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Vol. 51 | No. 2 | February 2024
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One of basketball’s all-time greats
Worcester’s Bob Cousy Bob Cousy finished his Boston Celtics career with nearly 17,000 points, accumulated 13 All-Star nods, 12 All-NBA awards, and became league MVP for his dominant 1956-1957 season.
By Evan Walsh Contributing Writer
PHOTOS/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
President Donald J. Trump presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Bob Cousy in 2019.
WORCESTER – Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy got his start on the path to basketball fame in Worcester more than 75 years ago, and he’s never really left. In an NBC Sports Boston interview last August meant to celebrate his 95th birthday, Cousy reflected on his life and basketball career. “I sit back and just think about how fortunate I’ve been in having not only a fruitful life, but a productive, interesting life as well,” he said, sitting in front of bookshelves and cabinets filled with memorabilia and trophies. “I played a child’s game well, [and] I earned a good living.” The 95-year-old, six-time NBA champion has had an interesting life indeed. Cousy has been recognized as one of basketball’s greatest players, won countless honors, and was awarded the Presidential Bob Cousy | 8
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By Mike Festa, State Director AARP Massachusetts
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f you’re still in the workforce and looking to kick off a job search or looking to advance your career, AARP can help. AARP is dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. People are living and working longer, and experienced workers bring expertise, maturity, and perspective. Yet negative stereotypes and outdated assumptions mean that older workers and jobseekers are often treated unfairly. That’s why AARP is working to fight age discrimination. Experienced workers should have a Mike Festa level playing field in their ability to compete for, obtain, and retain jobs. Smart employers know the value of having a workforce that includes people across generations. Taking classes to update job search techniques and learn new skills suited for emerging workplace trends and technology can be a smart move, especially for job seekers over 50. While ageism does exist in many workplaces, it’s possible for job seekers to fight age discrimination by showing they’re adaptable and open to learning new skills. Thanks to remote learning, it’s easier than ever for job seekers to learn new skills from the comfort of their homes. A recent survey from AARP Research found many adults over the age of 50 have taken online classes and other training programs over the past two years to improve their job opportunities and personal skills. For job seekers, especially those
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Mike Festa is the State Director for AARP Massachusetts. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
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‘Community Auditions’ was the local granddaddy of talent shows By Sharon Oliver Contributing Writer BOSTON – Decades before “American Idol,” or “America’s Got Talent” made their debut on the small screen, some New Englanders had already left great impressions on audiences thanks to Boston’s television program “Community Auditions.” In fact, there are contestants who did go on to successful Hollywood careers. A long run “Community Auditions,” which ran from 1950 to 1987 on Sunday mornings on WBZ-TV, was Boston’s longest-running local talent competition show and originally emceed by Gene Burns. In 1965, popular radio and TV personality Dave Maynard took over the reins where local performers would appear on the half-hour show to compete for a modest prize, a trophy, bragging rights and accolades from a viewing audience. Viewers were encouraged to send postcards voting for their favorite contestant. Gary D’Alessandro and his Shrewsbury band the Wildcats were freshmen in high school when they performed on “Community Audi-
Boston radio and TV personality Dave Maynard hosted the local television talent show “Community Auditions” from 1965 to 1987.
tions” in 1965, winning second place. “Even without a prize, we would have done it anyway. It was a lot of fun,” said D’Alessandro in a 2007 story in the MetroWest Daily News. “I have no idea where we got the nerve to do this. I don’t think we questioned it very much.” Stepping stone for future stars During the 1980s, Lowell native and star of “E.R.” and “Band of Broth-
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ers” Scott Grimes sang and won first place on the show for his exceptional rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” A 12-year-old Sarah Silverman also sang and competed on “Community Auditions,” as did 2016 “Best New Artist” Grammy winner Meghan Trainor (after the show was restored in 2007 as “Community Auditions — Star of the Day”). Maynard’s singing of the question “Star of the day! Who will it be?” caused hope to rise in New Englanders who wanted a chance to shine. At the end of each episode, contestants joined Maynard in singing the lyrics to the show’s theme song, “Star of the Day.” According to Maynard, “It was the number one show in that time slot,” Maynard told the MetroWest Daily News. “It wasn’t prime time, but who cares when you are number one. I really loved doing the show. Everybody was on that show.” “It was a very honest show with magicians, tap dancers, singers, comedians, and impersonators,” Maynard added. “There were themed competitions just for policemen, firemen, and people in their 80s and over. It was great.”
Host goes on to radio fame In 1979, Maynard began doing nighttime talk radio. One of his most memorable on-air moments happened one night when he kept a suicidal caller on the air for over an hour, saving the man’s life after his producer called police to track down his whereabouts. The caller announced he had just swallowed 50 pills of the anti-coagulant drug Coumadin and downed a bottle of 100-proof vodka. The man was later identified as a retired police officer who wanted to speak with Maynard’s guest, Dr. Ari Kiev, who had written a book for those considering suicide. Listeners from across the country and Canada tuned in as Kiev and Maynard kept the man talking until police arrived at his home. “It was like a movie script,” Maynard told the Boston Globe afterward. “My heart was in my mouth most of the time.’’ A year later, he was offered a morning spot and “Maynard in the Morning” became the number one-rated morning radio show in Boston. Dave Maynard died in 2012 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 82.
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Boston’s legendary rock club “The Rat” is still remembered fondly By Colin McCandless Contributing Writer
Origins as a college bar In the 1960s, The Rat (then called T.J.’s) was a restaurant and bar popular with college students that held live music shows in a back room. It brought in acts such as Boston garage rock band The Remains, who opened for The Beatles on their final tour. By 1974, the club began offering shows in its downstairs basement. While the initial focus centered on mainstream rock, ultimately it shifted to primarily highlighting, but not
PHOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/WAYNE VALDEZ
BOSTON – The area is gentrified now. But a legendary live music club once stood in Kenmore Square that many people growing up in the 1970s and 1980s in and around Boston considered their “home away home” or “second family.” It was technically named the Rathskeller, but to everyone who frequented the place, it was known simply as “The Rat.”
Boston band The Young Snakes, including future ‘Til Tuesday member Aimee Mann at right, playing The Rat in 1981.
limited to, bands in the punk and new wave scene. Over the years, the venue hosted area bands like The Cars, Dropkick Murphys, The Pixies,
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Mission of Burma, The Neighborhoods, The Stompers, Nervous Eaters, La Peste and Gang Green.
