Volume 18, Issue 3, 2002

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Printed in the Spirit of the Mid-Town Journal and Dedicated to ~Being the
·collective Conscience of Urban Renewal and Eminent Domain in the City of Boston.
www.thewestendernews.com
VOLUME 18, NO. 3
James Campano, Editor/Publisher
0
September, 2002
Email: [email protected]
His money is dirty....
0
(617) 628-2479
West Ender Reunion planned for Nov. 2002
The Museum is in us all...
•
our memories
Dear Jim,
the streets. I was twenty
Regarding the article in when that happened, it was
the last edition of The West a summer morning and I
Ender, about the museum, was working nights, seven
perhaps Rappaport doesn't to seven.
get the message-we don't
I got home about eight in
want his money, it's dirty. the morning, ·my parents
What he and his people did, had left for work, we lived
money cannot atone for or one floor up and owned the
buy our forgiveness.
building or thought we did.
Jim, there is a museum I had just gone to sleep
in all of us, it's in our when a loud noise awakmemory, and there are ened me, it was our door
mental artifacts of our being kicked in. I jumped
neighborhood instilled out of bed and went to the
there.
door.
I lived at 85 Poplar St.,
Standing in our hallway
which means "nothing to were armed police and the
Rappaport, because he , sheriff. My phone was
wasn't there physically ripped out and all utilities
when we . were put out on .
Continued on page 2
· West Enders file appeal
West Enders filed an appeal on the South Boston
Fan Pier Waterfront Project.
We have stated that the
project does not serve a
proper public purpose as it
is being built on filled Commonwealth of Massachu-
setts tidelands, which is
considered public domain.
West Enders claim that
insufficient public benefits
have not been included in
the project. Stay tuned for
future updates.
--Jim Campano
Jim Campano is the only person authorized
to accept memorabilia (pictures, etc.)
for The West Ender.
at
at a record hop at Medford High School in 1959 (right).
They will be performing at the West Ender Reunion, Sun., Nov. 10 at Anthony's Function
Hall in SomervUle. For more irifo, call 617-628-24 79 after Sept. 16th.
The West Ender Reunion will be held Sunday, November 10,2002
at' Anthony's' Function
Hall located at 156 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA. This event will
West Ender
Mass, Sept. 29
St. Joseph's Parish is
happy to announce that the
West Ender Mass will be the
last Sunday in September on
September 29th.
This West Ender Mass will
kick off a year of activities
celebrating the 140th anniversary of the creation of St.
Joseph's Parish in 1862. The
Continued on page 2
feature the first appearance
in 40 years of the reunited
Crescents, starring lead
singer Frankie Parts (Frank "Bogey" Spinale), formerly of
24 Hale St.
Frank has consented to
give a performance for his old
neighorhood. Frank, along
with Jackie Carroll, Nelson
Caruso and Butchie Russo
will give a virtuoso performance that dates back to
their start in 1960. Frankie
Paris' career has spanned 40
years and he has performed
all over the world to enthusiastlc audiences.
Come and see Frank and
the Crescents strut their stuff
for their West End friends.
The reunion will feature a
sit-down roast beef dinner.
Tickets are $40 for an individual ticket or $350 if
you buy a table of ten. To
order tickets send your
checks to The West Ender,
P.O. Box 440-413, Somerville, MA 02144. You must
clearly mark the lower left
hand side of the envelope
"For Reunion Tickets."
For more information,
call The West Ender at
617-628-2479 after Sept.
16th. Hope to see you all
there!
Joe LoPiccolo has been soliciting memorabilia from West
Enders. Joe has no connection to The West Ender or the West
End Museum. Your memorabilia will end up in Joe's personal
--Jim Campano
collection.
If you haven't renewed your subscription to
'IDlfe ~est ~n~er, now's the time
$10 Per Year
Wly£ ~est ~nhcr
P.O. BOX 440-413
SOMERVILLE, MA 02144
(617) 628-2479
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PAGE2
SEPTEMBER 2002
Wife -est '!li!Wer
P.O. BOX440-413
SOMERVILLE, MA 02144
TEL. (617) 628-2479
Staff
Editor .•.•......•.•.•..•.•...•..•....•••..•.••. JAMES CAMPANO
Co-Founder. •.•........•....•.••••..•••.... RAYMOND J. PAPA
All letters, articles and photos submitted to this publication
become the property of The West Ender.
Jim Campano is the only person authorized to accept
memorabilia for The West Ender.
The West Ender will return pictures if you enclose a self-addressed, stamped
envelope, but will retain all rights to publish them and to use the images
The West Ender is a quarterly publication. ·
Letter to Rev. William Leahy
Rev. William Leahy
Church in the 21st Century,
Boston College
Commonwealth Ave.
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Dear Reverend:
I address you as Reverend
because I think your most
important duties are as a
priest. All other secular
chores should come after
your spiritual mission.
I read the article about
you last Thursday [May 23 ,
2002) in the Boston Herald
and felt I must write. I think
the biggest problem with the
archdiocese is the arrogance
with which it is being run.
Instead of let's all reason together and find a just solution, they think we're the
good guys we can't be wrong,
too many priests think their
secular jobs far outweigh
their spiritual responsibilities.
I am President of the Old
West End Housing Corp. We
were . partners with the
archdiocese's Planning Offtc.e <;>fUrbai1Affairs .. That we
were treated most shabbily
and pushed out of the project
would not have bothered me
if we were dealing with a forprofit developer-they are
known to cheat and lie. But
a developer wearing a collar
is supposed to represent a
little different perspective.
The Planning Office of Urban Affairs leaves a bad taste
in whatever neighborhood
they go. They lie to get the
permits and permission of
the neigliborlioods and then
do the opposite of what they
promised they would do.
I am still a practicing
Catholic, but I am a disillusioned one. I once believed
you could trust the priesthood, but no longer think
that way.
Hoping for a Better Church
Jim Campano, Publisher
A1TENTION:
GIRLS HIGH .SCHOOL ALUMNAE
150th Annual Luncheon
All classes invited.
Saturday, October 5, 2002 - 12:30 p.m.
The Radisson, Boston, MA
Call Helen Segouin at 781-289-9567
if you are not on our mailing list.
The West Ender is looking for your input.
Send your leHers & articles of
West End interest to:
P.O. Box 440-413 ·Somerville, MA 02144 or
Email: [email protected]
Mystery series
portrays the·
neighborhood
City Councilor Brian Honan
will be missed by all
Beacon Hill Confidential
written by former West .
Ender William McLaughlin
Beacon Hill Confidential is
accurate in its portrayal of
Scolley Sq. , Beacon Hill and
the West End. It touches the
soul and vibrancy of Scolley
Sq. in the 1940's and is an
enjoyable read. But be forewarned, some of our readers
might be put off by its explicit sex.
Boston City CouncUor Brian Honan at a West End affair
stopped to chat with West Enders Norman Herr and Jim
Campano. Honan recently passed away suddenly qfter this
affair. He will be greatly missed by aU Boston neighborhoods.
West Ender Mass - Sunday, Sept. 29
Continued from page 1
Boston, 1951. An attractive socialite crosses the
tracks to hire Scollay Square
private eye, Francis Fallon
for a simple infidelity case
that mushrooms out of control when her husband's
mistress turns up dead with
a bullet to her head. But the
victim's roommate, a chorus
girl at the famous Old Howard burlesque house, believes it's murder not suicide.
Fallon continues the investigation against the wishes
of the police and mafia, and
uncovers murder, blackmail,
espionage and more!
As a boy, Bill McLaug.hlin's newspaper delivery
route included both Beacon
Hill's exclusive Louisburg
·Square and the infamous
Scollay Square of the 50s.
The fascinating characters
who inhabited these contrasting areas were permanently etched in his mind
and, through this Francis
Fallon mystery series, finally
get -the express ion they demand. Bill lives alone on
Beacon Hill where he's fast
a t work on the second novel
in the s eries.
He can be ema iled a t :
Mys teryBooksmith@aol. com
church itself was designed
and erected in 1823 by
Alexander Parris one Boston's noted architects (he
designed the Quincy Market
complex).
The Mass itself will take
place in St. Joseph's Church
at 11:30 a.m. Fr. Troy, our
pastor, will be the principal
celebrant. Other church dignitaries have been invited.
The usual reception will
take place immediately following the Mass in the lower
hall. A light brunch will be
served. There will be time to
give greetings to those who
have not seen one another
since last year.
There will be the special
booklet devoted to the deceased members of all the
families of St. Joseph's Parish. Each person on theWest
Ender Mass mailing list will
receive a letter from Father
Gabe inviting them to attend
the Mass and the reception
afterwards and also to have
them give the names of their
deceased to be remembered
at the Mass. Father Gabe
stated that if you did not receive a letter last year, please
give a call to 61 7-532-4342
and leave your full name
(please give spelling of last
name) and address, including your zip. A letter will be
sent immediately and you
will also be placed on the
mailing list .
