grass fires, a report indicated.

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Colonel from Doylestown transferred to Korea -

Col. Carl S. Leidy, son of Mrs. Oscar Leidy of Green Street, Doylestown, will leave his Army command post in Virginia for Korea on Sunday.

Colonel Leidy, a graduate of Doylestown High School, is a World War II veteran who wears the Purple Heart and the Army Commendation Ribbon with the Oak Leaf Cluster. An athlete in high school, he is remembered as a sportsman and golfer at Doylestown Country Club.

He has been appointed transportation officer for the 8th Army in Korea. He will be stationed at least 13 months in Korea. He was transferred from the commanding officer position at Hampton Roads Army Terminal at Norfolk, Va.

During the Cuban missile crisis [in October 1962], Colonel Leidy was responsible for setting up the Army Transportation Terminal Command in the South East Area at Port Everglades, near Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was the commanding officer of that terminal throughout the crisis.

Colonel Leidy assumed command of the Army Terminal in Norfolk in 1961. He transferred from Washington, D.C., where he was deputy director in a transportation office.

He began his Army career in 1942. During World War II, he served 24 months overseas. He was in North Africa in 1943, and in 1944 he was U.S. Port Officer at various Italian ports for the British 8th Army.

"I'm so proud of my son because of his military career," said Mrs. Leidy. "You know, he never went to college--only high school--and he's made splendid progress."

Exchange students speak at Rotary meeting -

Alejandro Beddings, who comes from Valpariso, Chile, South America; and Nobauki Takanashi, a Japanese, both exchange students at Cental Bucks High School, spoke on "World Understanding Week" at a dinner meeting of the Doylestown Rotary Club at Cross Keys Inn on Wednesday night.

Beddings explained that 2,500 exchange students, representing 57 countries, are in schools in the United States. "At the end of the school term, the exchange students in various areas of this country will meet at a designated city, to tour that particular section of the United States," he said.

Takanashi, who lives in Yokohama, reminded Rotarians that for several years following the end of World War II, Japan was occupied by Americans.

"In 1952, my country, Japan, became an independent nation again. Since that time our two countries have worked very closely for better understanding between them and among all the other countries. The United States is helping Japan to achieve a sound state of prosperity," he said.

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Four appointed to Doylestown Armory Board -

William O. Kline, Doylestown automobile dealer, legionnaire and president of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, was named this week as a new member of the Doylestown Armory Board by First Lt. George W. Lynch, commander of Company D.

Also named to the board were three members presently serving: Capt. Daniel D. Atkinson of Doylestown and Capt. Robert D. McKenney of Chalfont, both former commanders of Company D; and former County Commissioner John T. Welsh of Doylestown. The remaining two members of the board are Lynch and his executive officer, First Lt. Robert H. Stitzinger of Huntingdon Valley.

The local armory board is responsible for rental of the armory, maintenance, purchase of property and supplies, and for making recommendations to the State Armory Board for major alterations and improvements to the local armory.

One of the first duties of the new board will be to inspect and approve several thousand dollars worth of improvements recently completed. These consist of new asphalt tile floors in all of the offices and classrooms, new fluorescent lighting fixtures throughout the building, an addition to the arms room where the rifles and other weapons of the company are stored, and new fencing placed around the parking lot where the emergency vehicles are stored.

The improvements are part of an overall program to make the armory more attractive for both military use and civilian rentals.

Doylestown Toastmistress Club chartered -

The Doylestown Toastmistress Club received its charter during a banquet last week at the Warrington Inn.

Holly B. Calhoun of the Pittsburgh Club, past Northeast Region Supervisor, presented the charter to Mrs. Alden W. Smith, founding president and president-elect of the Doylestown Club.

Mrs. Calhoun gave a talk which clearly and effectively demonstrated the problems which confront new clubs forming and how to go about solving them. She stressed the points of unity within the club and the compliance with rules and objectives set by International Toastmistress Clubs, Inc.

Edmund Thelen, Past Governor of Toastmasters District 38, was the guest speaker and his topic was "Listening." It is important to speak effectively but more so to learn to listen effectively, he said. Both are equally important in every phase of daily life.

Lucille Swanton, chairman of Toastmistress Council 7, installed the club officers: president, Mrs. Alden W. Smith; 1st vice president, Janice Varker; 2nd vice president, Harriet M. Meyer; secretary, Vera Rauch; treasurer, Eleanor G. Rogers; club representative, Dolly Holman.

Each officer was likened to one of Boston's historic landmarks as she was charged with her duties of office. Mrs. Swanton reminded the women of the integrity and acceptance of responsibilities "with which our forefathers drafted the Constitution of the United States."

Mrs. Smith gave a stirring response and short talk before introducing Lou Rubenstein, Governor of District 38, to give his impressions of a formal Toastmistress meeting and program. Alden W. Smith, past president of the Doylestown Toastmasters Club, gave the closing thought.

From The Daily Intelligencer, Week of March 24-30, 1963