A growing reputation The Rat gradually built a reputation as a dark, dingy dive bar featuring great live music that brought in new and emerging talent. The Music Museum of New England proclaims of The Rat that “Outside of New York and LA, it was the most important punk rock club in the country.” From 1974 until it closed in 1997, it booked some out-of-town acts that would later become superstars including Metallica, The Police, R.E.M., Talking Heads and the Ramones. But The Rat also showcased a lot of local talent in the underground scene. It was where radio station WBCN’s annual Rock & Roll Rumble, a showcase for local bands, originated in 1979. Carter Alan, a veteran Boston radio DJ and music director at 100.7 WZLX, writes about The Rat in a chapter of his 2017 book “Decibel Diaries: A Journey through Rock in 50 Concerts.” Alan recalls attending a 1977 show watching a then “up-and-coming local group” The Cars, now a staple of classic rock stations, before they released their major label debut album and made it big.
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PHOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/DAVID HENRY
Vocalist Jim Thirlwell of the Australian band Foetus on stage at The Rat in 1985.
The Cars’ performance at The Rat that night convinced him they were destined for stardom. His musical intuition proved correct. A year later The Cars were headlining a Top 40 radio station concert at Boston Garden. The Rat would serve as a launching pad for countless musical careers over its relatively brief existence and still holds a cherished place in the hearts of many. Fans have fond memories Stephen Gilligan is the founding bass player for The Stompers, which had a Monday night residency at The Rat in 1978. “Hanging out in the parking lot out back was almost as much fun as being in the club,” recounted Gilligan. “It was basically our dressing room. On a hot summer night, we could hear the cheers from the crowd at Fenway Park across the Mass Pike.” “Walking down those steep back steps into the club, up onto the stage in front of a packed room and tearing into a set of high energy rock ‘n’ roll,” Gilligan recalled, “there was nothing like it! Even considering all the success that came afterward, those were some of my
favorite shows.” Carmen Wiseman, a bassist and fanzine content creator in Boston from 1977 to 1985 said that if you were an aspiring local band, getting your first weekend slot at The Rat was a very big deal. “The Rat was sort of a Beantown CBGB’s,” (a famed New York City punk club) he explained. “Because a lot of British punk bands started their American tours in Boston, they often played their first U.S. gigs at The Rat. That was definitely true for The Police in ‘77.” Wiseman remembered seeing Talking Heads, the Ramones, Television, Richard Hell, The Damned, Dead Boys and numerous other punk acts there. Rik Van Horn managed the Copley Square Strawberries record store in the late ‘70s and frequented The Rat. His most memorable experience was seeing The Police over four nights from Thursday through Sunday. They had only released the song “Roxanne” in the U.S. and while not unknown, the group hadn’t yet become famous in America. Van Horn recalled that, at the time, they were driving around in a beat up old white van and asked concertgoers
if they could crash at their house. The Thursday show was sparsely attended, no more than 50 people. By Saturday and Sunday, though, word had circulated, and weekend shows sold out. Running the record store allowed him to score free tickets to watch The Police and untold other shows throughout Boston’s fertile music scene. “It was the happiest time in my life,” stated Van Horn. “The Rat was an absolute cesspool where your feet stuck to the carpet, and the bathroom toilet was, at times, literally a hole in the floor,” said Mike Gerard, whose band The Fools played The Rat a few times. “But like flowers growing in garbage, so many great bands, both local and international, came through that place.” John McCrea lived in Boston from 1980 until 1988 and began seeing shows at The Rat while attending MIT. During college, McCrea resided half a block from The Rat and later lived in an apartment a few floors above the club in 1987. “I could hear drunken fights in the middle of the night,” he quipped. McCrea, who now lives in Palo Alto, California, remembered when R.E.M. played an unannounced show at The Rat on Friday, March 23, 1984, with opening acts Husker Du, Scruffy the Cat and Kilkenny Cats. R.E.M. and Minnesota punk rockers Husker Du were in town for a performance the
previous night at Harvard University. The show was billed as Kilkenny Cats, with no mention of R.E.M. “Part of the magic was that R.E.M. was so big that The Rat couldn’t headline them,” noted McCrea. Photos from that “clandestine” concert appeared in Rolling Stone, immortalized by photographer Laura Levine. Vernon West, bass player for the band Sass, started his career at The Rat back in 1972 as a 17-year-old. The Cars opened for them twice, they played a show with the Talking Heads, and they appeared on the 1976 “Live at The Rat” album. He fondly recollected the interactions with fans, who the band regarded as family. “It was almost like we were collaborating with the fans,” maintained West. “People felt they were part of the band.” The Rat was also one of the few Boston clubs at the time that allowed bands to play originals and not just covers, he said, calling it an “oasis of authenticity” and a “great encourager of the music scene.” “Those days at The Rat were precious for me,” he mused. Booking agent recalls ‘characters’ Kathei Logue worked at The Rat as a booking agent starting in the late ‘70s up through the late ‘80s. Logue The Rat | 7
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Discount retailer Building #19 wore its messy reputation with pride By Sharon Oliver Contributing Writer
Building #19’s playful signage, ads, and circulars typically featured a caricature of owner and co-founder Jerry Ellis.
REGION – The discount retailer Building #19 was known just as much for its quirky comic book style signs as for its “good stuff cheap,” which were often buried beneath a maze of messiness stuffed inside boxes. Operating since 1964 and with a chain of 13 stores spread throughout New England, Building #19 sold an assortment of factory irregulars and discontinued items. It amassed its stock from bankruptcy courts, customs seizures, fire sales, liquidations and overstocks. Colorful co-founder made shopping fun Owner and co-founder Jerry Ellis, whose colorful character helped make shopping at the emporium a fun adventure, was frequently featured in ad circulars as a caricature accompanied by witty captions. In fact, he wrote most
Building #19’s 2013 ad for its going-out-of-business sale portrayed owner Jerry Ellis as a doctor prescribing “huge savings.”
of the ad copy himself. Cartoonist Matthew Brown created the iconic drawings for the weekly ads which playfully poked fun at Ellis, the customers, the store, and its merchandise. Brown answered an ad placed by Ellis in 1967 and was soon hired to create the popular artwork for $5 an hour. Already a math teacher at Scituate High School, he accepted the job as part-time work, and it would be years later before Brown learned he had been the only cartoonist who applied for the gig. Each location offered customers free coffee with “free fake cream” and signs strategically placed, warning them to not make fun of the coffee’s poor quality because “someday you’ll be old and weak too.” It would be hard to for-
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www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + FEBRUARY 2024 + fiftyplus advocate • 7 get the store’s black and white prison sneakers, the husband’s bench, Building #19 theater or not chuckle at old familiar slogans like: • “Good Stuff... Cheap” • “Suffer a Little, Save a Lot” • “Support the three-day work week” • “America’s messiest department store” • “Please leave with at least as many children as you came with” • “Our business is like sex. When it’s good, it’s wonderful. And when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.” • “Free admission on all days ending with the letter Y” The stores’ numbering system was quite unique as well. The main Building #19 store was located in Hingham; other stores had a numerical fraction appended to their name (such as Building #19½, in Burlington or Building #19¾, in Norwood). New Englanders still have fond memories of the place. In an old WCVB video clip, one customer theorized, “It’s always been a fun place to come to. We’ll miss it but I guess it’s a sign of the times.” Also featured is Jerry Ellis who admits, looking back, they probably should have done some things differently like adapting better to the internet. For the sake of nostalgia, there is still an old Building #19 Facebook page for all to see.
