of the gangway where men stood to let the mine cars go by) and pulling out a book to read. The years of determination paid off when Peter passed the exam in Pittsburgh in July 1921, subsequently being admitted to Dickinson Law School in Carlisle. The family budget was tight, but education was their first priority, so everyone struggled to meet the tuition costs. Career in law His college years passed quickly, and after graduation Peter was ready to set up his own law practice. It was 1925, and in his attempt to get established as a lawyer he secured a position as legal counsel for the United Mine Workers in District 2. They were headquartered in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, so he would start here. His sister, Mary, had just finished secretarial training in Detroit, so he asked her to help him in his new venture. They worked in Johnstown for a year, putting in long hours. Once they became reasonably established, they asked their family to come join them in Johnstown. The law practice continued to flourish, with Peter working hard and determinedly to help miners and occasionally their widows to gain their hard-earned compensation in cases of injury or death. Long lines of miners could be seen, waiting for him to help them with their legal troubles. Before long, Peter received so much business that he had to ask other lawyers for help. Among these was George Delansey, who was a student one year behind him at Dickinson. Peter and Mary worked side by side in their law office at 508 U.S. Bank Building in Johnstown for many years. In 1928, Peter tried his hand at politics. The miners pleaded with him to run for District Attorney of Cambria County. They felt that he could be the sympathetic ear they needed in the county government. The battle for district attorney It was an uphill battle. Despite his fine reputation as a lawyer, Peter was also a Slovak and the son of immigrants, an unwelcome badge in the 1920s. Many people begrudged the Slavic people, accusing them of taking jobs away from Native Americans. One memory of Mary's is when Peter approached the incumbent district attorney (DA) to negotiate an alternative position as assistant DA in place of a drawn-out election battle. The DA responded: "A Slovak will never be given an appointment as assistant District Attorney!" In spite of