At the request of many
who wanted something to
carry away with them from
the reception, St. Joseph will
have available at the reception a calender for year 2002
that will include pictures at
St. Joseph's West End. There
will also be available some
other St. Joseph IJlemorabilia which can be used as a
Christmas "stocking filler".
St. Joseph is planning a
special booklet for its 140th
anniversary. If you have pictures or writings, articles,
etc . from "the old times"
please send them to the
church with the date and
names of the persons shown
in the pictures or the date of
the ceremony depicted in the
picture. If you have other
information suitable for the
parish history, please contact St. Joseph and a member of the historical team will
contact you directly. St.
Joseph's historical committee is still looking for
information on the picture
hanging over the altar.
Father Gabe gave answers
to some frequently asked
questions: 1. Masses can be
requested from St. Joseph's
for any occasion; 2 . Weddings can be arranged; 3.
Funerals can be arranged.
Again, Father Troy stated
that all West Enders and
their families are always invited to the ceremonies and
the parish activities at St.
Jos eph's parish community.
.
.
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SEPTEMBER 2002
PAGE3
LETTERS
~
Dirty money....
Continued from page 1
were turned off. Parked in
front of my house was a moving van. At that time our furniture was put in the van and
taken away. We had no place
to go.
Several weeks before this
happened to us, an incident
that's vivid in my memory
occurred: An elderly woman
was standing in front of her
house holding a brick while
a crane was destroying her
home. She lived on Poplar St.
between Spring and Chambers streets. And was hysterically screaming in Hebrew. Later I learned that the
only possession she had was
that building. Her husband
had died and left it to her. It
was sad to see, particularly
when she and her husband
had survived Nazi concentration camps. Memories like
these, Rappaport's money
can't erase.
I know Joe and Richie,
they are good people but perhaps someone or somebody,
not from our neighborhood
told them wrong. If we never
get a museum, we all have
one inside of us and that's
something that can't be
taken away or bought with
dirty money.
Arthur Venditti
You did the right thing
Dear Jim,
I was talking to my friend,
a former West Ender, the
other night. She asked me
what I thought about the
Rappaport payoff, saying she
thought it was probably a
good id~a to take the money.
I had not read the paper yet,
so, not really knowing what
was going on, I said, I think
so too, qecause after all,
money is money, and it
helps.
The next day I was reading The West Ender, read the
article, and immediately
thought to myself-Jim ,
Frank, et al did the right
thing. Why be beholden to
Mr. Rappaport? Before you
know it, he would want his
name in the paper, and on a
plaque, touting what a benevolent benefactor he is.
Good for you-ultimately
you did the right thing. ·
Judy Sherman Rogers
NO! to the Rappaport's
Mr. Campano;
I have enclosed a check for
renewal and a little more to
help you continue your good
work.
I look forward to receiving
The West Ender and when I
do, I drop everything and sit
down to read it. It gives me
so much pleasure to read
about the Old West End and
all the familiar names!
The LoGrippo family lived
at 16 1/2 So. Margin St. then
lastly to 35 So. Margin St.Cassaro bakery on the street
floor. After that Mr. Rappaport changed everything
and our lives!
I say "no" we should not
let the Rappaport's clean
their name at our expense!!!
So long for now! Keep up
the good work.
Sincerely,
Jennie (LoGippo) Ferracane
Urban renewal- a takeover
Editor:
Some four and a half decades ago the covetuous
planners called it "urban renewal" (code word for demolition), eminient domain, acquisition. With the sugarcoated code as the crutch
they proceeded to tear down
our diverse West End society, build their plush condos
and establish a new social
order.
In today's lexicon it would
be called a takeover-a
ripoff.
J. Almeida
(Bomber)
Time to
move on
~
More baseball memories
the Red Sox. Charlie had
Dear Jim:
Here are my"dues" for an- great pride and when they
Being a well seasoned other year of interesting asked him to say he was
from Puerto Rico, and deny
West Ender. I would like in memories and stories.
I enclose the article about his heritage, he told them
my lifetime, to see the West
End Museum completed , the baseball hitter [letter in where to go. Ted Williams
and to be able to share my June 2002 West Ender]. Ire- said when he returned from
memories with my wife, chil- member one fellow who we Korea that he would not play
dren and grandchildren. used to call Rumbo, due to a until he could hit Charlie.
lengthy Italian name, who
Please keep up the good
Time to move on.
Richard Deegan could really hit. I know he work. Need you.
had a tryout with the Red
Maybe yoti can ask subBuddy Clark or Sox but he could not hurt the scribers to list their e-mail
curve ball.
- addresses so we can talk to
"Sambo" Goldberg Speaking of baseball, how each other.
Fraternally,
many of us remember
Dear Editor:
Bob Singer
The enclosed picture is Charlie Bird. He used to
(Pop Singer's youngest)
one of "Sambo" Goldberg pitch in the old park league
[email protected]
who was quite the West and also had a try out with
Ender in his day. He was a
catcher for the West End
Treasury of Lost and Found
House baseball team.
of your editions of The West
Dear Mr. Campano:
Thanks to your letters to Ender and wrote you to ask
the editor section, which I for my phone number. She
refer to as "A Treasury of called, as did her husband
Lost and Found", I was con- Eddie, who I hadn't seen or
tacted by Lillian Kawa who h~ard from in fifty five
had seen my vame in one years .
Eddie is at the Aberjona
Nursing Facility in Winchester. Tomorrow my wife
Enders
Alice and I will visit Eddie
Dear Jim:
there for a long overdue
I would like to thank the reunion. Lillian will be
hundreds of West Enders there too. If it had not been
and others who gave me the for your "Treasury of Lost
opportunity to be their fam- and Found" this might never
ily physician for over 50 yrs. have come about. We are
I retired in 1999 and have grateful to you and The
lost contact with many pa- West Ender.
He had a beautiful singAfter I had mailed my
ing voice and moved to Hol- tients and friends. However,
in every issue of The West last letter to you it oc lywood. There was a name
Ender there are letters, pic- curred to me that I had
change to Buddy Clark. His
claim to fame was a record tures and stories of many of neglected to enclose my
them.
subscription fee. Check
he made with Doris DayI am looking forward to fu- enclosed. Please mail The
Linda! He met with an unture issues.
West Ender to the address
timely death by accident. I
Morris Hyde M.D. P.S. at the head of this letter.
am not sure if it was in a
Cordially,
plane crash or an auto acci- Trivia Question: Where was
the Grant School located?
Fred
Press
dent. The picture is yours for
··Thanks
the newspaper.
Morris Hyde
to West ·
~ ( ) ( )~
(~ !
The West
Ender
•
IS
a
Quarterly
Publication
\1\' I ,
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f- , : l ! i ~ ,
c~:
'!,
The following West Enders have contributed $100 or more to our
cause in 2002. We salute them! Now is the time to send your check in
the amount of $100 if you are interested in becoming a member.
Frank Privitera
Albert & Ann Cohen
Donald Zerkndow
Kevin McGrath
The West End Bowling League
Betty & Israel Katz
Vincent Raso
Mike Freedman
Morris M. Hyde
Jack LaSpina
Victor DeMarco
Bernard Condelli
PAGE4
SEPTEMBERa 2002
LETTERS
11
11
Does anyone
· remember the
Debisz family?
Fantastic memo~es of growing
up in ·the West End
Dear Jim,
Enclosed please find my
renewal check for The West
Ender and a small contribution. My father and I look
forWard to read the news of
a great community. I fondly
recall the fantastic memories of "growing up" in the
West End at 27 Eaton St.~
at the entrance to the Blackstone Schoolyard, whtch . ·
was the focal ·point of my .
childhood by playing so
many different games with
one simple "pimple" ball,
e.g., "punchball" on three
different playing surfaces
with each field having its
own rules, "stickball," "off
the wall," "off the steps,"
"Chinese," "handball" and
"Bear, Bear." Of course, the
friends with whom we play-
ed were "super," always
wanting to play after school
til supper time, then afterwards we would meet at the
West End House for either
basketball or the "rec" room.
Hopefully, if there is areunion planned, I'd like to be
notified. We were the 8th .
grade class of St. Joseph's
in ~57.
· On.a sad note, we lost our
mother, · Rose Pisano, this
past February. She loved the
West End, had many .
friends, and fully enjoyed
life there.
So keep the memories
alive and continued success
on your great efforts to keep
us informed.
Gratefully,
Phil Pisano
A gathering at the Dewsnaps-{left-rtght) Michael
Mascari (Chambers St.), Vinnie Raso (Wall St.), Bobby
De{.l!sn,ap (Auburn St.), Eddie DiBlasi (Lynde St.) and Joe
ScaljanL
Anyone interested in Florida reunion?
Dear Editor;
Enclosed is my renewal to
The West Ender. I really enjoy the articles and the pictures.
Does anyone remember
the "Embers"? Also if there
are former West Enders in
Florida (and I am sure there
Thank you for the newspaper
Decu:Jim;
Thank you for making the
newspaper happen! Enclosed is my · appreciation
check. I am afraid I will forget and the paper will stop
coming. There would be a
terrible void without it. ·
Enjoying every issue and
looking forward to the next
Joy to read paper
. I
Dear Jim;
Enclosed is my renewal
plus a small donation. Please ·
keep The West Ender coming.