Internet competition led to bankruptcy Unfortunately, Building #19 was forced into bankruptcy in 2013, citing internet competition and a lack of working capital for new inventory as the reason. Other factors included overseas manufacturing, and, ironically, better fire protection systems for warehouses, which decreased the number of fire sales. Born Gerald Elovitz, Jerry Ellis died at his Dedham home in 2017. He was 90 years old. During that same year, his daughter Linda Elovitz Marshall published a book called “Good Stuff Cheap,” detailing the story of her father and Building #19. According to Elovitz-Marshall, her father was nearly destitute after getting fired from his job as an appliance salesman and failed inventor. Things changed when Ellis was propositioned by his soon-to-be business partner Harry Andler who came upon an opportunity to purchase salvaged goods, including a boxcar load of doll eyes that opened and shut and ended up selling all of them. The partners opened their first store in 1964 in Hingham Shipyard in building number 19 and the rest, as they say, is history. Nearly all building locations have been demolished or refashioned into other discount stores, supermarkets, or storage facilities.
Boston’s legendary rock club “The Rat” is still remembered fondly The Rat | from page 5
remembered that although its owner Jimmy Harold (who died in 2022) was an alcoholic, he was nice and loyal. “He was a good guy,” and “treated his employees well,” she said. It was her job to listen to band tapes and determine openers and headliners, booking everyone from The Cars and R.E.M. to Tiny Tim. Eventually, she split bookings with another agent. They would work and then attend shows at night. Logue loved the local music scene. “Frequently the bands stayed at my apartment,” conveyed Logue. “It was like The Rat was my life in that period.” Logue helped book the legendary unbilled R.E.M. show. “It was supposedly a secret. It was not advertised,” she explained. The job didn’t earn Logue, who was raising a daughter during this time, much money—about $150 a week—but she enjoyed it, nonetheless. She recalled some of the characters that were regulars, like Billy Ruane, who would buy everyone drinks, get smashed and dance wildly. He was an affable guy and fellow patrons would always drive him home when he got drunk. Logue said that’s just how it was at The Rat: everyone “looked after each
other.” There was also Mr. Butch, a tall, Black homeless man with dreadlocks, beloved by many people, who hung around outside the club. People gave him food and shared weed with him. “Most people that went to The Rat, it became like a family,” she reminisced. “It was a magical place.” Legacy endures The building that housed The Rat was torn down and replaced by a luxury accommodation called Hotel Commonwealth. It pays tribute to the club with The Rathskeller Suite, ironically described as an “upscale retro room” filled with memorabilia from The Rat, looking decidedly posher than the original it commemorates. But The Rat’s legacy has been preserved in other ways. Logue serves as the admin for Rathskeller’s public fan page on Facebook, which has more than 10,000 members. Although not all are active contributors, there are typically daily posts, often eliciting a wave of nostalgic responses among devotees. “It brings people together again, even if we’re in different states,” noted Logue, who now lives in New Jersey. “It’s still a family.”
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Worcester’s Bob Cousy Bob Cousy | from page 1
Although Cousy would soon graduate to the National Basketball Association (NBA), Worcester remained his home. Cousy married his wife and had one of his daughters in Wormtown. In 2008, Holy Cross unveiled a seven-foot Cousy statue in front of the Luth Athletic Complex. In 2021, another Cousy statue—this time at the DCU Center, performing his signature behind-theback pass—was erected in Worcester. “Worcester is my place,” Cousy said at the time of the 2021 statue unveiling. “I love this city. Whatever I have given to it, it has given me much more.”
Medal of Freedom in 2019. Throughout it all, Cousy has made Central Massachusetts proud.
PHOTO/WORLD TELEGRAM & SUN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Winning in Worcester Cousy grew up on Manhattan’s East Side, and after playing stickball, boxball, and “stealing hubcaps,” turned to basketball. Not yet the allworld player he would eventually become, he was twice cut from his high school’s junior-varsity team. However, Cousy would soon find his way on the varsity squad, becoming the “most talked-about kid in town” and winning the city scoring championship in his senior year. Cousy’s high-school heroics led the College of the Holy Cross to offer him a scholarship; he was headed to Worcester. Cousy helped the Crusaders win the 1947 NCAA championship in his freshman year. The next three years would be nothing short of dominant: Cousy earned All-East Honors, All-America Honors, and led the team to 29 consecutive victories, setting the school record. Cousy’s number-17 jersey was retired by the College of the Holy Cross in 2008.
Bob Cousy’s unique style of play earned him the nickname “the Houdini of the Hardwood.”
Success on the Celtics Cousy joined the Celtics for the 1950-51 season, signing for $9,000. According to the NBA’s profile on Cousy, he “dribbled, shot, passed, scampered and otherwise ran rampant as the Celtics ended the season with their first winning record” since joining the NBA (39-30). The six-foot-one-inch, 175-pound point guard’s “rambunctious” play “single-handedly drew fans” to watch the Celtics. In his sophomore season, Cousy averaged 21.7 points-per-game. Cousy spread the wealth; in his third season,
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Success off the court Cousy made an impact outside of the Celtics. For instance, in 1954—while “NBA players did not receive the wide-ranging privileges and protections that exist today” (including no pension, per diem, health benefits, or minimum wage)—Cousy and several other hall-of-fame athletes created the National Basketball Players Association to help advocate and bargain for the athletes. At Holy Cross, Cousy wrote his senior thesis on the persecution faced by minorities. In his NBA career, Cousy left the state of North Carolina with teammate Chuck Cooper— the first African American to be drafted in the NBA—after learning Cooper could not stay in the same hotel while the Celtics played in the segregated southern states. Cousy’s demonstrated voice against prejudice and racism—as well as his illustrious basketball career—led President Donald Trump to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s top civilian honor, to Cousy in 2019. “Bob, you’re one of the all-time greats in the history of sports—not just basketball—and an inspiration to us all,” Trump said at the 2019 ceremony. “Today, America honors and celebrates everything that you have achieved. You’ve achieved so much, even beyond basketball.” “Only in America could my story have been told,” Cousy said while accepting the medal, also thanking his family, friends, and supporters in the audience. “I’m here to say that I’m easily the most fortunate, lucky, S.O.B. on the planet.” “This acknowledgement has allowed me to complete my life’s circle: I can stop chasing a bouncing ball,” he said.
