Peter P. Jurchak (February 22, 1900 – December 20, 1948) was a well-known and respected Slovak attorney who made great strides in the equal representation of Slovak immigrants and coal miners in Northeastern Pennsylvania during the first half of the twentieth century, as well as wrote several books on the advancement of the Slovak people in America. Early life Peter was the oldest of twelve children, born on February 22, 1900, in Anita, Pennsylvania. He was endowed with a brilliant mind and strength of character, as well as a fervent warmth for his fellow human beings. His childhood was a busy one, helping to keep his many brothers and sisters in tow while living in a small house. It was a happy but simple life, full of the usual excitements and components of being young. At one point he saved his younger sister Ann from drowning. Peter attended the parochial school of St. Adrian's Church in Delancey, where he excelled at every subject. He eventually took up the violin, which started a long trend of musicians in the family. His musicianship was often requested for church functions, and it soon became standard for him to play at events such as the Christmas Eve celebration at St. Adrian's. The coal mines After graduation from high school at the age of 16, Jurchak went to work in the coal mines alongside his father. World War I was currently going on at the time, but Peter was exempt from the draft due to his employment in the coal mines; the vital coal industry was felt to be an alternative contribution to the war effort. His dad gave up his job as a motorman so that he could work with Jurchak, and they became a highly productive team. As the family grew, Jurchak and his father would joke that each new child meant filling another car of coal each day to meet the increased costs of living at home. College After working in the mines for several years, he soon realized that his future was limited there. Peter soon developed an interest in becoming a lawyer, and began studying during his lunch breaks in the mines to prepare for the college equivalency and law school entrance exam. It was a familiar sight to see Peter Jurchak sneaking away from his co-workers at lunch, tucking himself in a manhole (a little nook on the side