Speakeasy Shut Down in Bitter Battle Between Parents and Booze

On a sweltering July 4th, 1930, in the Queens neighborhood of St. Albans, a small but fierce victory was won in the battle against the scourge of speakeasies. The Parent-Teacher Association of Public School No. 36, led by the indomitable Mrs. Ralph L. P. Wallace, had been waging a war against a local drink shop that had been operating in defiance of the law.

The speakeasy, whose back door led directly into the school’s playground, had been a thorn in the side of the community for far too long. But Mrs. Wallace, a 43-year-old naturalized American citizen, refused to give up the fight. Despite appeals to the local police, district attorney, prohibition administrator, congressman, and even the Department of Justice, the shop remained open.

That was until Mrs. Wallace issued a defiant ultimatum: she would picket the speakeasy until it was shut down. And shut down it was. A patrolman was stationed outside to prevent any thirsty customers from entering, and the proprietor, who promised to retire from business and sell the bar and its furnishings, was forced to padlock the door for good.

It was a victory that Mrs. Wallace and the Parent-Teacher Association had been fighting for, despite the odds being stacked against them. And it was a victory that would be remembered for years to come as a testament to the power of community activism and the determination of one woman to make a difference.

But the real question on everyone’s mind was: what’s next for Mrs. Wallace? Would she continue to fight for the repeal of the 18th Amendment, which had brought prohibition to the United States? Only time would tell, but one thing was certain: Mrs. Wallace had proven herself to be a force to be reckoned with.

As the speakeasy closed its doors for the final time, the community of St. Albans breathed a collective sigh of relief. The streets were a little safer, and the children of Public School No. 36 would no longer have to navigate the dangers of a drink shop in the middle of their playground.