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he averaged 7.7 assists-pergame, and would eventually earn eight consecutive assists titles. The Celtics would surround Cousy with stars, including Bill Russell, that would propel the team into the NBA Championships. The team would win its first-ever title in 1957—Cousy’s age-28 season—and go on an unmatched stretch of dominance, winning the eight consecutive champiBasketball legend Bob Cousy onships (1959-1966). Cousy retired as a six- has lived in Worcester most of his life. time champion in 1963, and is remembered as an integral part of the NBA’s first dynasty. Cousy finished his Celtics career with nearly 17,000 points, accumulated 13 All-Star nods, 12 All-NBA awards, and became league MVP for his dominant 1956-1957 ‘Bob Cousy and several other hall-of-fame season. athletes created the National Basketball “I would like to thank you wonderful, wonderful Players Association to help advocate and fans of New England that have given the Celtics and bargain for the athletes. myself such continued sincere support,” he said. “I only hope that my playing has in a small way served extremely sturdy legs, Cousy was an outstanding allto repay you in your many kindnesses,” Cousy said at around player and is considered by many to be one of his last regular season game in 1963. the best playmakers ever… Cousy’s style and reputaCousy’s style of play was unique, attention-grabtion… helped keep the NBA alive during its infancy,” bing, and caught the attention of many sportswriters. the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame wrote He was nicknamed the “Houdini of the Hardwood.” about Cousy. “Bob Cousy was best known for his razzle-dazCousy was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971. zle, ball-handling abilities. With exceptional peHis number-14 jersey was also retired by the Celtics. ripheral vision, large hands, sloping shoulders, and
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Crispus Attucks of Framingham became an icon of the American Revolution on Hartford Street near the Natick line, Tomassini said. His father was an enslaved African and his mother a Wampanoag Indian who may have been descended from John Attucks, hanged for treason during King Philip’s War. An 1887 history of Framingham claims Attucks’ family lived in an “old cellar-hole.” The cellar, as well as Brown’s house and mills, are long gone, but the large white house erected in 1807 by his grandson still stands on Old Connecticut Path. Nearby, the Crispus Attucks Bridge crosses the brook. On the southbound side is a flaking bronze plaque. “Crispus Attucks worked and lived near this bridge until he escaped in 1750,” it reads in part. Attucks was an accidental hero, Tomassini points out. Some residents wanted the bridge to instead honor Peter Salem, a former enslaved man in Framingham who fought with valor in the Battle of Bunker Hill. After much debate in the town, the plaque was installed in 2000.
By Henry Stimpson Contributing Writer FRAMINGHAM – Let’s journey back to Framingham in 1750. You’d travel on dirt roads across fields and forests in a rustic town of about a thousand souls. Much of it was “very open farmland,” said Ruthann Tomassini, research volunteer at the Framingham History Center. On his property along Cochituate Brook, William Brown raised cattle and ran a gristmill and a fulling mill powered by the rushing water. (A fulling mill pounded raw fabrics with mallets.) There you’d find a young giant, of mixed African and American Indian ancestry, working the mill cleaning cotton imported from the South. At 27, Crispus Attucks had probably spent his entire life enslaved. A bit knock-kneed, he stood at six feet and two inches, towering over the average man of the day. A smooth talker considered honest and loyal, Brown trusted him to buy and sell cattle and allowed him to travel independently. No one could have predicted that 20 years later, his death as the first victim of the Boston Massacre would make him an icon of the patriot cause. Framingham roots memorialized on bridge Attucks was born just over 300 years ago in 1723
Crispus Attucks, a former enslaved man from Framingham, was the first to die in the Boston Massacre in 1770, and is often considered the first patriot to die in the American Revolution, which began five years later.
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From slavery to freedom on the seas Despite—or maybe because of—the latitude given to him by Brown, his owner, Attucks couldn’t resist the lure of freedom. In September, he ran away and probably escaped to Nantucket where he signed on as a harpooner on a whale ship. Sailor was one of the few jobs open to a non-white man. When he wasn’t at sea,
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The Crispus Attucks Bridge, which crosses Cochituate Brook on Old Connecticut Path in Framingham, was dedicated with this plaque in 2000.
PHOTO/HENRY STIMPSON
he was a ropemaker. But Tomassini believes Brown freed him. “It’s difficult to think he ran away,” she said. Tomassini, 83, retired at age 67 from a career in the food industry and began volunteering for the Framingham History Center a year later. “Research intrigued me,” she explained. “Every day there’s something new.” Brown, however, did place an advertisement in the Boston Gazette offering a reward of ten pounds for the return of his slave, “Crispas.” (Enslavers often bestowed Roman names like Crispus, meaning “curly-haired,” to show off their classical education.) For 20 years he was just another anonymous mariner using an alias to throw off anyone who’d want to collect Brown’s bounty. Stands up to redcoats and pays with his life On March 5, 1770, just back from the Bahamas, Attucks was drinking at a Boston tavern with other seamen when a British soldier wandered in looking for work. (The troops were so ill-paid they needed other jobs.) The sailors taunted him and threw him out. Later that afternoon, a mob infuriated by Britain’s new taxes pelted British sentries guarding the Customs House with rocks and snowballs. Ac-
cording to trial testimony, Attucks swung a stick at Captain Thomas Preston, fearlessly grabbed a soldier’s bayonet and urged the crowd to “kill the dogs, knock them over.” But the sentry wrested back his musket and shot him dead, the first of five colonials to perish that day. Attucks and the other victims lay in state at Faneuil Hall for three days. More than 10,000 people took part in the march that conveyed their caskets to the graveyard. Attucks is often considered the first patriot to die in the American Revolution, which began five years later. He became an inspiration for American rebels and later, abolitionists. “Crispus Attucks, a Negro, was the first to shed his blood on State Street, Boston,” Booker T. Washington proclaimed, “that the white American might enjoy liberty forever, though his race remained in slavery.” The University of Massachusetts History Club runs an online Crispus Attucks museum at http://www.crispusattucksmuseum.org. It includes photos of the commemorative silver dollar issued by the US Mint in 1998, the 275th anniversary of his birth. Attucks’ path from obscurity to an immortal figure in American history began in Framingham in the humblest of circumstances 300 years ago.