It is such a joy to read. Keep
up the good work.
Mary (Grillo) Peluso
one. My sister Maureen and
brothers· Jimmy and Tom
lived at N. Russell St. next
to Sam Webber's variety
store and Marien's Beauty
Shop. Mom and dad, Jim
And Rita.
Fondly,
Kathy "Deary" D Aloisio
Too many reasons
Editor:
I cannot tell you in 50
words or less why I have
strong feelings about the demolished West End. There
would be too many reasons
left unsaid ...
J. Almeida (Bomber)
(submitted by Vinnie Raso)
.
Walking
down memory lane....
- .
Dear Jim,
I continue to read and
enjoy The West Ender.
In case your readers
are interested, several of
the articles I wrote on the
West End back while I
was at Harvard have been
reprinted in a volume of
my past · writings: "Between Eminence and Notoriety: Four Decades of
Radical Urban Planning."
Included are "Social Values and Housing Orientations," which described
life in the West End and
criticized the planners for
Law Offices of
Thomas F. Colonna
• Auto Accidents
• Slips and Falls
Real Estate Closings
are), how about a Florida
reunion!! I would be happy
to help organize one. Anyone
interested may contact me at
772-283-6322 or at email
[email protected].
Thank you for enjoyable
reading.
Audrey Bardsley
• Work Injuries
· • Wrongful Death
• Wills, Estates and Trusts
FREE CONSULTATIONS
16 Bradlee Road
Medford, MA
99 Walnut St., Suite A
Saugus, MA
(781) 395-2834
(781) 231-4900
"The Housing of Relocated Families," which
documented the poor results of West End relocation.
Jane Jacobs did a foreword to the book, and I
have a long introduction,
which covers my West
End work.
The book may be available in libraries; it's been
published by the Rutgers
Univ. Center for Urban
Policy Research, 33 Livingston Ave., #400, New
Brunswick, NJ 08903,
732-932-:3133.
All the best,
Chester Hartman
Executive Director
Poverty & Race Research
Action Council
Brings back
•
memories
Hi;
Attached is my renewal to
The West Ender. I love reading and seeing pictures of the
West End it brings hack wonderful memories. Thanks for
all your work in getting out
a great newspaper for all of
us to enjoy so much.
Lena (DiMadica) Giso
Hi West Ender;
Thank you for getting in
touch with me. My family
lived on Norman St. from
1959 to 1962. We were German immigrants. We attended Peter Fanueil School,
the old boys club, and made
our communion at St.
Joseph's Church. The address was 59 Norman St., we
were some of the last people
living there.
Can you in your publica'uon reach out to anyone who
might remember us. My parents names were Hilda and
Walter Debisz.
It was a great place to live
and get the first taste of
America at age eight.
Thank you,
Manny Debisz
1 Concord Coach Dr.
Salem, NH 03079
Thanks for
the pictures
DearEditor,
Thank you very much for
the 2 copies of The West
Ender which had pictures of
my twin sons, Ricky and
Mickey Connor. One of the
, other boys is Bobby Honaker
alongwithJo Bona. The boys
· rememberhavtnggood times
in the West End ·the short
time they were there before
it was demolished. Thanks
again.
Sarah Connor-Nee
(Francina, AI the Barber's
daughter, whose shop was
on Green St. next to the
Pink Dahlia)
Nice to receive
the paper
' Editor:
Please excuse the lateness
of my renewal. You see when
you ge't older your mind
seems to go. And I am getting older.
Always nice to receive The
West Ender. Keep up the
good work.
Harold Kaplan
PAGES
SEPTEMBER 2002
OBITUARIES
Remembering
Jackie (Le'Voeroni) Vadala
It seems like yesterday
when I met Jackie (Leveroni) .
Vadala and her family. They
rented the first floor apartment and us the second
Uoor.
I came from a family of
four ~hildren but after getting to Joanne and Jackie
our family became six. My
mom and dad treated tbem
like us, no favorites.
· Then the sad day came
when we were told ·t hat they
were moving but the good
thing was they were going to
be within walking distance
to Cambridge.
Many a time we would
walk over to visit, especially
on the basketball dance
night at the West End House.
We had a great time. I met
my husband of fifty yeG\rS
there (Eddie Langone). To me
it was a different world-so
mu.c!\ t,o 9o, ~nd ,~njoy.
I lost track of Jackie after
her first born. So many
times I would wonder where
they had gone. In my mind I
would always picture a
happy girl with pigtails down
past her waist. It seems like
people get on with their busy
life and the West End became part of my fond memories.
What I loved most about
the West End was the smell
of sauce cooking in most
hallways and Sunday dinner
at my in-laws, Frank and
Mamie Langone.
I would love to hear from
friends who had the pleasure
of knowing Jackie after she
ieft Cambridge. My e.:.:Mail is
[email protected]
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Noreen (Harvey) Langone
West Enders related by friendship
Hi,
Many thanks for enabling
us to relive our childhood
and keep our fondest memories alive. We applaud your
hard work and dedication.
In your June 2002 edition
a letter written by Mary
(LoGrippo) Frazier of
Somerville mentioned my
cousin Eleanor Bruno who
passed away many years ago
from spinal meningitis. I was
quite taken back that one of
her friends still remembers
that sad day. I guess this is
proof of real people that feel
far others sorrow even if they
are not related.
We all know that all West
Enders are in fact related by
friendship and a strong
neighborhood bond.
Thanks Again,
Nina( Zizzo) Schifone
formally 33lf2 Green St.
West End helped make me good
Dear Jim;
Enclosed is my renewal of
my subscription to The West
Ender. Growing up at 18
Barton St. helped make me
what I am today-a good father, husband and grandfather. There were always fam-
ily, friends and neighbors to
watch out for you. Please
keep the paper coming as I
look forward to seeing old
friends names and pictures.
God Bless You,
Dominic Calabruso
(Dom Cal)
The West Ender is always looking for items of interest on the
Old West End. Send your items of West End interest to
P .0. Box 440-413 • Somerville, MA 02144
Sorry to her about
• • L
D
. ODllDIC ,ODgO
Mary H. Mehegan
MaryH. MeheganofCambridge, died Friday, Aug. 23 .
at Mount Auburn 'Hospital. ''
De<~:r Editor; .
.
She was 91.
I was very sorry to learn
Born in Dorchester and
that Dominic , Longo had rais~d in the' old 'West End, .
passed ~way. He was a great Mrs. Mehegan was at paraguy he grew up in the West chi~i and Boston public
End with my .late husb~d schools, graduated from the
Max (Star) Kravitz. When my High School pfPractical Arts
,beloved, hvsband died, in RoxbJ.Iry in 1928, .and .
DomJJ::lic was nice enough to .from Fay SecretarJal School
keep in touch with me. It .was in 1936. Before her marriage Mary Mehegan _
always a pleasure to hear to Alfred Mehegan in· 1941 ! for former governor Michael
from him. , ·
she worked as a secretary at :· ·D.u kakis. She was intolerant
I was born at 53 . Barton· Trayel~rs ,Insttranctb C-o., • :.of.ra<lial or-religious bigotry.
St.. When I was five years old ' ' Sears · Roebuck~ · for Leverett . •Mrs. Mehegan's three unmy family moved to Malden, Saltonstall when he was published memoirs of her
Ma. I still have a few memo- speaker of the Massachu- grandparents, parents, and
ries of the West End.
setts House, and the Com- her life up through h~r
My husband lived in Jhe munity Fund. In the 1960s husband's death in 1966 ofWest End at 94 Brighton St. · and '70s, she wor~ed for the fer a vivid record of Boston
until l936 when we married. Northeastern University ad- politics, neighborhoods, reliI enjoy reading The West missi~ns department and for gion, ethnicity, entertain- .
Ender, keep up the good Plays Magazine of Boston, ment, class, family economwork. Good health and hap- which publishes theatricals ics, soci<d life, the Deprespiness to you and your whole for children.
sion and the home front of
family.
In 1967, she joined. The ' Worid War II.
Mrs. Mehegan leaves her
Sincerely, Horn Book Magazine, the
.
Boston-based
cqildren's
brother,
Edward Humphreys
Sarah Kravitz
..
. book r:eview,. aod-was c¥".c u- ·"~ofDeilllis; .tw.o sons, Eeter of
lation manager at the time Scituate and David of
of her retirement in 1981.
Hingham; and two daughMrs. Mehegan was an ac- ters, Florence Ely of Scituate
tive member of St. Mary of and Paula Weeks of CamDear Mr. Campano,
I have enclosed a donation the Nativity p'arish in bridge.
A funeral Mass was said
to The West Ender in memory Scituate.for many years, especially
in
the
Women's
Soat
St. Mary of the Nativity
of my uncle, Leo Abramo. He
dality
and
the
annual
May
Church,
Scituate. Burial was
passed away on June 27th
Procession
in
honor
of
the
in
Union
Cemetery.
arid will be missed by all.
