Imperial Valley press., 1916-09-25
BANKER VANDERBILT
STORY Of THE
OVfRALLS
"What- has been the hardest step of
all in your career?"

"To get out of my overalls."
That, writes B. c. Forbes in Leslie's
was the reply flashed back by the for
mer farm boy and machine shop ap-
prentice who is today head of the
greatest national bank in the Unitet
States, head of the American Interna.
t. nal Corporation which is to conquer
foreign markets for American com.
ing Corporation with it's branches ir
many lands, head Of the Midvale Steel
and Ordnance Company, director anC
constructive force in leading railroads
and upbuilder of industry.
The story of Frank A. Vanderlips
rise from poverty and obscurity t.
wealth and power is rich with lessons
for both young America and matur,
America.
Of pioneer stock, he was born on {;
large farm not far from Aurora, ILL.,
81 years ago. His father died whe.
Frank, the eldest of three children
Aas only Il. Duties and responsible,
ties early became his lot, for the farm
yielded but a scanty livelihood. He hao
IN intense thirst for knowledge ant
read every one of the few books hs
cou uld lay his hands on. These includ.
ed a complete edition of Shakespeare
the Arabian Nights and few old
fashioned magazines.
For faithfully acting as nursemait
| Q 81 calves during whole summe.
r was allowed to choose one of them
| and he sold it for $12. In a nearby
lemlet hung poster announcing tha-
$40 would bring the New York Week.
y Tribune for five years and, as ;
premium, a Webster's Unabridged die
tionary. The $40 bill was promptly
dispatch I'd, and for five years tho
&C untry lad devoured every line ap
,earing in the Tribune.
At school he was dux in mathema
les, but duffer at spelling. Wher
he was 16, the farm, heavily mortgag
ed, was sold and the family moved t.
Aurora. On Frank the duty of sup
porting the household mainly devolved
for the life insurance of his fathe
was not touched by his prudent moth
er, not even to send him to college.
He took job in machine shop, ant
for running a lathe ten hours he re
ceived rs cents a day. 81 took this jol
because it was the only job l coult
,et," he has since said.
He at once began to study his new
task and the things related to it. TIL,
two things that interested him mos
we're the new force that was beginning
20 create a furore in the world, elec
| rlcity, and drawing. He watched tn,
draughtsmen using mathematics, ant
re determined to study advanced math
ernatics and drawing. But there wer,
no evening schools and no teachers
dowever, by paying man so cent.
an hour-two-thirds of what the bo,
earned all day-he got lessons in de
scrlptive geometry and draughting
The family purse sorely needed the 81
cents, so Vanderlip turned tutor, teach
ing algebra to other fellows in thu
shop.
His ambition spurring him on, tn,
apprentice resolved, at no matter wha
cost in pinching, scraping and saving
he would go to college for a year. H,
went to the University of Illinois. His
carefully kept cashbook shows tha
Nanderlip's total expenditure for tht
student year reached $265. By work
rg as machinist on Saturdays, he
earned S1.50 each week. This paic
more than half his board-lodging bill
Back to the machin shop he had tt
leo, at $1.35 day. 1t was not lone
before the superintendent informed
G.m that promotion to a foreman was
IN store. Instead Of feeling elated
vanderlip there and then deliberately
made up his mind that he would no
rest until he became something moro
than a foreman in a machine shop.
Depression came, and the machine
shop shut down temporarily. Wander.
ir did not let the grass grow under
his feet; he Immediately applied fol-
job with the local daily paper.
Joseph Johnson-now dean of the
| School of Commerce, Accounts and FL
| nance, New York university-an Au,
rcra boy, who had been educated a
home and foreign universities, me-
Vanderlip, while on a visit to his na
| live town and, liking him, began to d
rect the young reporters reading alon =
economic lines. Later Mr.. Johnsc
got Vanderlip job on the Chicag.
Tribune as reporter. In two week:
his salary was raised, within mont
he was assisting the city editor, ar
| before long was assistant financi.
| o1Itnr. anl l,in f;,n,.t,1 20,