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business spotlight: ‘Make giving back your second act’: join the AmeriCorps Seniors program More volunteering opportunities available through Family Services of Central Massachusetts By Evan Walsh Contributing Writer REGION – Are you looking for ways to get involved in the community? Family Services of Central Massachusetts has several exciting opportunities to make “giving back your second act.” For example, the RSVP Program, one of the largest volunteer networks in the nation, helps those 55 and older “use the skills and talents [they’ve] learned over the years… while serving in a variety of volunteer opportunities.” For instance, those eager to support children can help tutor, become an advocate for a child in court, or support children’s literacy. Those interested in health and wellness might
Volunteers are providing home companionship to people who are isolated who are living in their own homes or apartments. They provide companionship, they visit, keep them happy. ~ Joy Rehfeld enjoy volunteering at a community garden or food pantry. RSVP Program participants have previously volunteered at the EcoTarium, Mechanics Hall, Red Cross and other non-profit organizations. “The volunteers feel motivated —
they have something to look forward to, something to get them out of the house... They feel good about what they’re doing; they’re giving back to the community,” said Senior Volunteer Program Managing Director Joy Rehfeld, who has been helping find
enticing volunteer opportunities for the last decade. The RSVP is a program of AmeriCorps Seniors, which also includes the Senior Companion Program. The Senior Companion Program “focuses on providing assistance and companionship to older adults who have difficulty with daily living tasks, such as shopping or paying bills. Through this program, AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers keep seniors independent longer and provide respite to family caregivers, along with providing service to several area adult day health locations. “With the Senior Companion Program, those volunteers are providing home companionship to people who are isolated who are living in their own homes or apartments. They provide
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www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + FEBRUARY 2024 + fiftyplus advocate • 13 Are you looking to give back and volunteer your time? Family Services of Central Massachusetts has plenty of options.
Finding meaningful work roles later in life Everybody can be great because everybody can serve. ~ Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. By Marianne Delorey, Ph.D.
A
companionship, they visit, keep them happy,” Rehfeld explained. “[The elderly] look forward to the volunteer coming to see them, spending time with them. It gives them something to look forward to. It also gives the volunteer something to look forward to as well.” And then there’s the most theatrical group: the Fraud Squad Players, the group of volunteer actors who educate about scams and frauds, how to spot them, and most importantly, how to avoid them. Though there is no shortage of volunteer opportunities, the number of volunteers has been down since COVID-19. Rehfeld hopes that more people around Worcester County see the incredible variety of available opportunities. “We’re constantly recruiting volunteers,” she said. “A lot of times, the existing volunteers are our best recruiters because they talk about what
we’re doing and then they get people involved… I enjoy what I do. I’m helping people stay active, helping people stay healthy. They’re out there still using the skills that they have – that they’ve been using their whole lifetime. [Staying] mentally fit is so important.” All of these exciting opportunities are coordinated by Family Services of Central Massachusetts, an affiliate of the Seven Hills Foundation. Family Services of Central Massachusetts has been providing high-quality support, guidance, and counseling to the Worcester area for over 130 years. In addition to the senior volunteering opportunities, the organization offers home care services, community mediation, and early childhood professional development and apprenticeship. For more information, please visit https://www.sevenhills.org/affiliates/ family-services-of-central-massachusetts.
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ny employer can tell you that it is almost impossible to fill vacant positions these days. Even before COVID hit, the unemployment rate was dropping. It was around 6% 10 years ago and is now under half that (2.9%). Lack of staffing is hitting all sectors and consumers are feeling the pinch. There are longer wait times for everything, and we are all frustrated that we must order online or weave through a maze of phone prompts. Politicians are aware that there is no end in sight to these staffing shortages. Political divisiveness makes it harder to lean on relaxed immigration to address our needs for more workers. Encouraging people to enter or delay leaving the workforce is also an option. Many of the people who do not currently work have limitations - lower skills, insecurities, physical limitations, etc. Again, politics makes it hard to encourage some of these people to work. Take the example of Beth – she can do more work, but if she earns too much money, she will no longer be eligible for Medicaid and can’t otherwise afford her prescriptions. At Colony, we have a fantastic resource in our own residents. Our tenants, during their working lives, have been important and notable business leaders, teachers, nurses, engineers, and the like. Most are personable, smart, detail oriented, and interested in jobs they can still do. Many of them serve our communities in paid positions that we tailor to their abilities, needs, and desires. Even more of them volunteer in whatever way they can to make the community a better place. Of course, sometimes limitations exist that make it hard for someone to contribute, but we have seen people thrive in positions even when their limitations have been extreme. Sometimes, you just need to be a little creative. We have one resident with significant communication challenges. She clips coupons for people and makes them available to whomever needs them. Another resident, who cannot see, polishes silverware whenever asked. We have found that when there is a will, there is always a way to contribute. We hope this year to expand our volunteer and paid offerings for our residents. We believe strongly that all the members of a community have something to give. Maya Angelou spoke about this once. She noted that even very frail people can contribute — “It can be a smile, it can be a pat on the back — it may be just saying, “Good morning!” to someone, or “You know, that’s a beautiful color on you.” You have no idea if that person has just hung up the phone from having a nurse say, “Well, we were wrong. The test is positive.” You never know. Having a charitable heart can be even more powerful than giving money.” In Japanese culture, a sense of purpose and meaning is more highly valued than being happy. The Japanese government has set up Silver Human Resource Centers to help provide older adults with meaningful work. The positive effects have been documented by Morishita-Suzuki, Nakamura-Uehara and Ishibashi. The participants who worked moderately or frequently were more likely to see health improvements than those who only worked occasionally. So, if more work opportunities are better for older adults and for our society to address staffing shortages, why aren’t politicians helping set up systems that make this easier? Our society should make it easier for people to continue to contribute, even if we have to help them to do so. As noted by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” And our politicians must help us make opportunities for everyone. Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508-755-0444 or mdelorey@colonyretirement.com and www.colonyretirementhomes.com.
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FEBRUARY 2024 + www.fiftyplusadvocate.com
viewpoint The courage to begin By Janice Lindsay Contributing Writer
P
ia the young osprey perched at the edge of a massive nest constructed atop a pole on an island in Maine’s Muscongus Bay. Alone, she peered over the narrow inlet between her island and the forested mainland, and to the wider bay beyond. She flapped her wings and jumped, lifting herself above the nest, hovering. She was practicing for the day when she would leave the nest and soar into the skies. She clearly believed that she wasn’t ready to take that long step off the edge. Can’t we all understand her hesitation? Haven’t we all been a little afraid to take that first step into whatever unknown we have chosen? (I wanted very much to marry the man I loved, but was I really ready?)