Virgin
Mary.
I feel safe in speaking for
In the 1950s, she volun- Leo C. Abrano
him when I say that The West
Leo C. Abramo, of Camteered
at St. Thomas
Ender was a wonderful
bridge,
died June 27. He was
source of information in his Aquinas Library in Scituate,
the
devoted
husband of
life. He awaited each issue a private Catholic library.
Emma
(Quinn).
Her reading and interests
and enjoyed reading about
Loving brotber of Camille
were
wide-ranging, embracthe old and the new issues
Saitta,
and the late Salvatore
and people of Boston's West ing foreign affairs, American
and
Joseph
Abramo, and
End, having grown up in the and European 'biography,
Mary
Lemmo;
brother-in-law
politics, history, memoir,
very heart of the West End.
of
Christine
and Edward
You and your publication sociology, and the arts.
Connolly.
He
is
also survived
have endeared yourself to so Though she favored nonficby
many
nieces
and nephmany people, uniting genera- tion, she also liked fiction
ews.
tions who both personally and poetry, and wrote in
H~ was a WWII Army vetexperienced living in the West both genres as a young
eran
and member of the ArEnd and those of us who woman. She took up the
lington
Retired Men's Club.
have listened to wonderful study of Latin in her sixties.
Interment
is at the CamMrs. Mehegan was an arstories over the years which
bridge
Catholic
Cemetery.
make us feel as if we were dent New Dealer in her
there, every step of the way. youth and a life long Demo- Lucy (Peloso) Lanzillo
I wish you continued suc- crat. Her private and polite
Lucy (Peloso) Lanzillo, of
cess and the finances and nature, along with herfamil- Somerville, formerly of Bosfortitude to continue your ial and work responsibilities, ton's West End, on July
were not conducive to grassmission.
24th. Beloved wife of the late
Regards, roots politicking, but in the Danny Lanzillo.
Ann-Leona (Abramo) 1980s she steeled herself
Continued on page 9
Donovaro and made canvassing calls
Leo Abramo
will be missed
r.
PAGE6
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SEPTEMBER 2002
9>cun 9>~'6 65tli 9JVttlultuj
II
Given by his children on Sunday, May 19 at the Roxie
A superb evening of fun and entertainment
I
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Part3
· Old West End memories
1937 and 1938 when I lived
by Santo AureUo
There were many other res- nearby, but then we moved
taurants or grocery stores or to another street. Some 56
food shops that could be men- years later, in 1994, I bought
tioned. I recall very well Foti's a house in Arlington, MassaFruit Store (corner of Cham- chusetts, that had been built
bers and Spring streets), by the owner of that candy
Barney Sheff s Restaurant store. Of course, I didn't find
(across the street from Foti's), this out until 1994. Further,
Silver Bakery (corner of I was told that he was the first
Spring and Poplar streets), person in the United States
and the "chicken place" to introduce the selling of
(Lowell Street near its inter- candy in theaters, and that
section with Willard Street), he had become a multi-milwhere the customers would lionaire. As my late motherpick out their chickens and in-law used to say, "Isn't it a
watch them killed and small world?"
The candy store that I genplucked right before their
eyes. Now, that's fresh chick- erally frequented was
ens! I always got a kick going Kramer's on Leverett Street in
to Silver Bakery. There was the middle of the block beone older woman there who tween Spring and Ashland
would get visibly excited if you streets. I started going there
tendered a large bill to her for in the third grade, about
your purchase. It would go 1940; I stopped when I went
something like this: in a very into the Army in 1953. I'll
dramatic, high-pitched, but never forget the proprietors,
fluctuating voice: "Oh, a ten- Mr. and Mrs. Kramer. They
dollar bill. My goodness. All were very nice people. They
right, darling, here's your ' liked me; I liked them. In fact,
change. Forty cents for the Mr. Kramer taught me how to
donuts, and here's 60 cents; count in Yiddish from ohe to
that comes io a dollar. TWo 100 and he also taught m,e
and three and four, .and this how to say a few Yiddish exmakes it five;
six and pressions. He was a good
seven and eight and nine, and teacher. I still can remember
one more makes it ten-ten . everything he taught me. 'I
dollars. Oh, don't lose it, dar- had a good relationship with
both Mr. and Mrs. Kramer. :
ling."
The West End also had its Later, about 1945 or so, Mrs.
share of candy stores. IU only Kramer would cry when she
mention those that I fre- saw me. One day she told me
quented. There was one an why. She had two children, a
Causeway Street opposite boy and a girl. Her boy was
Shapiro's Liquor Stare; there 30 years old when he stepped
was another called Minnie an a rusty nail. Infection set
White's on Green Street in; medication couldn't conacross the street from my trol it; and he died. And I
dentist, Moses Goldstein, looked like her son. But she
near the corner of Green and bore up pretty well and conChambers streets; and an- tinued with life and living. She
other on Stanifard Street near and her husband had worked
the Salvation Army Rescue hard to support themselves
Mission near the intersection and their children, including
of Staniford and Lyman sending both of them to colstreets. I'm not sure of the lege. The Kramers now tried
name of the last-mentioned to content themselves with
candy store, but I think it was being concerned with their
called Califomia Candy. It daughter-and their grandchilwas a big store with not too dren.
I would go to their candy
much variety of candy disstore
daily because not only
played, but there were big
did
they
sell candy, but they
boxes of candy lying about.
also
sold
milk, cigarettes, and
Actually, they were "cases" of
newspapers,
including the
candy. I got the impression
Italian
newspaper,
1l Prothat the owner was a candy
gresso.
The
Kramers
lived
in
supplier, and that this was his
the
back
of
the
store,
up
five
showroom. I only went to this
candy store a few times in
Continued on page 7
and'
I .
BUly Settipane andjrlend, PhU Oddo
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SEPTEMBER 2002
,
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'ID4e ~est ~nbe:r
Boston city officials dedicate Sonny Rao Little League Field
PAGE7
West End memories
On Wednesday, June 19, 2002, Boston city Continuedfrom page 6
member that in 1946, right
_ officialspaidtrtbutetoSalvatore"Sonny"Rao or six stairs. Mr. Kramer beforewegraduated,St.Joe's
by dedicating the Boston Common Little would open up the store at sponsored a fair, and a thin
League Field in his honor naming it "The 7:15 a.m. or so, but he had a young man attended. He was
Sonny Rao Little League Field."
hard time getting up in the running for office and was
Sonny grew up in the West End, Phillip St. morning. I would go to his dotting the i's and crossing
Grove St. Spring St. Popular St, Leveret St, store daily. In fact, I was gen- the t's by attending all funcBarton St and many more, and was a mem- erally his first customer. Most tions, large and small. And
ber of the Darwin Club in the West End House. of the time when I got there, who was this enterprising
In the 1960's, while working at his store, The the store would be closed, so man? Why. none other than
Pickney Market on Charles Street, he saw the I would go into the alley on our very own John Fitzgerald
need for youngsters to play ball. With the West the side of the store and bang Kennedy, who, 14 years later,
End House moving into Brighton, Sonny or- on a certain window and yell was elected to the Presidency!
ganized Little League Baseball with the Bos- for him to wake up. Finally,
Most of my friends did not
ton Common as the home field. It is stronger Mr. Kramer would wake up own bikes. I never owned one.
today, thanks to Sonny for thinking ahead to and growl, "Okay, okay. I'm But what I did on occasion
the future. One of his many feats was that no coming, I'm coming." A few was rent bikes. I think it cost
one was a loser. When the championship game minutes later he would open 15 or 20 cents for an hour or
was played, not only did the winners get a the front door and we would so. At the time I rented these
trophy, but so did the losing team. What a take in the newspapers and bikes, we were living at 18
feeling for a youngster, to lose the champion- other items that might be Ashland Street at the comer
ship and still win a trophy.
outside the door, like milk and of Chambers and Ashland;
Two years ago, Sonny was honored with bread. This was our daily and about 125 feet from our
his name on the trophy. Sonny passed away ritual. In each person's life, if apartment down Chambers
Presenting pla.que: (-r) Cub's player, Giant last year, but to take this statement out of one is lucky, he or she is ex- Street on the left-hand side
player, Carl Rao, City Councilor Mike Ross
text "It is as much a tribute to Rao's legacy as posed to warm and unfor- there was a bike rental shop.
the dedication itself."
getal;>le relationships. My I remember one day I rented
Presenting the plaque at the Boston Com- knowing the Kramers is cer- a bike, tookalongride(lnever
mon was City Councilor Mike Ross, · to Carl tainly one of those relation- had good balance, though),
Rao, Sonny's oldest son. In attendance .were ships.
and I had an accident. Fm: my
Sonny's wife Rita, son Carl with wife Georgtrta,
Every year St. Joe's would trouble, I received a nice gash
son Anthony, daughter Kare!J.. brothers .haveaMayProcession.Allthe onmyleftcalf. (You can still
Angelo, Joseph and M}chael, mariy<>the:r:.rela- . students would~parade; white see the scar therC? ov~r half a
tjve_&•.. fx:ie:nds ap._9 _players ~l!P. p~yed _qn :_suits would ~- wogt b){' ~e~~-5entury ~ate::!)_ ~ 'the bik~s
Sonny's first team. ·
·
·
boys; white dresses wOuld be that were'a'Vafiable for re~tal
The City of Boston should stand tall and worn by the girls; banners had "lights" on them-and
proud for keeping this field in such excellent would be carried. Lots ofresi- sirens, too. With relation to
condition. Thank you to them for honoring dents would watch this pro- the siren, the bicyclist, while
Sonny
in this way and thank you to Sonny' cession, and, of course, proud traveling. would reach down
Carl Rao tossing first ball in championship
for
creating
something wonderful for 't he chil- parents would have their and pull the cord of the sigame.
dren of the past, present and future.
cameras at the ready. I reContinued on page 11
submitted by Dom Saia
(left) Four West Enders vacationing in the Caribbean. Can
you identify them?
