Charlie (or Mike) on the MTA

When Walter A. O'Brien, Jr. (December 19, 1914 - July 1998) ran for mayor of Boston in 1949, he could not have foreseen that his campaign song would, a decade later, reach #15 on the Billboard chart, in a recording by the Kingston Trio.

I've long thought it would be swell if the tradition of campaign songs were to be resurrected. Many politicians today have a "theme" song associated with the campaign -- think of how the 1992 Bill Clinton campaign employed, to good effect, the Fleetwood Mac song "Don't Stop." In the 2012 presidential race Messrs. Obama and Romney each had a "play-list" of popular songs to set the mood at campaign rallies and sell the candidate. What Clinton's, Obama's, and Romney's uses of music as a motivational tool have in common is that they all turned to hit songs, not a campaign song, written by a local person and with local references relevant to the race. The lyrics, "Charlie on the MTA," were written by O'Brien supporters Jackie Steiner and Bess Hawes, and have become so emblematic of the MTA (now MBTA) that our fare cards are, even officially, called "CharlieCards." The music dates back the 1865 song "The Ship that Never Returned," by Henry Clay Work.

As an MBTA rider (I haven't owned a car since I moved to Boston nearly a quarter century ago, a move prompted, in part, by Boston's good subway, trolley, and bus system) I am pleased to see that mayoral candidate Mike Ross has pledged to be "A Strong Voice for Improving the MBTA"

I'm still undecided in the mayoral race, and I don't want this to became an endorsement of Mr. Ross, so I'll just quote three bullet points from his website:

• Fight for full funding of the MBTA through regional partnerships

• Bring back late-night MBTA service

• Modernize zoning of transit-oriented development to promote T ridership

The MBTA is vital to Boston's successful future. In a recent conversation with another candidate, John Connolly, I learned that the majority of Bostonians are not originally from Boston. That is a good sign for our city and region. We are attracting and retaining bright, innovating people from all over the world to live and work in the Hub. One selling point Boston has over Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, or just about any American city is that here it is no necessary to spend an inordinate amount of time in your car driving to and from work. And if you balk at spending more money on the MBTA, just think what we are paying to maintain all those roads, plus the cost of maintaining a private automobiles.

Late night service? No brainer! The bars close at 2:00 a.m. and the MBTA shuts down an hour-and-a-half before that. That is ridiculous.

Modernization? Yes! In my time in Boston I've seen the MTBA decay. We deserve better.

Will Mike Ross resurrect Walter A. O'Brien's 1949 campaign song? Perhaps not. Perhaps he might think it "jinxed." O'Brien came in dead last in a five-man race, with 1.2 percent of the vote.

Now, citizens of Boston, don't you think it is a scandal
That the people have to pay and pay?
Join Walter A. O'Brien and fight the fare increase
Get poor Charlie off that MTA!

“Don't write when you can talk. Don't talk when you can nod your head.”

Res Publica
“Don't write when you can talk. Don't talk when you can nod your head.”
by David Trumbull -- June 1, 2012

Many Post-Gazette readers will recognize the saying, by Martin Lomasney, that heads this column. It is one of the few things ever uttered by Lomasney (1859-1933) that made it into writing. Lomasney, as Democrat Ward Boss of Boston's old Ward Eight (now Ward Three), is one of Boston's most storied political figures.

Lomasney himself gave, in an interview with reporter Lincoln Steffens, probably the best definition of "ward boss" when he said, "There's got to be in every ward somebody that any bloke can come to-no matter what he's done-and get help. Help, you understand; none of your law and justice, but help." In return for that help the boss expected the bloke to vote the way the boss dictated.

The ward bosses of the 19th and early 20th century had tremendous power. With the power of the bosses came enemies. On March 7, 1894 Lomasney received a bullet wound in the leg in an unsuccessful assassination attempt. His assailant, James A. Dunan, blamed Lomasney for a dispute he had with the Boston Board of Health.

