THE LIFE AND TIMES OF RALPH J. PERK MAYOR OF …

1 THE LIFE AND TIMES OF RALPH J. perk . MAYOR OF cleveland , ohio . 1971 -77. 1914 Born on January 19th at 4422 East Clark Ave. 1914 Third living child of Mary B. Smirt (1885-1964). and Joseph C. perk (1881-1964) one died earlier. 1914 His father Joseph C. perk a garment worker by trade also served as a union organizer for the International Ladies' Garment Workers. 1914-99 His siblings Dorothy Pelc (1911-1982), George (1912-2004), Albert R. (Bud) (1916-2006), and Joseph G. (1924-1982). 1914-99 A proud 2nd generation American of Czech and Slovak descent, he lived in the city's Broadway- Fleet Czech community. 1914-46 Spent formative years at 3451 East 50th Street. 1914-99 Lifelong member Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church. 1915 Contracted bronchial pneumonia and nearly died.

2 1915 Restored to health by a St. Alexis Hospital physician George Crile Sr. who later founded the cleveland Clinic. 1. 1921 Delivered The Plain Dealer store to store. 1925 Received special eye treatments at Mt. Sinai Hospital based on the efforts of a neighborhood butcher and the cleveland Community Chest. 1926 Sold ice from a horse drawn wagon. 1927 Graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes School. 1927-29 Attended East Tech High School. 1929 Dropped out of East Tech High School. 1929 Swept floors part-time for $.25/hr. 1930 Employed by Apex Electric Manufacturing Co. for $.25/hr. 1932 A well known Murray Hill barber and boxing promoter Sam Gagliardo helped to promote his professional boxing career. 1932 Won four fights at Charlie O'Connell's Ringside Club and the Shaw-Clair Gymnasium.

3 1933 Part of a quartet that sang at Sam Gagliardo's barber shop/saloon. 1933 Wood pattern maker apprentice. 1934 Co-founded Kovaar & perk Coal and Ice Co. 2. 1935 Joined the 13th Ward Republican Club under the watchful eye of City Councilman Joseph Dolejs. 1938 Worked on Robert A. Taft Sr. first Senate campaign. 1938-42 Office Manager perk Realty Co. 1938-68 Member of Cuyahoga County Republican Party Central Committee. 1940 Married Lucille Gagliardo on May 4th. 1940-99 perk family included seven children, nineteen grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. 1940 Elected GOP Precinct Committeemen. 1941-45 Received military exemption due to reoccurring kidney stones. 1941 Aided war effort as a pattern maker where he made full scale engine models at $ per/hr. 1942-43 Attended cleveland College at Western Reserve University.

4 1943 First child Virginia perk Bowers born. 1943 Joined the Fraternal Order of the Knights of Columbus. 1943 Member Knights of Columbus Luncheon Club. 3. 1944 Second child RALPH Jr. born. 1945 Joined 13th Ward Republican Club. 1946 Bought a two-family gray frame house located at 3421 East 49th Street for $6,500. 1946 Chaired Southeast Air Pollution Committee. 1947-49 Assistant Fire Marshal, State of ohio . 1948 Partner perk Pattern and Engineering Co. 1948 Ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature. 1948 National Young Republicans Presidential Campaign Manager for Senator Robert A. Taft. 1948 Joined the cleveland City Club. 1948-49 Vice President cleveland Ripon Club. 1949 Campaign Manager for cleveland mayoral candidate Franklin A. Polk. 1950 Took poverty vow with Msgr.

5 Robert Navin. 1950 Twin sons: Kenneth and Thomas born. 1950 Ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature. 1950-51 Vice President and Regional Director National Young Republican Federation. 4. 1951-52 Traveled with General Eisenhower and Senator Nixon on their Presidential campaign trail. 1950-53 Chaired City Government Committee Citizens League of Greater cleveland . 1950 Appointed trustee and lay minister at St. John Roman Catholic Cathedral. 1950 Appointed trustee Catholic Charities. 1951 Attended St. John College/ cleveland College. 1951 Studied political science at cleveland College developed a keen interest in metro government. 1951 Joined National Alliance of Czech Catholics. 1951 Member Czechoslovak Society of America 1951-52 President cleveland Ripon Club. 1951-53 Chief Investigator ohio Attorney General's Office.

