Manuscript Group 1518, Frank J. Rinaldi (1892-1971), Student Papers, 1906 – 1921

Archives Documents, Manuscripts, Maps, & Photographs

Manuscript Group 1518, Frank J. Rinaldi (1892-1971), Student

Papers, 1906-1921, 0.25 linear feet

Call Number: MG 1518 + folder number

Summary

• Biographical Note

• Provenance Note

• Scope and Content Note

• Folder List

Summary:

School materials and photographs of Frank Rinaldi, a 1911 graduate of Union Hill High School in Union, New Jersey.  The school papers date from 1906-1911 and contain an 8th grade history book, school exercises, hand-written essays, and a notebook.  The photographs date from 1912-1921.

Gift of Frank Rinaldi, Jr., 1998.

Biographical Note: 

Frank J. Rinaldi was born in Valsini, Italy on March 15, 1892 to Joseph and Maria (Ziti) Rinaldi.  Frank came to America with his parents in 1898 where they lived in North Bergen, Hudson County, New Jersey.  He attended grade school at North Bergen Public School Number 1, where he soon learned to speak English.  In 1911, he graduated from Union Hill High School the second in his class.  He excelled in high school athletics and was a heavy weight boxer and a champion javelin and discuss thrower.  Although accepted to the freshman class of 1915 at Princeton University, he immediately began the study of law.  He graduated from New York University Law School in 1918.

In April of 1918, Frank Rinaldi joined the United States Army, then fighting in World War I.  By the time his training was complete however, the United States was withdrawing troops and Rinaldi never left American soil.  He was honorably discharged in December of 1918.

After coming home from his time in the military, Frank J. Rinaldi returned to his legal practice in Union City, New Jersey, where he specialized in trusts, estates, and real estate law.  He was active in a number of organizations including the American Bar Association, the New Jersey Bar, the Hudson County Bar, and the North Hudson Lawyers Club.  In later years he formed the law partnership of Rinaldi, McCauley, Kauper & Cosgove, whose offices were located in the Hudson Trust Building, Union City.

On December 4, 1921, Frank Rinaldi married Margaret Felitti, the daughter of Pasqual and Nicoletta (Trimareo) Felitti.  She was a pharmacist in her father’s drug store.  The couple  lived in North Bergen, New Jersey and had three sons, Frank, Jr.; Herbert, and Roger.  Frank Rinaldi, Sr. died in December of 1971 at the age of 79.

Provenance Note:

The Frank J. Rinaldi Papers were collected by his three sons, Herbert, Roger and Frank Rinaldi Jr.  Frank Rinaldi, Jr. donated the collection to The New Jersey Historical Society in November of 1998.

Scope and Content Note: 

The Frank J. Rinaldi papers, 1906-1921, contain school materials and photographs of the late Frank J. Rinaldi.  The collection consists of his eighth grade history book, various high school examinations, hand written essays, his hard cover high school notebook, and photographs.

The eighth grade history book is a guide to the study and method of the teaching of the subject in early twentieth century schools.  The subjects of the examinations in this collection are: French, English, Latin, History, and Trigonometry.  These examinations are a good example of what areas of study were stressed in the schools of the time.  The written papers and essays of Frank J. Rinaldi provide a source of original penmanship and creative thought and writing.  The hard cover high school notebook contains four years of school notes in the subjects of English, History and Mathematics, these too are handwritten.

The collection also contains 16 black and white photographs of Rinaldi from 1912-1921.  The photographs include images of Rinaldi in uniform during World War I.

The five folders in this collection are arranged by subject.  Within each folder, when possible, the documents are arranged chronologically.

Folder List:

Processed by Stephen M. Sullivan, Rutgers University at Newark, July 1999

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