More West Enders vacationing in the Caribbean
Islands 25 years ago: How many can you iden-
(above left) Joe Morello and Joe Freni vacationing in Santo Domingo in the Caribbean (1985)
Dom Saia at Caesar Palace doing an impersonation. (1978)
West Enders at Dom Saia's wedding (June 18,
1985) (l-r) Frank Privitera, Joseph Morello, Dom
Saia (groom), Joseph Freni
Dom
qf Cottt.n9 St. in the Old West End. They seem to
be practicingfor a trip to Las Vegas. (1985)
PAGES
SEPTEMBER 2002
West Enders helping out
Dear Jim,
I'm writing this note on
behalf of my brother Jimmy
Silvestro.
This article was in his local newspaper (in Hopkin.ton). I though you might find
this interesting enough to
submit this in The ·West
. Ender.
Yours truly,
Frank (Bebbe) Silvestro
The Silvestro's
welcome mat is .
al~ays o'u.t' ~n:
Marathon Monday
.
Runners from as far away
as Arkansas, Kansas, and
Pennsylvania were crowded
into Geri and Jim Silvestro's
compact-sized living room,
kitchen and even spilled out
into their sun-drenched garage on Pleasant Street.
The energy of the impending day filled the rooms as it
has on every Patriot's Day for
the past 17 .years. Hosting
Marathon runners has become a tradition for the amiable couple as they wandered
about seeing that the runners
had ample water and food
before walking up to the
starting line.
Sitting in the garage were
two veteran runners of the
Boston Marathon: Ken
Stabinski and Dick Harris, ·
who actually started the tradition.
"Jim was visiting his
nephew in the Lansdale, Pa.
area in the Fall of '83. While
visiting Harris' health spa, he
happened to meet me. As we
talked, he said he was from
Hopkinton. I asked him if he
would mind if several runners from our running club
could stop by before the big
event," said Stabinski.
Silvestro said it would be
fine with him and that he saw
runners wandering about the
streets with no place to go.
Until the advent of the athletic
village, there was virtually no
place for the runners to await
the start of the race other than
to sit on the gym floor of the
high school which made for an
unpleasant experience if it was
rainy and chilly.
"We came here and it was
wonderful. It was heartwarming." said Hariis. "There
was a big spread because at
that time we carbo-loaded.
'
We didn't realize water was
that essential because lwe
thought it weighed us down.
These are gracious people
and not everyone has the personality to do this, ...admitted
Harris, who was running his
31st BostonMarathori..
· "Oh,. you:re a real tearj~rket:. "~ ~~~d in. Silvestro,
\yho is · erifoyil;lg his retirement after a 42-year care'e r
in logistics, warehouse distribution and driving an 18wheel rig. "I'm honored these
guys are still coming here."
Within their extended
Marathon family exists a
mutual admiration. The
group has seen Jim through
two heart attacks, retirement
and has watched Silvestro's
son, Jimbo, grow up as he
played football at Hopkinton
High, go onto ·college and
eventually move to California.
Mter Jimbo graduated high
school, the family decided to
go to Disneyland. Jim gave
the keys to his neighbor and
the Marathon family came in
and used the house as always.
Harris, who runs many
marathons all over the country is a grandfather to 18. He
and his wife were one of the
first couples to run the Marathon together after women
were allowed to compete in
the premier event.
"My wife doesn't run with
me here anymore, though.
Ken and I used to run the
race to compete against the
world's best. But now we do
it to see the action," Harris
said. In the early 70s, there
were about 700 people running the Marathon and when
runners finished in Boston
they were handed a cup of
stew at the finish line. Things
changed noticeably in the
early '80s, and by '85, the
race had attracted a number
of corporate sponsors. The
energetic and charismatic
Stabinski plans to run a
marathon in every state and
Continued on page 10
Another lost & found- Paul Wexler is found
Dear.Mr. Campano:
Last October I submitted an
article with the title "A Treasury of Lost and Found" and
in it made mention of Cardinal Law. It had been written
and mailed to you before the
present scandal surfaced and
when the article had not appeared in a later edition of 'The
West Ender I assumed that
events leading to his recent
unpopularity was the cause.
It's possible that this had
nothing to do with your decision not to include it but, on
the chance that it might have,
I deleted that segment and am
enclosing the revised copy for
your reconsideration.
Obviously, I felt that the
Lost and Found subject has
proven to be of worthwhile
importance as evidenced by
the enthusiastic reaction of
your readers. One particular letter in the most recent
West Ender (received yesterday) is a ~hining. example.
It was from Lillian Kawa,
the wife of Eddie Kawa, the
friend mentioned in the
"Treasury of Lost and
Found" in which I said
"Sadly we lost track of
Eddie! Now, thanks to the
Lost and Found segment of
the West Ender as well as
Eddie's alert wife, after an
absence of more than sixty
years, Eddie called me from
a hospital bed renewing our
friendship. Another letter in
that same issue is from
Sylvia Kessin Werner who
recognized and took part in
the classes of Harold
Rotenberg at the Hecht
Neighborhood House and, in
that same issue, the name
of Ralph Saya rings a bell
reminding me of a long lost
friend by that name and, if
he is the same one, he was
also a close friend of Hayes
(Hymie) Gordon.
I suppose I could go on
and on but I'm sure you get
the idea. I have mentioned
but a few personal encounters which I believe may be
similar to those shared by
dozens, if not hundreds of
others of your readers.
Respectly, Fred Press
Wexler?" gave me the opportunity to answer it for
him as well as for the many
others who have asked and
wondered where Paul was. ,
This was a chance to let ·
them ~ll know about one of
the outstanding figures ~o
come out of the West End.
He was't born there ass.o
many of us were. Paul was
twelve years old when he
and his mother Dora, his
older brother Eliot and :his
(l-r) Ronnie Prescott, Ander- younger sister Leatrice
son St.; North Russell St.; left Medway, MassachuPaul Wexler, Green St.
setts and moved into a
house
at the corner of
Each time a West Ender
Greene
and
Lynde streets.
arrives in the mail I, like
Since
it
was
close
by he was
what I believe most others
assigned
to
the
Washingdo, burn to the pages carrying letters · to the editor ton Intermediate School
and scan the names of where he and I first met.
senders in the hope of dis- On our daily walks home
covering a lost friend or from school ·together we
simply to enjoy seeing fa- were joined by two othe·r
milia'r names from way schoolmates, Eddie Kawa
who lived on North Russell
back.
Street.and Ronnie .Prescott
A Treasury of
who
lived on Anderson
Lost and Found
Street
near the top of BeaIt appears that in addicon
Hill.
A close bond detion to its relentless attack
veloped
amongst
the four
on the injustice of the
of.
us
and
for
many
years
demolition ofthe West End
thereafter
we
were
practiand the ouster of its long
time residents The West cally inseparable. It wasn't
Ender has been providing long before we, the born
a valuable by-product to and bred West Enders,
its readers of no lesser im- came to realize that this
portance. How often has kid from Medway had spethe question, so many cial qualities. Extremely
times been repeated, athletic and a natural or"What ever happened to so ganizer he started us playand so?" Before the exist- ing touch football along the
ence of The West Ender a bank of the Charles River
shrug of the shoulders near the Longfellow Bridge
might have been the an- and when onlookers
swer. The whereabouts or showed up he invited
friends, thought lost to one them, regardless of size or
another, have come to light age, to join us for what bein what's become a trea- came a regular weekend
event. A memorable highsury of lost and found.
A while ago that same light occured once when
question was posed to me the ball bounced out of
by long time West .Ender . bounds and was kicked
subscribers Jack and back to us by Admiral RiMillie Wilson. Jack had not chard F. Byrd who was in
been able to find the name the habit of strolling in
of the person he inquired that area with his fox terabout and it seemed to me rier Igloo.
Reaching high school
that name had been too
long absent from the pages age Ronnie went off to Enof the letters and now glish High, Eddie and I to
Jackie's question, "What the High School of Comever happened to Paul
Continued on page 10
_,
PAGE9
SEPTEMBERsa 2002
OBITUARIES
Scollay Squ~re plays an encore
Reprinted from
Continued from page 5
Devoted mother of Dom~
enic of Somerville, Angelo
and his wife Carol of Florida,
Jean Belgiorno and .her
husband Richard of IpsWich,
Daniel and his wife Norma
of Norwood. Also survived by
eight loving grandchildren
and two loving great grandchildren.