Pia was the youngest of three siblings. The others had already fledged. Her siblings and parents returned at times, but Pia spent most of her time alone, watching, practicing, almost leaving but never doing it. Pia had a worldwide community of admirers cheering her on. I know all this because the Maine Audubon Society had placed a camera next to the nest. The camera caught the nest and the peaceful inlet, where Pia and we could see a few small boats moored below her. We had all watched the nest even before there were eggs, day and night (infrared camera), worrying together, asking questions of the osprey experts. We saw the eggs, we watched them hatch, we knew the chicks when they were tiny, scrawny, and helpless, begging for food. They had attentive, experienced parents. Mother usually stayed with the chicks while father hunted for fish. She would tear off tasty morsels of his catch and feed the chicks, seeming to keep only the tough and stringy bits for herself. At first, we watchers feared that little Pia would
not get enough to eat, jostled by her stronger siblings. But Mom was paying attention, and Pia thrived. The chicks watched their mother and began to imitate her. They picked up bits of fish that she dropped. They rearranged sticks in the nest, copying her housekeeping chores. Ospreys are magnificent: two feet long, wingspread up to six feet, hawk-like profile. Adults are dark brown with a black mask and pale undersides. Young ospreys have brown wings speckled in a pale, scale-like pattern. They live near water. They search for fish near the surface. When they spot one, they dive feet first, snatch the fish, and fly away. We human observers invested a little of ourselves in this family’s life. Maybe we’ve been the oldest, taking out first flights while our younger siblings watched in awe and envy, as the osprey chicks seemed to do. Maybe we’ve been the youngest
SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
or weakest, trying to catch up. Maybe we’ve been the parents, tending to a little brood, constantly scanning the horizon for anything that might threaten them. Maybe we’ve been Pia, on the edge of our own unknown, preparing to take that giant step — into marriage, a career, parenthood, a new home, a new hobby, a new friendship, a trip to a place we’ve never visited. Early one morning, Pia perched on the wooden brace that jutted from beneath the nest. She paced, facing first one way then the other. She spread her beautiful, powerful wings in practice flutters. Then she took that one giant, irrevocable step into the unknown. She dropped gently toward the water. Then she swooped up and soared over the bay. She had found the courage to take that first step, the most daunting part of any adventure, as we all must. Contact jlindsay@tidewater.net.
CALCULATING CHARACTERS Answers on page 18
www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + FEBRUARY 2024 + fiftyplus advocate • 15
Daughter pays tribute to former BU president John Silber’s legacy By Matt Robinson Contributing Writer
Silber’s softer side “He was very warm and affectionate,” she maintained, recalling how her father always asked for at least one of his seven children to accompany him on errands and how he always made sure to include them, even in the most star-studded and significant events. “My parents got to meet everyone they ever wanted to meet,” Devlin recalled, citing such frequent house guests as literary lights Tom Wolfe and Elie Wiesel (both of whom would be honored and involved at BU), master chef Julia Child, theatrical icon Angela Lansbury, and basketball legend Arnold “Red” Auerbach, as well as meetings with many heads of state and even royalty. “When Pop was a professor at the University of Texas,” she recalled, “once a year he had a party for his students and teaching assistants…with hundreds of people, and the way he talked and joked with all of them was wonderful!” Strong sense of justice While Silber was challenged by a birth defect that caused him to go
PHOTO/DIGITAL COMMONWEALTH/LOU JONES
High expectations “Pop had very high expectations.” Devlin observed. “He expected us to work hard in school and behave well.” Having graduated from Wellesley College, Devlin has also worked diligently to make her mark in education. Most recently, her efforts have resulted in the lovingly revealing memoir, ”Snapshots of My Father, John Silber.” He may be best known to others in the area as the revolutionary and sometimes contentious leader of Boston University and for losing the governor’s race to Republican William Weld. But Devlin has a very different take on the cantankerous and controversial scholar, athlete, statesman, and leader that she called “Pop.”
PHOTO/ALLAN DINES
REGION – Growing up in Texas, Rachel Silber Devlin knew about big things. However, what may have loomed largest in her family was the presence of her father, John Silber, who served as president of Boston University for 25 years and ran for governor of Massachusetts in 1990. Silber, who died in 2012 in Brookline at age 86, earlier in his career was a professor and administrator at the University of Texas. There, his daughter said, he worked tirelessly to improve the standing of the institution and to fight for the rights of others. Even so, there were no people for whom he fought as hard as his family and few from whom he expected as much.
have a truly open forum on a college campus—something some feel is sorely lacking today. “He believed that the campus was a safe space to hear ideas and exchange ideas,” she suggested, “not to be shielded from hearing them. He believed all voices should be heard and that shouted slogans are no substitute for genuine dialog.”
Rachel Silber Devlin, daughter of former Boston University president John Silber, has written a memoir about her famous father.
John Silber was president of Boston University for 25 years and ran for governor of Massachusetts in 1990.
through life with a shortened arm, he was also born with what Devlin sees as a “bold, principled personality…[and] a very strong sense of what was right or fair.” She remembers him telling her of how, when he was only 10, he stood to allow an African-American woman to take a seat on a bus in San Antonio, much to the chagrin of other riders. When the woman refused to sit down for fear of retribution, Silber stood up anyway, angry at what his daughter suggests he saw as “a betrayal of every decent principle.” As a census taker, Silber got to see first-hand the vast socio-economic disparities that existed in society. As a strong believer in education, became involved in the organization that would eventually create the Head Start early education program. “That was his idea of true activism,” Devlin attests, “actively doing good works, not just protesting and shouting down the opposition.” This sense of justice followed Silber throughout his life—both professionally and personally—and shaped not only his campuses but his home as well. “He had a bold and intense personality,” Devlin says, citing many other occasions when her father “forcefully challenged ideas he disagreed with.” And while some saw this as stubbornness, Devlin saw her father as a beacon of stability in an ever-more-unstable world.” “My father was a man of principle,” Devlin insists, “and he stuck to his principles because he believed them.” Silber was so dedicated to his sense of right and wrong that, after suffering kidney failure, he turned down a transplant.
“He knew that there were many younger people on the waiting list,” Devlin explained, “and he refused to take a kidney away from them.” Another gift she said he gave to young people was the opportunity to
Bringing her father to life on the page In writing this book (which was bolstered by many interviews and her own journals and memories), Devlin hopes that she can share stories and show sides of her father that many may not know. “I wrote this memoir about my father because very few people know the real John Silber,” the poet, screenwriter, novelist, and essayist says, suggesting that her father “couldn’t be captured in a soundbite.” “It’s a great story,” she concluded, “and, in a way, I’m trying to bring my dad back to life on the page.” Rachel Silber Devlin will be discussing and signing her book at the Needham Public Library on Tuesday, February 26 at 7:30 p.m.
