Volume 7, Issue 1, 1991

Dedicated to Preserving the Pride, Spirit, Integrity, Tradition
and Memories of our Beloved West End
A TIP OF THE HAT AND THANKS TO . ~~
Manny Fortuna
Commie "Tootsie" Valente
Zelda Bachcofsky
Alice Rosenthal
Helen Clark
Jim Tringale
John Kodzis
James Almeida
Frank Celeste
Bruno Roberto
Frances Papazian
Irene C. Saschuk
Jim Landow
Lee Spinale Schell
Dominic Spinale
Mildred Welch
John Miskevich
Joseph Interrante
Richard R. Alexander
Joan B. Rossi
Dora B. Ferran
Lawrence J. Freccero
Nathaniel Rothstein
Jack Carroll
P. G. Gulino
Jeanneltc P. Alper
Constance Fiorello
Beverly (Senna) Bondi
Mike Corrente
Max Yametsky
Sophie Fama
Louie "Camps" Capobianco
Peter Nasti
Ginger Fragnito
Fred DeLuca
Lucy Santoro
Alice Sweeney
Norman Snider
Stanley & Frances
Willi am & Karen MacAulay
Bruce Guarino
George Kane
Mal Zimmerman
Mary Foti Venditti
Mrs. Joseph Silva
Mrs. Mary Armengle
Carmella Palmisano
Benjamin Campano
Richard Kenny
Bill Rudy
Charles Minichiello
Ron Madigan
Stanley "Stash" Bielski
Sarah Gieck
Jane Dol<m
Mary Pietralitta
ISSUE NO. 1
MARCH, 1991
VOLUME NO.7
Anonymous
Frank Capostagno
Carlo Marotto
Frannie Miscioscia
Sandra Hines
Marie Morello
Bill Scalisi
Jack Savitsky
William Stone
Tom Monerman
David Gelsomini
Ruth & Sam Zoll
Joe Sacoco
Josephine (Zizzo) Dzygala
Lorraine Carvalho
Mary Black
Vincent J. Russo
Coman Geller
Lucy (Giordano) Srebnick
Ed Kaufman
Lucia (Postizzi) Petringa
Joseph Irgon
Mary Lanza
Salvatore DiStefano
Christine Ri zzo
Anthony D. Prj zio
Ellen (Kaskaviqi) Anastos
Sylvia Gilman
Harold Spector
Agnes [wanow
Sarah Greenwald
Virginia Cotto
Francis Cuddy
Celia F. Assiran
Charles Biondo
Peter Cucinotta
David Rosen
Betty Manlich
John F. McG inty
Joseph R. Cataldo
Morris Dashute
Mary Anne Cordaro
Mary Gallagher
John L. Arria
Sylvia (Sudenfield) Ross
Jim (Scan) Bramante
Augie Michaels
Frank Gulla
Lillian Spero
Jerome Sherman
Phyllis Kasdon
In Memory of Anna Wojiechocos
Frances N. Easterbrook
Sam Ferrante
Marie Finizza
Carolyn Faria
P. 0. BOX 413
SOMERVILLE , MA 02144
(617) 628-2479
r
,.
W. E. BRANCH LIBRARY
The West End Branch Library
and the West End Historical Association are pleased to announce
that they will be co-sponsoring a
special lecture series on "The West
End - Past and Present," beginning April 25th at 6:30p.m . The
fust presentation is "The Vilna
Shu!" and will include a slide/
lecture given by Barbara Levy,
Vice President of the VilnaCenter
for Jewish Heritage. The Vilna
Center was incorporated in December 1990 to acquire, restore
and rededicate the old Vilna Shu!,
Boston's last intact synagogue
built by the immigrant communities that flourished in the city
in the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries. Ms. Levy's
talk will place the Vilna Shu! in
the context of Boston's Jewish
history and will be followed by
David Glater, President of the
Vilna Center for Jewish Heritage,
who will describe the campaign to
save this special West End site,
which is on the north slope of
Beacon Hill.
OnThursday,May23rd,at6:30
p.m., Peter Vanderwarker will
present a slide/lec ture on "Urban
Renewal in Boston and the West
End." Mr. Vanderwarker is a freelance photographer whose column , " Cityscapes," a ppea rs
monthly in the Boston Globe
Sunday Magazine. He is also the
author of Boston, Then and Now .
The final program will take
place on June 20th, at 6:30p.m .,
and will present Peter Lucas,
retired columnist for the Boston
Herald and presently the Press
Secretary for the Speaker of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives . He will talk about his
memories of growing up in the old
West End and his views on Urban
Renewal in Boston. Everyone is
welcome to attend these special
lec tures which will be held at
the W est End Branch Library,
151 Cambridge St., Boston. Admission is free. For further info,
contact Paula Posnick, 523-3957.
•
Agatha P. (Mannino) Nicolosi,
tough but kind as a mother and
businesswoman, died on October
21, 1990 at Lawrence General
Hospital at the age of 101.
With her husband, she founded
the Nicolosi Baking Company of
Boston about 60 years ago. Their
first store was in the North End,
downstairs from the apartment
where they lived for a short time
before moving to the West End.
There the business grew to the
point where they had seven route
trucks on the road before World
War II. Mrs. Nicolosi did everything, including baking and wrapping thc!'- baked goods. With her
bubbly personality, she also
worked behind the counter, sell ing, and made many friends.
