
Toner Institute, established in 1899,
was an orphanage for boy's run by the Capuchin Franciscan Fathers. The school
was named for Dr. James L. Toner of Westmoreland County, who provided in
his will a fund to establish a school for boys from broken or disrupted homes.
Originally located in Derry Township (Westmoreland County) and known as Toner
Farm, the school moved to Brookline in 1917, relocating to homes along
Dorchester Avenue.

Flying kites on the hillside above Dorchester
Avenue in 1949.
A new complex, with a chapel, school
and dormitories was built on the hilltop above Dorchester Avenue, at the end
of Castlegate Avenue. Chartered and renamed Toner Institute in 1941, the campus
was in operation until 1977.

Cadets board a bus for a field trip
in 1954.

The Toner Institute cadets marching in the
Memorial Day Parade in 1955.
Toner was a military type academy. The boys
were taught the fundamentals of military drill and discipline while receiving a
quality education. It was a common site at Brookline parades to see the finely
dressed cadets from the school marching in formation in their West Point style
dress uniforms.

The Toner Institute Choir sang at Our Lady
of Loreto Church in 1961.
The Toner Institute boy's choir was one
of the finest in the area, performing during Mass at the local Catholic churches
on holidays and special occasions.

Cadets at Toner Institute are visited by
Santa Claus on Christmas Day, 1963.
The photo below was submitted by Annette
Liscio of Dallas, Texas. It shows the Toner Institute boys at Confirmation in
the Spring of 1940. Annette's brother-in-law, John Liscio, is shown in the top
row, sixth from left. The son of Italian immigrants, John was born June 27, 1926.
He lived in the Homewood-Brushton area with five brothers and a sister, including
Annette's future husband Tony.

John was accepted into Toner through
assignment from the juvenile courts. In February 1943, at the age of 16, he
enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He listed his birthdate as 1925
so he could be eligible.
As a member of the 4th Marine Division,
John fought at the battles of Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. A
decorated veteran, John returned to Pittsburgh after the war and settled
in Homewood, where he married and raised a family. John Liscio passed away
in June 1989.
Note: John's brother Anthony Liscio
played football for Westinghouse High School and went on to a nine year
professional career with the Dallas Cowboys from 1963-1972.
Today, the area where the Toner Institute
campus once stood is the site of The Devonshire of Mount Lebanon, a Senior
assisted-living highrise complex.

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