Dunan told a policeman at the scene, "I had a good reason for doing it. If you knew as much as I do, you would have done it yourself. He is a villain and anything but a friend of the unemployed." Lomasney is reported to have said something along the lines of, “The people didn't think an awful lot of aldermen, but they didn't think we ought to be shot without a fair trial." As for Dunan, he was committed to the Worcester insane asylum.

Martin (the "Mahatma") Lomasney is the subject of a show at the West End Museum. The exhibit, which runs through August 4th, is curated by West End Museum Executive Director Duane Lucia. The exhibit reception takes place on June 16th at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Guests will enjoy light refreshments, including the “Ward Eight”—a cocktail created in 1898 at Locke-Ober in honor of Lomasney’s election to the state legislature and the district largely responsible for his victory.

Recipe for the Ward Eight Cocktail 2 ounces rye whiskey 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice 1/2 ounce fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon grenadine Maraschino cherry (optional)

Wedding Fireworks Display, Boston Inner Harbor, Saturday, May 19th.

Ocean State Pyrotechnics, Inc is sponsoring a wedding fireworks display on the waters of Boston Inner Harbor in the vicinity of Anthony's Pier 4, Boston, MA. The Captain of the Port (COTP) Boston has determined that fireworks displays in close proximity to watercraft and waterfront structures pose a significant risk to public safety and property. Such hazards include obstructions to the waterway that may cause marine casualties and the explosive danger of fireworks and debris falling into the water that may cause death or serious bodily harm. Establishing a safety zone around the location of this fireworks event will help ensure the safety of spectators, vessels and other roperty and help minimize the associated risks. This proposed safety zone will encompass a 450-foot radius around the firework barge.

The fireworks display will occur from approximately 8:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. on May 19, 2012. To ensure public safety the proposed safety zone will be enforced immediately before, during, and immediately after the fireworks launch. If the event is cancelled due to inclement weather, then the proposed safety zone will not be enforced.

A Heart-Warming Story for a Monday Morning.

In West Cambridge, Massachusetts, there is a small, low-powered A.M. radio station, WJIB (AM 740), owned for the past couple of decades by Bob Bittner. Bob plays music of the 1930s through 1970s on the station which accepts no paid advertising, but, rather, relies on contributions from listeners (and unlike the much larger and well-known "public radio" takes no tax money -- it truly is "listener supported"). By Federal Communication Commission rules, Bob has to turn down the power at dusk and can turn it back up at dawn. Once the sun goes down we can't get WJIB in our apartment in Boston, even though it is close enough that from the roof of our building we can see his West Cambridge neighborhood!

Well, in the early hours of Sunday, Bob was up 'til five o'clock in the morning tinkering -- refining -- some of the settings to improve sound quality, after which, tired from a long night he went into a deep sleep. (I should have mentioned that Bob practically lives at the station.) Well dawn with her rosy fingers came, but no WJIB, only static. Turns out that when the station when to full power it blew out the changes he had made and rather more along with them.

Now, Bob's listeners are no you average radio public. They called the Cambridge police, concerned that Bob was ill or injured! By 7:35 a.m. the police were banging on the door and windows of the station. Such is the affection WJIB listeners have for the station and it's remarkable owner!

John Henry Newman Symposium and Evensong at Cathedral of the Holy Cross

IN OCTOBER SYMPOSIUM & SOLEMN EVENSONG
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Commemoration of Blessed John Henry Newman

A symposium at 3:00 p.m. -- “Newman as preacher, educator, poet, and convert”

followed by refreshments and Evensong, Father Peter M. J. Stravinskas,
preacher.

Cathedral of the Holy Cross
1400 Washington St., Boston

Sponsored jointly by The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and The Congregation of St. Athanasius.

Boston and New England Companies Named to Made in the USA Hall of Fame

Res Publica
Boston and New England Companies Named to Made in the USA Hall of Fame
by David Trumbull -- July 15, 2011

The Made in the USA Foundation has announced 22 companies that have earned a place in the Made in the USA Hall of Fame. The Foundation held an awards dinner Saturday, July 2nd in Santa Monica, California. Among the companies honored were two Boston companies:

Boston Beer Company -- Brewmeister Jim Koch comes from a long line of brewers. In the mid-1980s, Jim got his great-great grandfather's recipe from his father's attic. After only six weeks on the market it won the award for "The Best Beer in America" in the Consumer Preference Poll at the Great American Beer Festival.