The funeral was from the
Delio Russo Funeral Home in
Medford.
Burial at Puritan Lawn
Memorial Park, Peabody.
Joseph Settipane
Joseph Settipane, of Saugus, formerly of the West
End on August 11. B~loved
husband of Diane (Pierce).
Loving father of Roxanne
and her husband Christofer
Falacasa of Saugus, Rhonda
and her husband Mark
Baker of Dedham, James
and his wife Michelle Settipane of Beverly and Noelle
Settipane of Saugus. Also
survived by six grandchildren, Cameron Joseph and
Zackary Christofer Falasca
· · both of Saugus, Shaina and
Nikkiwa Settipane of Dedham, James and Jennell
Settipane of Beverly.
Loving brother of Donald
Settipane of Framingham,
Richard Settipane of Boston,
Billy Settipane of Revere.
Loving son of the late Joseph
and Pauline (DeFronzo) Settipane.
Funeral was from the
Ruggiero-Mazzarella Memorial Home, East Boston.
Burial was in Puritan
Lawn Memorial Park
'The Boston Globe
March 12, 1987
· by David Arnold
The Old Howard Theater in
Scollay Square was dark.
Th.e n a spotlight snapped on,
plucking Barbara English
fromt he ~olds of the stage
curtain, seemingly timid as
she peered out at an audience
th~t wstrytng to peer through
her green velvet gown.
"Take it o:ffi" an impromptu
chorus of admirers yelled.
English would act shocked,
she recalled 40 years later as
she reminisced about the
typical lead-in to her daily
show. She would start walking off stage. But then she
would stop, stare toward her
audience, and smile coyly, a
professional stripper about to
tease her best in Boston's legendary burlesque neighborhood. ,
The Old Howard is gone, as
is Bevexwyck beer, the Studebaker Champion, Domino ctgarettes and classy burlesque.
But Scollay Square where
these relics flourished until
three· decade~-·ago: 'is coming
back-in name only. On April
8, city officials held a modest
dedication ceremony as they
added "Scollay Square" to
street stgns and a subway stop
as a tribute to one of Boston's,
well, more colorful neighborhoods of yore.
Scollay Square was a 32acre hodgepodge of theaters,
boarding houses, tattoo parlors
and bars, all eliminated by the
bulldozersofurbanrenewalin
the 1960s. The brick prairies
li bull • ! f Go
DCH"-J A~~] ()1~S ~I C) T.~~l E
ment Center lie in its place today.
No one expects a few street
stgns to do more than tease
some memories of a bygone era
perhaps overly frosted with
nostalgia. So be it, say those
who knew and worked the
neighborhood.· Teasing was
Scollay Square's specialty. And
Barbara English was one of the
pros-and one of many featured "exotic dancers" who
worked theaters such as the
Old Howard, Waldron's Casino
and the Crawford House.
"1he burlesque was magic,
It was boisterous butnevervulgar, it was an art that few
peopleunderstandtoday,"Englishsaidrecently.Shecoddled
a cup of coffee in a cafe off City
Hall Plaza, her earrings of the
Egyptian queen Nefertlti daneing below her brilliant red hair.
She has enough years behind
her, she said, to make the total number unirilportant.
Her green velvet gown, a favorite during performances in
the 1940s, wassacriftcedyears
~o for a great grandchild's
Halloween costume. For her,
_ Scollay Square remains only in
memories-and two bricks,
bookends in her Woburn
home, that were sal~ed from
the wreck~e of the Old Howard.
Here was a place where burlesque was more tease than
strip, and dancers left the s~e
wearing outfits that would. be
acceptable on the street today.
Women could walk home from
Scollay Square at midnight
without thought for their
safety, and restaurants such
as Joe & Nemo and the Brattle
w ES~I
EN l)ER
The following people have given a donation to The West Ender in the last quarter.
William Black
Mary Ann Manzoli
CenturyClub
Francis Catalano
Christopher Nikolla
Marshall & Beth Arkin
Jack LaSpina
Kathleen (Corso) DaLoisio
Dino Papadakis
Santo Aurelio
Victor DeMarco
Salvatore DeGregorio
Marilyn Paul
Ben Brenner
Victor DeMarco
· Donald Zerendow
Adele Pechet
Conrad Geller
Robert Vatalaro
Joanne Scialdone
Ann Leona Donavaro Nino Parisi
Mary Peluso Bruce Guarino
Richard Vivolo
Barry Shulman
Jennie Ferracane
RalphSaya
Philip Pisano
Morris Hyde
Albert & Ann Cohen Dorothy Sudenfield
Cathy Bammia
William MacAuley
Fred Press
Dan Imperato
Frank Privitera
Norman Swartz
Rose Fodale
West End Bowling League
DomSaia
Gino Kawalski
Gaspar Tringali
Betty & Israel Katz
Katherine Kawa
Mark Wizansky
Kevin McGrath
John LaSpina
Richard Worob
Vincent Raso
Alfio Lisitano
Mike Freedman
Michael Mandatori
Morris M. Hyde -
Bustle on Cambridge St. during the _heyday q[ScoUay Square. ·
aromas
Tavern <;>verflowt!d with
of onion and pot roast. Scollay
Square was Sal's Barber Shop,
Marty's Coffee Shop, Young's
Novelty Shop and Kelly the
Hatter. Sailors and students
learned more in these few
bawdy acres than they ever
told in letters home.
The trash was fruitful
It was "eight-barrel turf for
Anthony Farinella, who swept
its cobblestone streets every
morning in ·the early 1950s.
Now retired and a resident of
Wintlrrop, Frufuell~· coUld always find enough change in
the gutters to dine daily on Joe
& Nemo hotdogs. He was also
treated to free cowboy pictures
every morning at the Rialto, a
24-hour movie house on Cambridge Street so infested with
bugs that patrons dubbed it
the Scratch House.
"Wasn't so much the ushers spraying the aisles with
insecticides that bothered
me," Farinella recalled. "It was
the fact that I could be in there
all alone at 9:30 a.in. ~d.
surrounded by 400 empty
seats, some guy smelling like
.clover would come sit down
right beside nie," he said.
ScollaySquare was Tanya's
Tattoo Parlor, Hochberg's
Photo Studio, Jack's Lighthouse, the George Gloss
Bookshop and the New York
Dental Rooms, where painless
extractions were guaranteed,
almost. But the u<O•!',•U-''"·
hood's . greatest legacy was
probably its burlesque and
vaudeville legends: the
Scrambled Legs Kickers,
Rosino La Pello ("Rose LaRose"), Mary Goodneighbor
("Irma the Body"), Sally Keith,
Phil Silvers, Jackie Gleason,
Sophie Tucker and Milton
Berltnger-which the comedian would shorten to Berle.
In the 1920s, Berle worked
the Scollay Square Theater, a
vaudeville house with box
seats so close to the s~e "that
I always felt r might be attacked when a joke bombed,"
the 79-year-old comedian recalled.
Few theaters could top the
Old Howard for burlesque. An
arsonist torched the building
in 1961, and one spectator
who shed tears where she
once shed her garments was
Ann Corio.
"It sounds trite, but, the fire
marked the end of, an era,"
Ann Corio Iannucci, now a
resident of New Jersey, said
recently. She was Boston's
Burlesque · Queen, one reviewer for the Boston Globe
wrote in 1941.
Corio loves the idea that
"Scollay Square" is going up
on a few signs in Government
Center, and plans to be in
Boston for the dedication ceremony.
"What's in a name?" she
asked rhetorically. "Every-
The following West Enders have contributed $500 to our cause in
2002, aimed at keeping alive the spirit of the West End.
Frank Privitera
J
.I
W:q.e ;m!J.est IJinh.er
PAGE 10
SEPTEMBER 2002
Another lost & found - Paul Wexler is found
Continuedfrom page 8
-- -/
m~rce and Paul to Boston
Latin. Fortunately Commerce and Latin were opposite one another on Avenue Louis Pasteur tn
Brookline. Each day Paul,
Eddie and I took the long
walk through the Esplanade, The Fenway, etc. to
and from school together
except on days when Paul
stayed behind :for track
practice. In track meets he
was not only fast enough
to participate in the
sprints but, most of the
time, to win and eventually
to break all the schoolboy
records in his division for
the shotput. Paul. was
bright enough to meet the
stringent demands of Latin
School but needing an athletic scholarship to get to
college he felt that chances
might be better at Roxbury
Memorial where opportunities in sports appeared to
have more to offer. He
achieved his goal and from
the numerous scholarships that were offered he
chose to follow his. brother
Eliot to the University of
Pennsylvania where Eliot
was a varsity fullback. At
the urging of his brother,
Paul went out for the football team as well as track
and on recognition of his
exceptional. at4letic ability
became a first string halfback. Back in Boston
his mother and sister
were thrilled rea ding
newspaper accounts such as
one showing a photograph of
Paul throwing a pass
under a headline reading "Wexler's Rifle Pass
Cuts Down Yale!" Back
home in the West End during
summer vacations he continued to put us through our
paces with touch football and
shot-put practice along the
bank of the Charles. On occasions ·we hitch-hiked -to
Medway to visit his friends
where we swam, fished and
what else-played touch football. On hikes through the
woods every fence and hedge
presented a challenge that
Paul met with hurdles and
stationed in England, Ronnie
went into tbe Na~y. I to
Panama with the Sixth Air
Force and, sadly we lost track
of Eddie. At war's end
Paul went to work for Columbia Records. On the
road, cris-crossing the
country, visiting Columbia's outlets, while moving
steadily up the ladder he
became vice president in
charge of sales. Here, in the
company of Mitch Miller and
Percy Faith, at the very moment when Columbia
Records introduced the Long
Playing Record ( L P) that
revitalized an industry that
had been in a long time
slump, with all this expert
ammunition at his disposal,
Paul promoted Columbia
Records to the top spot in the
now thriving record industry.