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Framingham woman became a patient, then an advocate, for rare disease By Nance Ebert Contributing Writer FRAMINGHAM – Glenda Thomas knows first-hand the importance of a support group when faced with a medical challenge. She was diagnosed in 2013 with Myasthenia Gravis (MG). It is a rare autoimmune disease that results in abnormal weakness in certain muscles, and according to the dictionary, it is “marked by muscular weakness without atrophy and caused by a defect in the action of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions.” Her particular case is quite rare, and she feels blessed that a doctor who she has dubbed her “guardian angel” was quick to intervene. After a clinical assessment, the doctor got her started on a treatment protocol that has proven successful for her. And now she’s giving back as a volunteer and advocate. From affliction to advocacy Thomas is a member of the Massachusetts Rare Disease Advisory Council, a position that is appointed by the gov-
You are not by yourself. That is truly what I advocate for, along with a cure. ~ Glenda Thomas
After being diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis more than a decade ago, Glenda Thomas of Framingham joined a support group and later became the New England support group leader for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation.
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ernor. The Rare Disease Advisory Council advises the governor, the legislature, and the Department of Public Health on the incidence of rare disease within the Commonwealth and the status of the rare disease community. She is also the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation support group leader for New England. Thomas has lived in Framingham since 1980 and worked in corporate America for over 35 years, leaving to help care for ailing parents. Her father passed away and while caring for her mother, she was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. Even with this diagnosis, Thomas felt she needed something to occupy her time and make her feel productive, so she volunteered with Bay Path Elder Services (now Springwell) as a bill payer. Recognizing finance as one of her strengths, she began a new business venture twelve years ago as a daily money manager. In this role, she helps senior clients and disabled individuals with their day-to-day finances. Diagnosis took time “My symptoms began years before I was diagnosed,” she explained. “When you have a rare disease, it is challenging to put the pieces together. I had droopy eyelids that required surgery and I also had a droopy neck and was sent for physical therapy.” “It obviously did not help and, in my case, even with bloodwork ordered by my PCP, my results came back negative,” Thomas noted. “It wasn’t until further testing that confirmed a diagnosis. I am considered ‘rare within the rare.’ I have Muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) MG.” “Initially my PCP didn’t pick up on my droopy eyelids nor did my ophthalmologist. It was my mother’s doctor that insisted there was a neurological reason for this to be happening. Because he was not my doctor, I did not listen to him at the time. After the eyelid surgery, I had dry eyes and light sensitivity due
to the Myasthenia Gravis and ended up with trauma as a result,” said Thomas. A chronic condition Most individuals who are diagnosed with this disease can have a normal life expectancy except for a complication known as myasthenia crisis, which can be life threatening as it directly affects breathing. In this instance, immediate treatment is necessary for a struggling individual to breathe on their own. Some of the symptoms of this disease include double vision, difficulty swallowing, droopy eyelids or mouth, unsteady walking and more. There are treatments that can help but, at this point in time, there is no cure. Imaging and lab tests are always required, and it is a chronic condition that can last for years or a lifetime. Once diagnosed, Thomas quickly joined a support group and was very active from the beginning and became the support group leader for New England. She struggled to wash her hair, stand up straight, drive, take a dish out of the cabinet and even eating became extremely tiring, resulting in an extreme weight loss. After her treatment began, she immediately saw results and felt much better. She started with an infusion. Commitment to helping others It is Thomas’s mission to help people with MG navigate for themselves and be strong. She encourages people affected with this disease to share what is working and what still needs to be addressed. Hospitals are listening as many who suffer from this disease bring a lot of value to their patient care. “I have found a whole MG family,” said Thomas. “I have colleagues as far away as the West Coast and even in Europe. You are not by yourself. That is truly what I advocate for, along with a cure.”
For more information: Mass Rare Disease Advisory Council survey: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-rare-disease-advisory-council-rdac-survey New England MG community support: https://myasthenia.org/MG-Community/Find-MG-Support-Groups/PID/712/ SearchID/711/cfs/True/ddlcid_8/24
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Massachusetts snowmobile trail system stretches across the state By Sandi Barrett Contributing Writer REGION – Sunkissed snowflakes sparkle like winter diamonds across a wide field of fresh white powder. As you cut the first tracks of the day, your snowmobile glides along with a whir of kicked-up snow dancing in a cloud of white crystals. A beautiful day for a winter adventure. Across Massachusetts, intrepid winter outdoor enthusiasts are revving up their motorized sleds and breaking trails in fresh powder. Snowmobiling combines the fun of exploring beautiful New England winter scenery while satisfying an underlying need for speed. Adrenaline junkies throttle up their massive sleds and take to the trails as the snow blankets the forest and fields. It doesn’t matter if you are brand new to snowmobiling or have a fleet of your own snow toys, Massachusetts offers an extensive trail system, mostly on state land, for the let’s-go-playoutdoors adventure seeker. State Forest snowmobile trails The Massachusetts State Forest and Park system offers riders a wonderful selection of snowmobile trails.
Leominster State Forest Riding through a snow-covered forest is a magical experience. At Leominster State Forest, snowmobilers can zip across snow-packed multi-use trails that crisscross the 4,300-acre forest. Winding through five towns, Westminster, Princeton, Leominster, Fitchburg and Sterling, the North Central Massachusetts trail system is a winter wonderland adventure. Off-season free parking is available in the lot on Route 31 near the beach area. Because the trail system is multiuse, keep an eye out for cross country skiers utilizing the snowmobile tracks as “groomed” trails.
Massachusetts offers an extensive snowmobile trail system, mostly on state land, for winter fun when the snow flies.
From north to south and east to west, snowmobilers can hit the trails and enjoy a glorious day exploring Mother Nature’s winter beauty. Following are some of the best snowmobile trails in Massachusetts, in no particular order. Mount Greylock State Reservation One of the best snowmobiling and hiking trail systems in Massachusetts is at Mount Greylock State Reservation. A showstopper for the region, Mount Greylock clocks in at 3,491 feet, the
highest point in the Commonwealth. It’s popular for motor sled enthusiasts because you can ride your way up to the frosty summit. A ride to the top is not for the faint of heart, but on a clear day, the panoramic, snow-covered views are spectacular. Located in Lanesborough, the reservation is open year-round and offers a variety of programs in its visitor center. Ample parking and restrooms (9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) are two important perks available at Mount Greylock State Reservation.
Douglas State Forest Riding through a dense forest draped in a white snow blanket is the backdrop for stunning snowmobiling photos and a great day on the trails. At Douglas State Forest, you can traverse over 30 miles of trails on the 5,900-plus-acre woodland park. Bordering Connecticut and Rhode Island, it is a wonderful spot to enjoy a day exploring the trails. Myles Standish State Forest Tucked away in Carver is the masSnowmobile | 18
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Boston’s steaming kettle is 150 years old Boston’s iconic steaming kettle, now 150 years old, graces the façade of a Starbucks coffee shop in Government Center.