New Balance –- In 1938, New Balance created its first pair of athletic shoes. Today, New Balance is now the largest shoe manufacturer in the United States, making 7 million pairs of athletic shoes a year in six factories in Maine and Massachusetts.

In addition, four other New England companies made it to the Hall of Fame:

Bevin Brothers of Easthampton, Connecticut -- The Bevin family has been crafting quality bells for 176 years. Bevin Brothers is the only remaining company manufacturing bells in the United States.

Colt -- The Colt 1911, official firearm of the U.S. Army from World War I until the Vietnam era, remains in production, virtually unchanged for 100 years. Colt is based in Connecticut.

Ethan Allen -- In 1936, Ethan Allen manufactured its first Early American style furniture in New England. Today, Ethan Allen is the largest U.S. furniture manufacturer in many styles.

Peterboro Basket -- The Peterboro Basket Company has thrived in the heart of historic Peterborough, New Hampshire making high-quality baskets since 1854.

Other Made in the USA Hall of Fame companies are:

3M makers of Scotch brand tapes, Annin Flagmakers, Bed Head Pajamas, Chateau Montelena winery, Dilettante Chocolate, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, H.F. Coors brewery, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Hart Schaffner & Marx suit-makers, Jack Daniel's Distillery, K'NEX maker of plastic construction toy sets, Milliken & Company textile manufacturer, Nordic Ware kitchenware products, SpaceX rocket-maker, Vitamix maker of high-quality blenders, and Whirlpool Corporation maker of home appliances.

Holy Week Extraordinary Form at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross

Palm Sunday
Blessing of Palms and Procession, 10:45 a.m.
Mass with Passion reading, 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant, Fr David Taurasi

Spy Wednesday Tenebrae (April 20), 7:00 p.m.
Full Gregorian Office of Tenebrae,
Schola Amicorum

Holy Thursday with Mandatum (April 21), 7:30 p.m.
Mandatum, or washing of the men's feet
Stripping of the Altar and procession to Altar of Repose
Celebrant, Fr David Taurasi

Good Friday Mass of the Presanctified (April 22) 7:30 p.m.
Celebrant, Fr Thomas Buckley
Reproaches, Adoration of the Cross,

Easter 11:00 a.m.
High Mass, Chant and Polyphony,
Celebrant, Fr David Taurasi

All take place in the Lower Church, Our Lady's chapel
75 Union Park, Boston's South End
Lots of Parking in the Cathedral lot, along Malden Street, south of Harrison (across street from rectory)

Annual Book Awards to Students at St. John's Parochial School, Boston

Address by
David Trumbull
on the Occasion of the
Mary U. Nichols Book Award Ceremony
Friday, May 21, 2010
at the
North End Branch Boston Public Library

Thank you, it is a privilege to speak here today at the 62nd Mary U. Nichols Book Award Ceremony. Branch librarian, Janet Buda, graciously provided me with some background material—newspaper clippings from the library’s files—regarding Miss Nichols, the award itself, and the men and women who have given this address in the past. I must say, I bring up the rear of a rather impressive train. Past speakers have included the Director of the Boston Public Library, a well-known radio announcer, a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. I bring none of the prestige of those speakers, but I do share with them the love of libraries.

Growing up in a small town in the Middle-West of America, our local library, the Rawson Memorial Library—which by the way, just celebrated its 100th year of serving that small village of 2,000 souls—was, for a school-boy, a window to a world of ideas. That is where I read the news journals my poor family could not have bought for me—National Review on the right, The New Republic on the left—that fired my interest in politics and current events. That interest has remained with me and lead me to my professional life as the representative for American textile mills in matters of international trade law, and to my civic life as local chairman for one of the parties in our American two-party system.