He married, had two lovely
children and, just as everything seemed to be going his
way his wife Claire developed
Leukemia and died.
Come years later, during
one of his country wide trips
for Columbia, by chance, he
met a ·lady by the miine·· or
Jacqueline Grennan who, although Paul didn't know it at
the time, was a former nun
with a distinguished background as president of Webster College which was run by
her order the sisters of Loretto
in St. Louis. An exceptional
educator she had been on the
board of President Kennedy's
Advisory Panel on Research
and Development. Talented
and ambitious, drawn toward
other challenging endeavors,
she withdrew from the college
and her order to lecture and
serve on corporate boards.
Passing through St. Louis on
subsequent trips, Paul renewed his acquaintance with
Jacqueline. They found that
they had much in common,
became good friends and
eventually, she and Paul were
married. She came east with
Paul and accepted the position of president of Hunter
College.
Mter several years at Hunter, she left to resume her
corporate positions and, on
lecture tours, occasionally
took her mother-in-law,
Paul's mother, along introducing her to her audiences
as her "Yiddish Mama."
Jacqueline and Paul
have since moved to Orlando, Florida and though
we don't see one another as
often as we used to, on occasion the phone will ring
and the familiar greeting, of
"Hello, Freddie?" would
start a conversation, usually about West Enders he
had run into in his travels.
You can ·believe -this or not •
but just as I was writing,
this last line, the phone
rang and from Orlando that
unforgettable voice spoke,
"Hello, Freddie?" This time
to talk about Hayes Gordon
and Ruth Roman.
So now, Jackie, if this
gets printed, you and everyone else who reads The
West Ender will know what
has happened to Paul
Wexler.
The 3 Musketeers???
high-jumps.
The Three Musketeers enjoy afew moments of relaxation near
These idyllic days ended
when World War 11 sent us in McDonald's in the Meadow Glenn Mall. (l-r) Shorty macDu.ff,
different directions. Paul was Peter L:imone and Frank Privitera
Can you remember???
Enclosed is my late postage
payment, You have something
in common with The Bank of
Canada, The Bank of England,
The Bank of Japan and the
Bank of Australia to name a
few-I tell them show me
someone I pay and 111 pay you.
So don't tell them I paid you.
Many people recall the West
End as the home of Buddy
Clark, Ruth Roman, Leonard
Nimoy and Bany Newman. My
recollection is the lesser luminaries but by no means
minimal-the Rocco family (including Pat Rocco of Megabucks fame). the Romano family, the Arthur Venezias, the
Gregortos and the Fotis, Bernstein family and the Lamias,
related to the Hurwitz Bakery,
all on Parkman st. The aroma
of the bakery was a sharp contrast to that which emanated
from Waldman's stable on the
corner of North Russell and
Parkman Street and opposite
the stable on North Russell St.
was the Murray Stetgman family and diagonally across was
Klayman's Delicatessen. The
blending of the latter two was
the marriage of Murray Steigman and Walter Klayman's
granddaughter, Irene.
A short distance down the
street were Snowy, Pete and
Ruth Herman. Not to be submerged in lack of recall were
the big Victor family and the
larger Alice Kaplan family.
Between the dwelling of
these families was the Barr
grocery and their large entourage of children. In the
same location was the Jake
Cutler family (he of no profit
linoleum fame)-Dave and
Fannie Altman, Louis &
Gussie Cohen-Archie Rosenberg family, the Zimmerman family-the Finklesteins-the grocery store
next to Klayman's where Mr.
& Mrs. Goldfarb labored so
that sons Danny and Alfred
became doctors and many
West End children were
brought into the world by
the capable hands of Danny ·
Goldfarb. Next door the entire Kogas clan occupied
part of Klayman's building-included in the build-
ings was Sam Rosenthal
and Joe Sommers.
Across the street were the
Gematto and the Genevesses adjoining the Etica
Weisman family-not to forget Mike Spector and his
wonderful brothers.
Walk with me up Cambridge Street passing
George Tubin's ice cream
parlor-the home of Larry
Gilligan Sr & family-Max
Market around the comer to
Chambers St. to Paradies
ice cream parlor and later
Rosie's where everybody
met one time or anotheracross the street Dr. Mike
and Dr. Izzy Bloomstock
and sister Molly and
Marsha Leeper family.
Nearby the enormous
Skeffington family-opposite was the Lottie Home
family and Sal Barberasame side the Willard settlement House-still more, the
same building housing the
Steinman family, the Riseman family and Fr. Peter
Kane, his son Herbie and
daughter June-Abe Robbins and the old West End
HouseWe peek down Eaton St.
and see Raymond and Dorothy Barbera, Sid and Izzy
Miller, Gene Gianelli of two
football fame sons. The
Gallante family, Harold
Asnes, Lefty FivozinskyIzzy Hoffman and Irving
Garfinkle-Al & Esther .
Green family-As we go past
the Romanows and Urrows-we pause at the top
of McLean St. to remember
the John Black family lived
there near Henry Covitz and
the Brenholts-st. Joseph
Church capped McLean &
Allen St.
The names keep flashing
in my mind like Tommy
Monerman, his mother, sister and niece Cookie-Ada,.
Moe, Moxie & Muriel Bernstein; the Berkmans, the
Eavzans, the Benets, Florence Weisman, Gladys &
George Robbins, the Gropmans, Jo-Jo Cohen familyAbe, Izzy, Saul and Dave
Continued on page 11
'-..........
. r-- .-- . '
PAGEll
SEPTEMBER 2002
---·-._
West End memories
,C ontinued from page 7
ren, and the forward inovement of the front wheel would
revolve the fins inside the siren so that the in-rush of air
would approximate a siren,
like a police siren. That was
a lot of fun, but I'm sure the
sound of a non-emergency siren would irritate a lot of elders. As for the lights, that
was and is a great idea. Yetthin!_{ apout it-do you see
any bikes on the road today
that have lights while traveling at night? Rarely do I see
bikes with lights. I have al. ways felt that there should be
a law requiring bicyclists traveling at night to have lights
on their bikes. That would
· help the bicyclist to be seen
and vehicles and pedestrians
to see the bicyclist.
My friends and I would also
go rollerskating in places
other than the Blackie. For
instance, we'd rollerskate in
our general neighborhoods or
even go to the Boston Com, mon because it would be exciting to rollerskate pell-mell
Can you remember???
Continued from page 10
Wall, John, Harold and Lem
London; Ruth Adler, the Hy
Diamond family; the Brenners, the Karchmers, and
Janet and Clara Goldberg:
Eddie Singer-his brothers
& sisters-Eddie & Molly
Ship-Nat, Phil & Buck
Goldman; Jack and Fannie
Richman-Sam Zoll; the
Adelson family, the Bakers.
We telescope our sights
down Allen St. and see the
Mort Sherman familyHymie Hirsch-Dave &
Louie Nasta-the Bain family-the Ralph Venezia family-sam Kastan and Dusty
Cohen-the Fonstien family-the Mike Pruskins-the
Savitskys--Carl and Sarah
Newman, the Leo Haley
family-Danny Hoar's tribe
-George & Jimmy Lannigan-the George Learys
were there-George, Nate &
Dave Gordon, the Lottie
Rosenthal · family-the
Engels-and who can forget
Lou Kaufman. Joe Mattzman, Mike Berman, Jack
Perkot, Piz-Mintz the Belskys. Ruby Kaplan family,
Jimmy Merse & Moe Isason.
Continuing up Chambers
St. we see the Synagogue
and nearby the Yanes family and Lester and Mary
Freedman and their massive family. Not to forger the
Teddy Dubrow family, and
Tarpy Seltzer.
We almost passed Poplar
St., where Georgie Weisman
& Pessie and her familythe Sussman family-Charlie & Dave Bernstein-Abe
Katz and brother-George
Kane-Chris tos-Silver's
Bakery-Jagoda's storeJack & Milky Pernakoffstill on Chambers St.Emma Lookner with her ten
brothers & sisters
We shall retum to Parkman Street where Sam and
Bessie Escott are herding
their group of Albert,
Simon, Ruby & Hy into the
house.