By Michael Perna Jr. Contributing Writer BOSTON – December of 2023 was the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Last year also marked the 150th anniversary of a related and iconic part of everyday life in the city―what is purportedly the world’s largest tea kettle. Promotional idea The year was 1873. The Oriental Tea Company was looking for a way to promote its sales, so it came up with the idea of a giant copper tea pot, made by a company called Hicks and Badger, which was hung up over the business. One source described the reason for the teapot being built was to easily advertise the company’s products to the large number of non-English speaking immigrants that called Boston home at the time. In 1875, the company held a contest―tickets were sold to the public which allowed people to guess how many gallons of water the 300-pound teapot held. In addition, as a larger publicity stunt, they could guess how many men and boys the pot could hold. The correct answer to the first
question turned out to be 275 gallons of water. Actually, the exact amount was 277 gallons, two quarts, one pint and three gills―a gill being a very old form of measurement for liquids. The amount was certified by the city’s Sealer of Weights and Measures―it took over an hour to find out exactly how much the kettle held. This information was then inscribed on one side of the pot. The answer to the second question was one man and eight boys, who climbed out of the pot in front of a crowd, estimated by one source at ten thousand people, that had gath-
ered for the event. It must be noted that the man and boys climbed out of the teapot before it was filled with the water used to measure its capacity. Relocation during 20th century Over the years, the Scollay Square neighborhood where the tea shop was located had declined badly, becoming known as a red-light district. In the mid-1960s, the area was redeveloped to make way for the Government Center complex. The Oriental Tea Shop, along with many other businesses, was evicted to make way for the new proj-
ect. The tea kettle itself was moved to another spot nearby at 63-65 Court Street, which was named the Steaming Tea Kettle Coffee Shop. The business changed hands in 1988 and was renamed the Croissant Du Jour, then later became one of the locations of the locally-based Coffee Connection chain. In 1997, it became a Starbucks. An enduring attraction Kamamon Hiraki, a manager at the Starbucks that has the kettle, said that patrons are “Absolutely amazed by it.” He said that the kettle has a water system that allows it to steam consistently. The hissing clouds of steam constantly draw attention to the business from the large crowds of businesspeople, tourists and local residents who pass by daily. “People come in all the time, look at the mural of the teapot in our entryway, then ask about whether we have any ‘merch’ (relating to the teapot) for sale,” explained Hiraki. “It is a pretty cool monument!” The huge teapot is indeed a monument to Boston’s long and historic past, one that hopefully will continue to intrigue future generations for many years to come.
Massachusetts snowmobile trail system Snowmobile | from page 17
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over two dozen private clubs, it is a goto resource for individuals looking to join a group of like-minded people. Snowmobile safety is paramount to enjoying the trails and sharing them with other winter outdoor enthusiasts. You can find several safety rules courses on the SAM Website (https:// www.sledmass.com/members/safety-classes/).
Tolland State Forest The Berkshire Hills is one of the most picturesque regions in Massachusetts. The centerpiece is Otis ReserPuzzle Answers Puzzle on page 14 voir, a 1,065-acre body of water. Frozen water views from the trails make picture-perfect memories as you ride past the pretty scenery. The 4,415-acre Tolland State Forest in East Otis is an outdoor paradise. Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts The Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts (SAM) helps develop and maintain interconnecting snowmobile trails from Worcester County to the Berkshires. Encompassing
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The smiley face was born in Worcester By Sharon Oliver Contributing Writer WORCESTER – Perhaps the most used emoji in the world is the smiley face. Many of us use it on a regular basis while texting family and friends from our smartphones. The yellow face smiling symbol has been a part of pop culture for decades, but its history is a complex one. While Frenchman Franklin Loufrani legally trademarked the use of a smiley face in 1972, it was Worcester native and decorated World War II veteran Harvey Ross Ball who designed the iconic symbol in 1963. Company morale booster When State Mutual Life Assurance Company of Worcester purchased Guarantee Mutual Company of Ohio, the merger caused low morale among employees. In an attempt to boost morale, Ball was hired as a freelance artist to come up with an image to improve the mood of the employees. He drew a sunny-yellow circle with a smile, added two eyes and created a smiley face. The project took around 10 minutes to complete and earned him a total of $45. Whether the new logo boosted morale or not is unclear but the
larger than the other and the mouth is not a perfect arc but “almost like a Mona Lisa mouth.”
Worcester artist Harvey Ball created the smiley face icon in 1963 as a morale booster for an insurance company’s employees.
company went on to make buttons, posters and signs adorned with the jaundiced grin. Unfortunately, neither Ball nor State Mutual attempted to copyright or trademark the design. The image continues to be modified or duplicated in numerous variations including color and facial expressions but according to Bill Wallace, Executive Director of the Worcester Historical Museum, the authentic Harvey Ball-designed smiley face can always be identified by its distinguishing features: the eyes are narrow ovals, one
A cultural phenomenon By 1971, smiley face buttons were everywhere, with more than 50 million having been sold. It was now an international icon. Ball eventually contacted patent attorneys who informed him that the design was now in the public domain. Ball’s son, Charles, reportedly said his father never regretted not registering the copyright, telling the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, “he was not a money-driven guy, he used to say, ‘Hey, I can only eat one steak at a time, drive one car at a time.’” Even though it was not a part of Ball’s original design, the phrase “Have a happy day” became associated with the smiley after two brothers from Philadelphia, Bernard and Murray Spain, sold products with the logo and phrase in the 1970s. They later changed the phrase to “Have a nice day.” The brothers, who owned two Hallmark card shops, were able to copyright the revised novelty items and sell them as such. Despite acknowledging the original smiley was Ball’s design, they publicly took credit for the icon during an appearance on the television show
“What’s My Line” in 1971. Ball’s legacy Ball founded the World Smile Foundation, a non-profit charitable trust that supports children’s causes, in 1999. The group organizes World Smile Day, which takes place on the first Friday of October each year and is a day dedicated to “good cheer and good works.” The catchphrase for the day is: “Do an act of kindness — help one person smile.” As for Franklin Loufrani, founder of the Smiley Company, a legal battle over copyright and trademark issues ensued with Walmart, which started using the smiley face as a corporate logo in 1996 and tried to claim ownership of it. The lawsuit lasted 10 years and cost both companies millions of dollars. The case was settled out of court and terms remain undisclosed. Harvey Ross Ball died as a result of liver failure in 2001 and his cemetery headstone is emblazoned with his iconic creation above his name. The Ball family land was purchased in 2007 by the city of Worcester and the property links Mass Audubon’s Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary with the developing Blackstone River Bikeway. It is known as the Harvey Ball Conservation Area, home to the Smiley Face Trail.
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