▁his ▁family ▁re located ▁back ▁to ▁Philadelphia ▁when ▁Past or ius ▁was ▁a ▁child . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁William ▁P enn ▁Char ter ▁School ▁and ▁Harvard ▁University . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁served ▁ab o ard ▁. ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁Past or ius ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ▁Law ▁School , ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁He ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁Republican ▁Party ▁politics ▁in ▁Philadelphia , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁Governor ▁John ▁S . ▁Fine ▁appointed ▁him ▁city ▁tre as urer ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁un exp ired ▁term ▁of ▁Richard son ▁D il worth , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁elected ▁district ▁att orney . ▁ ▁City ▁char ter ▁re forms ▁that ▁passed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁pur port ed ▁to ▁abol ish ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁tre as urer , ▁but ▁law su its ▁over ▁whether ▁the ▁office ▁was ▁a ▁city ▁office ▁or ▁a ▁state ▁office ▁( and ▁thus ▁imm une ▁from ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁char ter ) ▁l inger ed ▁into ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁Past or ius ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁a ▁full ▁term ▁in ▁the ▁election ▁that ▁year , ▁but ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁election ▁the ▁Democratic - major ity ▁City ▁Council ▁abol ished ▁the ▁office , ▁converting ▁the ▁office ▁to ▁a ▁civil ▁service ▁position . ▁Past or ius ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁abol ished ▁office , ▁leading ▁the ▁entire ▁ticket ▁with ▁ 2 8 8 , 7 0 7 ▁votes ,