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WILMETTE LIPS head and the rich tones of the walls BEAUTY AND UTDn'Y .tnd floors. "At the end of the vista is the great BLENDED IN NEW BANK weighing :::ircular vault door of polished steel fifteen tons, with its ponde- December 14, 1928' : Cbaraeterizecl by Arehiteeta u "Artistic Improvement Built to Fit a Purpose" A fine structure of architectural beauty, forming an ~deal setting for ~ modern banking institution and carrving with' it a warm note of hospitalitythat, in short, was in the minds of the architects when they began work on the plans for the new home of the First National Bank of Wilmette. How well they succeeded in their planning is answered in the hearty approval of the officials of the bank. The residents of Wilmette also will be ready to vote their approval when the bank open.;; tomorrow. The architects, Hamilton, Fellows and Wilkinson, designed the bank structure in the Italian Romanesque style. But perhaps it would be better to let the architects explain how they executed the plans which have resulted in this fine building. .. The style we adopted is Italian Romanesque for we belicYed this best i·1 this fine section of Wilmette's businc:;s life," said Mr. Hamilton. .. We made the entrance to the bauk through a semi-circular apse of. ornamental iron and glass, the center of which is on the intersection of the exterior aris of the front with the interior axis of the lobby and main banking room. Vista Throuah Colorful Lobby ":Upon entering one's attention i3 arrested by a vista through the colorful lobby with its mag-nificent wrought iron screen through which is seen a radiance of light and glowing color produced by the large skylight OVl'r- - Atmosphere of Quiet Is Dominant Note in the Directors' Room "Behind the scenes" of any bank are the quarters where the all-important bu.siness conduct and policies of th~ organization are worked out. That isn't of concern to the public, but is of the greatest importance to a banking house. On the west balcony and away from the buzz and hum of business on the main floor is the Directors' room. It is a sizeable rpom, the dimensions being 25 by 15 feet. Here the directors will meet and decide the momentous questions of finance. To the north of this room· and of the same size is the work room. In this room the bookkeeping work of the hank will be executed. Both have been artistically decorated and furnished. FINDS BANKING PLAIN BUSINESS--CAPITAL ," (Continued from page 66) i · ous but delicately balanced machinery for opening, closing and locking. lt1 the hterior of the vault are 700 steel safe deposit boxes of various sizes with provisional space for 800 additional boxes, and a separate compartment for <>torage of Bank currency and securities. An electric burglar ~larm 5ystem protecti the vault outside of business hours. The vault work is by the Moiler Safe company. The floors of the lobby and custom er's space are of hard paving tiles of varied rich colors and shape:;. ThC; counter fronts are of Italian Travertine stone with Belgian black bases and counter tops. The counter scree6!> are of carved walnut and plate glass with bronze wickets inset into the glass. The cu3tomers' desks and seats are of wrought iron of ingeniott5 design and beautiful execution. Convenient Arrangement "The tellers' cages are placed on the south side of the customers' space and the officers' counter, consultation rooms 1nl women's writing room are placed on the north side. Attractive coupon rooms and conference room5 are provided for use of box tenants of safe deposit vault. The directors' room and the general accounting and bookkeeping room are placed on the mezzanine floor o\'er the vault." The architects who have offices in the To\\·er Court Building in Chicago only recently completed the fine new lmilding for the Midcity Trust and Sa,·ing~ hank in Chicago and have executed plans for many other large and important .. structures. At present they arc working on plans for a big addition to the Evanston Township High school. Recently they planned the new addi- The First National Bank Building of Wilmette years, and then came an opportunity to join the First National. He purchased a sub3tantial interest in tht First National and became vice-pres · ident and cashier. There you"ll find him any daY.. · "Sold"' on Wilmette Mr. Stiles is "sold" on Wilmette. Hl· says he's seen the banking b~siness double in eight years, and its sttll expanding. He knew Wilmette long before he came here to live, for as a kid he used to come out from Chicago to hunt rabbit!'. That impression wa :-; lasting. When the vacation days come Dan G., gets out the trusty old rod and reel. He goes to the Northern \Vi~ Bullet-Proof Panel to consin woods. But he enjoys canoe Protect Phone Operator ing too, and sometimes goes to Canarla The importance of a telephone oper- to paddle the rivers. ator is recognized by the First National Mr. Stiles resides at 1019 Sixth bank, because service is a prime es- street. sential in promoting- and holding business. For that reason there will he found on the balcony at the west ·si<le Iron and Steel Used at Entrance, Stairways of the building the switchboard from which outgoing and incoming calJs arc The design of the entrance to tht· handled with speed and efficiency. T11 new hank building called for a cast front of the switchboard there 1s a 1ron circular construction, through bullet-proof panel. doors which also are of cast iron. These form not only an attractive but PROVIDE CONSULTATION ROOM a sturdy portal. The Sullivan Korber On the first floor of the bank di- companv of Chicago built the entranct· rectly back of the space to be used by and also carried out a contract which the officers on the north side of the called for the steel counter supports. banking floor, there :s a consultation which are concealed by imported mar room. hie and travertine. The stairs which lead to the office' tion to the Skokie school, \Vinnetka on the second floor are · built of steel . \"{hich provides a big gymnasiulll . The ceiling sash work also is of steel. They also were the architects for the Bronze wickets are set in to the cagl' openings. vVinnetka Trust and Savings bank. "In our opinion,' said Mr. Hamilton. PAINTING IMPORTANT TASK who is a resident of Winnetka, "th.: Paint goes a long way toward dv · new home of the First National Bank of \Vilmette offers about everything ing any building an artistic finish. Tht.: that can be accomplished in the way of contract for . decorating the new bank planning a building_ to fit a purpose anrl building was handled by the Spierling at the same time he an arti~tic improve- Linden company of Chicago and the ment." results speak for themselves. a 1 s t s I: II v } } 'I g a t a t a \' IS PROPERLY ·HEATED Because the b MASONRY and on CARPENTRY Heating & . Ventilating System u:as inst. alled by THE JOHN R. KEHM W. G. Glover President co. Pipitt~ PIPING CONTRACTORS Ge,~ral THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK by Steom Fitting-Power Plont Piping-Process R efrigeratio,-H Mliwt and Ventilating 8 EAST AUSTIN AVENUE CHICAGO A few rece"l instollotions :Calumet Senior High School, Chicago Roosevelt Senior High School, Chicago Brentano Intermediate School, Chicago E:.:change Building, Union Stock Yards, Chicago Harbor Apartment Building, Chicago Central Cold Storage, Chicago Continental Motors Corporation, Muskegon, Mich. National Cold Storage, Brooklyn, N. Y. Sears, Roebuck & Company, Chicago Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Maywood, Ill. Haven Intermediate School, Evanston, Ill. JOHN H. DAVIES WILMETTE, ILL. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 1157 WILMET'fE AVE.