Time and space limit me
from going on-at some
later date, I will appraise
you of the many names that
will be added that made this
place what it was.
I have endeavored to orchestrate a symphony: as
with ail symphonies, there
is joy and sadness-I'm sure
that the recollection of these
names will bring joy to some
and sadness to others-But
there are no acoustics-the
bricks are gone, but the
memories will take their
place.
Respectfully, Hy Escott
PS: I'm apologizing to the
Peeker family for not including them in this piece: Gerty,
Mendy, Morris & Freda.
Enjoy reading
about West End
To West Ender:
Enclosed is my renewal.
I enjoy reading about the
West End, even though I was
not raised thre.My husband,
George was and my family
(Costa) lived on Cotting St.
and Wall St.
They (the Costa's) were
very close to Pauline Settipane and the Bramante's
on Wall St.
Connie Ferragut
metal bolt. His head was
bleedingprofusely, but, luckily, he was only about 200 feet
from MGH. He was taken
there and his head was
stitched up. I think he was a
lucky fellow. Just a year or
two later I was walking by the
variety store on the comer of
Allen and Blossom Street,
and I saw this same fellow
feeding a carrot to a milkwagon horse outside the store
on Blossom. All of a sudden
my friend started screaming;
the horse thought his finger
was a carrot. The milk-wagon
driver ran out of the store and
forced the horse to give up his
"carrot." My friend did not
lose his finger, just his composure, plus he received a
nasty bruise for his trouble. I
think he was lucky then, too.
I'm proud to say that I was
a Junior Policeman. Yup!
When I was nine years old
some friends and I went to the
police station on Joy Street
nor far from where it connects
with Cambridge Street, and
we told the officer in charge
that we wanted to be junior
policemen. So the officer-!
that they would not be run- think his name was SheaContinued from page 8
ranks Boston. as .one of the . niPg..alQng ~de (;>ne__ai;lQth.er. _ enrolled us as such. What our
Grandson Ben Muldaney, duties were, f can't rememtoughest races.
"It's a downhill race for who works for General Elec- ber, but ! think we got a card
about 11 miles and after that tric in Kansas laughed and that stated that each of us
as you pound uphill, you feel said, "I'm doing this race be- was now an Official Junior
it in your quads and you know cause if Grandpa was going to Policeman. We might have
you're getting older when you do it, I'd do it too." They de- received a little metal badge,
don't want to hear the encour- lighted in having a place to too, and probably a pamphlet
listing our duties: obey your
agement of the Wellesley girls; come to before the big event.
It was an exciting day and parents, don't do anything
you just want quiet," he said •.
Geri was walking around one that has been repeated bad, report any crimes that
mingling and she says at first often in the Silvestro home you see being committed, et
she was a bit skeptical about and hopefully will continue to cetera. Also, as a Junior Pohaving so many people stop be repeated for many years to liceman I was entitled to go
by, but now she anxiously come. Mter all, l:l5 Stabinski to "police camp" in the sumpointed out, "Even if -the mer-free.
looks forward to it.
"It's been wonderful and Silvestro's sell their house, we
More Old West
we've met unbelievable people. want them to put in their
End memories
They just rtng our doorbell and deed, that the Marathoners
next issue
we don't even know where will always be welcome here."
they are from, and we don't
~~
I-\>
ask anyone to call us beforehand. It's a great thing for
1\11[,\\( lf-\1 \l_ c=rJ-\(~l_[
Hopkinton," she said.
The feeling of anticipation
The following We sfEnders have contributed $100 or more in memory
grew as the time came nearer
of their loved ones for 2001. Now is the time to send in your donation
to le~ve. Two new visitors to
to be included in the 2001 West Enders Memorial Circle.
the house were sitting in the
Gaetano & Josephine Privitera- from Frank Privitera
living room. They were a 73Joseph & Anita Russo, Donald & Sylvia Grey, Mo Guarino &
year-old grandfather and his
Joseph Solano- from V.J. Russo
25-year-old grandson. GrandMario Stancato, Catherine Loguidice - from Friend & Brother,
father Jack Gentry from ArCharles
LaRosa
kansas is retired from the GeoBernard Harfield- from Alise Harfield Janson
logical Survey and was running his first Boston MaraMax ~ Dora Nimoy - Leonard Nimoy
thon. He stated unequivocally
Leo C. Abramo - Ann Leona Donovaro
down the wide, relatively that sled to Charles River
steep passageways in the Park. That park was large; it
.Common. As I mentioned be- went from the Boston end of
fore, the Common also con- the Longfellow Bridge to the
tained Frog Pond, where chil- MDC police station near
dren "swam" in less than four Leverett Circle. Where we
feet of water. One day my swam was near the Long-felfriend Nick and I were at Frog low Bridge. The park conPond swimming. and we saw tained two large hills: one in
a photographer with a big front ofMGH, and one in front
camera; it looked like a of the Elizabeth Peabody
Graphlex. We asked him to House (many residents retake our picture. He said he ferred to it as the Peabody or
would but only if we took off the Peabody House). I never
our bathing suits. Nick and I thought that was a good or a
·
declined.
safe place to go sledding. But
Sledding---all the kids liked one of my friends went sledto go sledding. My Jarrlily ding there down the hill in
owned a big sled called a Flex- front of the Peabody and unible Flyer. It was heavy, but, der the long row of benches.
boy, we could fit maybe as He figured, of course, that he
many as four kids on it. The and his sled could safely pass
street I liked best to sled on undemeath the underside of
was Cotting Street. We'd statj: the benches, but what he
at the top of Cotting where it hadn't figured on was any
intersected with Leverett, and hardware· (like screws and
speed down all the way to, bolts) that might be sticking
say, Lowell Street, hoping, of out and down. Well, you
course, that no cars would be guessed it: He sledded down
traveling on Wall Street cross- the hill and under the
ing Cottingl I never brought benches, and his head hit a
West Enders helping out
2 () () ]
w [.\ [
E [ )[
• . v·-
' -
'
'
PAGE12
SEPTEMBER 2002
Former West Enders
Business Directory
CHARLES SCIMECA
!Boj_ton Cfomato Co., flna.
Packers - Distributors - Commission Merchants
117 NEW ENGLAND PRODUCE CENTER
CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS 02150
REVERE ALUMINIUM
(781) 289-3448
· Low-E-Glass
· Storm Windows
· Storm Doors
· Door Canopies
· Vinyl Siding
. Porch Enclosures
~~.,.. Alum. Gutters
(617) 884-5901
Weddings • Anniversaries • Social Events...
· 100%
Bank Rnanclng
Video/Photo
~
~
Joseph Fortunato
Box 379, M EDFORD, M
ASSACHUSETIS
02155
Giganti Insurance Agency
Lucille Giganti, C.I.C.
Tel: 617-387-8400
Fax: 617-389-7554
Complete Insurance Service
• Auto • Homeowners • Fire
• Commercial • Life
phone 617-742-0011
fax 617-742-0021
PRIVITERA, PRIVITERA & PRIVITERA
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
FRANCIS D. PRIVITERA
JEANNINE PRIVITERA
FRANCIS D. PRIVITERA, JR.
PHILIP J. PRIVITERA
BARRISTER'S HALL
59 UNION SQUARE
SOMERVILLE, MA 02143
~Ute'l~te.
rmiiisl.
FAX (781) 391-2912
390 MAIN STREET
MEDFORD, MA 02155
OFFICE (781) 396-8000
RES. (781) 272-4548
Email: josephfurtunato @yahoo.com Voicemail 617-625-4438
787 Broadway • Everett, MA 02149
TEL. (617) 666-0300
744 Broadway, Revere, Mass.
ROY J. SCARPATO
"Dedicated to Service"
National Insurance
Concepts
Malcolm Zimmerman ·
PRESIDENT
Sales • Residential • Commercial • Rentals • Management • Appraisals
OLD [email protected]
Tel. 781 -665-3504
Fax 781-979-0532
Director of Marketing
East Brook Executive Park
20 Eastbrook Road • Suite 103
Dedham, MA 02026
(781) 320-0770
FAX (781) 320-0410
142 MAIN STREET
MELROSE, MA 02176
ASTA Member
IPizzetta I
( 617 ) 523 - 3.1;56
21;~
280 Cambridge Street (near MGH), Boston, MA 02114
288 Cambridge Stre~t
Boston, MA 02114
TEL: (617) 367-3310
FAX:
367-2070
DAVID
s~
A. LEONE
ATTORNEY AT LAW
(718) 648-2345
FAX (781) 648-2544
REX. 643-9700
0"""'~9'b -
S.uk222
93~. ~0211.1;
Fax (617) 723-9212
LEONE & LEONE
637
MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE
ARLINGTON,
MA 02174
ONE LONGFELLOW PLACE
SUITE 2322
BOSTON, MA 02114
Limousines • Corporate Sedans
Richard Settipane
617•742•2223
f:
617•723•9212
t:
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