First Work at the School
By the mid-1940s, Harry A. B. Shapiro’s health was in decline and Mrs. Shapiro took on an active role with the school. She recalled Mr. Shapiro saying to her: “Gert, you had better learn as much about the business as you possibly can.” Records indicate her activities at the school began at least as early as 1943, and by July of 1946 she was a full-time employee. She assisted with bookkeeping, collecting payments from students, and answering the phone. Working with students on the financial aspects of their education was a theme that continued throughout her time with the school.
Mrs. Shapiro described her early work at the school as follows:
“Before ’52 … I started to work very seriously at the school knowing that your father [Harry A. B. Shapiro] was not well … I, at that time, began to realize that maybe I was needed down there… there were times when we had no bookkeeper…I don’t quite remember, Ann, if I was there by myself, I think sometimes I might have been…running both the business office and helping him…”
On September 10th, 1952, Harry A. B. Shapiro passed away. Gertrude Shapiro described the grief of widowhood:
“…the widow is alone through circumstances over which she has no control and which have left her unprepared for the future. She enters her new life shattered, in shock, at the blow fate has dealt her. She is full of grief, loneliness, anger… yes anger. Why did it happen to her… Why did her husband leave her. What had she done to deserve this fate.”
Despite the emotional toll, Mrs. Shapiro needed to make a quick decision about the ongoing operation of the school. Three days later she sent a letter to all students indicating that “With the help of our fine faculty and the cooperation of all the students, I feel that our combined efforts will not fail of falter; and that the continued operation and success of the school will be assured.”
Shortly after the death of Mr. Shapiro, Mrs. Shapiro was approached by a representative from Hesser Business College who offered to buy the school. When she declined to sell, his response was “that's all right you won't be in business very long anyway” to which Gertrude replied “yes, that may be true, but I am not selling it. It won't be yours today.”
She elaborated on her decision not to sell the school:
“I felt, at the time, that it was a lifelong dream of my husband’s, it was something that we had worked for for over twenty years. I had a son who was in college and very much interested in the school, and that I had a daughter in high school and I wasn’t sure exactly what her interest would be. Together with the fact that I needed to work, but mainly I think that I wanted to retain the school for the children, and that they were so close to entering the business world it was up to me to give them that opportunity. I think probably at that time, selfishly, also I knew nothing else because I had been with it for twenty years and I had learned a great deal about the college. It was our life, it was my life, and I wasn’t going to let it go down the drain if I could possibly help it.”
The Shapiro’s Rabbi, Abraham Hefterman, referred to the responsibility thrust upon Mrs. Shapiro as “your now great calling of Captain and provider.” She was responsible for the running of both a school and a family. Through a combination of circumstance, necessity, and tenacity she built success in both.