The public library is also were I found Robert Benchley, James Thurber, S.J. Perelman, and other American humor writers. That early exposure to written English as a source of laughter also stayed with me. Today I have the extreme pleasure of heading up a small literary society the Robert Benchley Society. We also give out an annual award—in our case for excellence in humor writing.

The library was where, when was in about fourth or fifth grade, I first read the books of Beverly Cleary. She was a popular children’s author back then. I understand her books are still in print, so perhaps some of you also have enjoyed her tales of the boy Henry Huggins and the girl who was always getting in his hair, Ramona the Pest. I loved those books so much that—with prompting from my sixth grade teacher—I wrote to her to tell her how much I enjoyed her stories about young people who had experiences just like mine. She wrote back and thanked me—I wish I still had that letter from her!

You young people have proven yourself outstanding in English. Congratulations! Keep up the good work. As you get older you will find that reading—reading carefully—, and writing—good clear writing—, will be two skills that can take you far in life. American is great land full of opportunities. Where every girl or boy can grow up to be President, or a doctor, or a lawyer, or a scientist, or a dancer, or an explorer. Life is a journey, and the library is a good place to start the journey.

Again, thank you all for this opportunity to share my person story about the public library.

Holy Week and Easter Schedule at Boston's Cathedral of the Holy Cross

Cathedral of the Holy Cross

Washington St and Union Park, in Boston's South End


March 31st, WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK

6:30 PM – 8 PM Confessions (Lower Church)
7:30 PM Office of Tenebrae
Sung Service of Psalms, Lamentations, Responsories and Canticles

April 1st, HOLY THURSDAY

7:30 PM Bilingual Mass
Seán Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap., Celebrant
7:30 PM The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday – Latin (Lower Church)

11:30 PM Sung Night Prayer

April 2nd, GOOD FRIDAY

9:00 AM Morning Prayer
3:00 PM Liturgy of Good Friday with Cardinal O’Malley
7:00 PM Liturgia en Español y procesión con el Cardenal O’Malley
7:30 PM Veneration of the Cross and Mass of the Pre-Sanctified-Latin
(Lower Church)

April 3rd, HOLY SATURDAY

9:00 AM Preparation Rites
8:00 PM Easter Vigil
Service of Light, Salvation History, Baptisms,
Baptismal Renewal, Confirmations, and First Mass of Easter

April 4th, EASTER SUNDAY

8:00 AM Mass in English (Blessed Sacrament Chapel)
9:30 AM Misa en Español
11:00 AM Latin Mass (Lower Church)

11:30 AM Mass in English
Cathedral Parish Choir, Organ, Brass and Tympani

Holy Week and Easter at the Congregation of St. Athanasius in Boston

Good Friday Liturgy,
April 2nd, at 7.30 p.m.
Great Easter Vigil, Saturday,
April 3, at 7.30 p.m.

the Anglican Use Congregation of St. Athanasius gathers at St. Lawrence Church, 774 Boylston Street (Route 9). Tel: 617-738-5214

Park either in the church parking lot behind the Church, off of Reservoir Rd.

Directions by Car: From the North or South: Route 128 to Route 9. At signal for Reservoir Road, take right; Church parking lot is a short distance on left.

From Boston: From Stuart/Kneeland St., turn left onto Park Plaza. Drive for 0.2 miles. Park Plaza becomes St James Avenue. Drive for 0.3 miles. Turn slight left onto ramp. Drive for 0.1 miles. Go straight on Route-9. Drive for 3.5 miles. Turn left onto Heath Street. Drive for 0.1 miles. Go straight on Reservoir Road. Drive for 0.1 miles. Parking lot is on your right.

Directions by Public Transportation: Green line to Kenmore Square terminal. Bus #60, has a stop in front of the Church. The Church is a 15-minute walk from the Cleveland Circle Green Line station or a 15-minute walk from Reservoir (D) Green Line station on Chestnut Hill Ave.

For More information see http://www.locutor.net/.