6 1951-55 Co-Chaired American Cancer Society's Annual Funding Drive, Area 13. 1951-58 Chaired March of Dimes Campaign, Section 15. 1952 Residential Appraiser First Federal Savings and Loan of Lakewood, ohio . 1952 Residential Appraiser Fraternal Insurance groups. 5. 1952 Midwest Presidential Campaign Chairman for Senator Robert A. Taft campaign. 1952 Joined International Order of Alhambra Inc. Carmona Caravan #75. 1952 Joined National Assoc. of Christians and Jews. 1952-53 President Southeast Citizens Area Council of cleveland . 1952-58 Chaired Southeast Chapter of the Greater cleveland Community Chest Fund Drive. 1952-63 Part time Executive Assistant to Republican State and National Chairman Ray C. Bliss. 1953 Ripon Club's Republican Man of the Year.. 1953 Member Executive Committee of the cleveland Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration.

7 1953 Served as the Fraternal Order of the Knights of Columbus representative at the St. Vincent Charity Hospital Annual Funding Campaign. 1953 Led the St. Alexis Hospital Funding Campaign. 1953-58 Board member University Settlement house. 1953 Ran for City Council with the help of his friend and political mentor, Joseph F. Dolejs. 6. 1953-61 cleveland City Councilman 13th Ward. 1954 Testified before the Senate Banking and Currency Committee favored federal aid for communities committed to curbing pollution. 1954 Supported Congressional action calling for the rapid cost amortization of privately installation non-productive air pollution control facilities 1954 Received federal funds totaling $80m to fight air pollution in cleveland . 1954 Pressured Republic Steel, Jones and Laughlin, cleveland Slag, Standard Oil of ohio , DuPont, American Steel and Wire and others to install more than $27m worth of non-productive air pollution control facilities city-wide.

8 1954 Sponsored council legislation leading to a new Cuyahoga River interceptor sewer system with new low level sewers and new pumping stations. 1954 Joined American Committee for the Liberation of Czechoslovakia. 1954 Appeared on the Citizen League Program on WTAM-TV Channel 3 dealt with new citywide recreational programs and current plans for slum clearance. 1954 Fifth child Michael born. 7. 1954 Joined Holy Name Society. 1954 Named Czech community's Man of the Year.. 1954-55 Attended cleveland College at Western Reserve University. 1955 Co-sponsored council legislation leading to the construction of Garden Valley estates. 1955 Represented the City's Shade Tree Department at a special tree planting ceremony occurring near St. Wenceslaus School in lower Broadway. 1955 Co-sponsored council legislation raising city civil service workers to private industry levels.

9 1955 Introduced council legislation promoting $100m in new industrial development within the core of the Cuyahoga Valley. 1955 Youngest recipient of the Knights of Columbus Catholic Man of the Year award. 1955 New Board Member Boy Scouts of America. 1955 Delegate to National Convention Association of Polish Women. 1955 Member Phillis Wheatley Association. 1955 Member cleveland Air Reuse Advisory Board, cleveland Air Reserve Center. 8. 1955-57 Member cleveland Council on World Affairs. 1956 Sixth child Allen born. 1956 Introduced council legislation providing new in- service training for building inspectors. 1956 Appointed to City's Human Relations Board. 1957 Received VFW #2079's Outstanding Citizenship Award. 1957 Joined National Municipal League. 1957 Testified before the Congress favored federal assistance through the Urban Renewal program to local governments participating in neighborhood rehabilitation and conservation.

10 1957 Appraiser Cuyahoga County Probate Court. 1957 Co-sponsored council legislation determining the feasibility of transferring the operation of the zoo from the city to the county. 1957 Sponsored council legislation reducing the cost of cleveland Transit Service school passes from $ to $ 1957 Supported council legislation calling for the transfer of City Hospital, Hudson Boys Farm, and Blossom Hill Hospital from the city to the county. 1957 Member Alliance of Poles in America. 9. 1957 Member Nationalities Services Center. 1957-58 Vice President Council on State Affairs. 1957-58 Vice President Bohemian National Hall. 1958 Advocated of city funding being used for new major airport and lakefront improvements, improved incinerators, and water fluoridation. 1958 Supported the use of capital improvement bonds for mall redevelopment, new off-street parking, and new freeway construction.