Mrs. Nicolosi was a good businesswoman and her intelligence
shone through , although she never
learned to read o r write, her youngest son , Robert, 57, said. "She was
smart, and she was always well
groomed, the most beautiful lady
in the West End. "
In 1949 , the Nicolosis turned
the company over to their son,
John , who ran it until it burned
down about 10 years ago. Within
the past few years, son Robert
reopened the business in Everett.
Mrs. Nicolosi was a great
teacher and a good disc iplinarian,
Robert Nicolosi sa id. He remembers years ago when she would
come into pool room s wielding a
broom to emphasize the point that
her sons did not belong there, and
1
c hase them home.
With her family , Mrs. Nicolos i
en joyed playing Pokeno, "but she
wanted to win," Robert said. "She
could be very tough, but she was
also very kind."
With no written directions, Mrs.
Nicolosi did exquisite hand work,
even making window curtain s
using a method that included pull ing threads and crocheting, sai d
her daughter, Mary Pietrafitta. She
also made fancy doilies fo r man y
of her grandchildren . Just by looking at the pictures, she often helped
fri ends who could not fi gure out
their pattern s.
Mrs . Nicolosi loved gardening
and kept it up until she was abo ut
90 years old , her daughter said.
"When shecouldn' tgetdown there
a nymore, she'd get a stick and stir
the dirt around . She loved being
out there."
Born in San Giovanni de Galerma, Sicily, Mrs. Nicolosi came
to this country at 21. She li ved in
Beverly and Boston before moving to Andover, where she li ved
with her son Robert.
The widow of John Nicolosi,
her family members include sons
Joseph Mari etta of Somerville ,
Sa lvat ore Mari etta of Bever! y,
Rober t Nico losi of Andover;
daughters Grace Kapu sik of Bev erl y, Mary Pietrafitta of Wake;
field and Concetta Perrett of
Warren, PA; 24 grandchildren; 44
great grandchildren and six greatgreat grandchildren. She was also
mother of the late John Nicolosi.
Remember the Date!
SUNDAY, JUNE 23rd, 1991
p
•
IC
Sharon, MA
8:00a.m. to Dark
L
$ 10.00 per carload
Come and plan to spend th e day
while reminiscing withfriends
FUN- GAMES- PRIZES- SU RPRISES
IDitr Jllrst iEnbtr
PAGE TWO
THINKING BACK
Going back to the forties I
remember the Leverett St. Gang.
Johnny Struzzula, Sam Abramo,
Tommy Arria, Dicky Gurino, Joe
P. 0. BOX 413
Montemagno, Arco Spinale,
SOMERVILLE, MA 02144
Sonny Ruma, Nino Arria. Joe
Fortuna and of course, myself,
TEL. (617) 628-2479
Manny Fortuna.
It seems we enjoyed ourselves
playing games without money. I
remember playing hide and seek,
Staff:
1 ,2,3, red light, foxes are loose,
Editor . . ....... .. . . . . . . . ... JAMES CAMPANO
kick the can. I can also remember
the High Rock on Leverett St.
Asst. Editor ... . .. ...... .. JOSEPH LoPICCOLO
next to Smith's Furniture store
Publisher .. .... ... . ..... RICHARD J. MORELLO
where we sang songs, told jokes
Asst. Publisher ......... ... . RAYMOND J . PAPA
and played one potatoe, two potatoes, also the dummy's orchestra.
After school, we got our borne
JAMES KAHA:U S
made scooters, roUer skates and
James K<Utalas of~dolph, a sometimes one of us wouldhavea
court officer auhe State se'cond hand bike, we gave rides
general
R£MEHMER Vif;TOR
Boston for l Syears, die(1 to girls on the handlebars. To get
in
H<'mse
. Hi to Richie Morello .and an
the r-oUerskates and bike we had to
my fri~ af The West E;n{Jer. at the Cardinal C~ing Hospital
shoes, sell newspapers and
shine
lengthy
a
followiag
BrocktOn
in
I am a Utde tale ifi'writing,
·
~:.1
illness. Wewas 84.
but tha,tks fonbe paper, It's great
Born in Russia, be came to the . SV4U 1 y save up our penn&eS.
I wot~ld like to thank J.im and
hearing and reading abOat every•
Morello for makin<> i{
ichacd
R_
8andgrew11pin
U.S.attheageof
memomany
It brings back
" 'b
Boston's West End.
ries. The reunions were·great. Nice
Mr. Kahalas owned and oper- possible to renew my beautiful
memories of the West End.
to see everyone.
Enclosed is a donation.
in
stations
gasoline
several
ated
I would like to tell you guys Dorchester.
that my very close and good friend,
. -Manny Fortuna
He is survived by his wife,
Victor Vidette, just passed away.
Stoneham, MA
Bessie (Bonfield); three sons,
A very great loss to me. We were Henry of Norwood, Harvey of
* * *
very close from little kids to now.
Delmar, N.Y ., and Martin of ST. JOSEPH'S MASS
He will be missed by many who Sharon; two daughters, Louise
What better way to spend a day
knew him. We all lived at 21
Snyder of Brighton and Ruth Sahl when it came to attend the Second
Auburn SL , Victor and Pat Vidette , of Stoughton; 12 grandchildren; Annual Mass at St. Joseph's
Paul and Butch Christie and my- and 5 great-grandchild ren.
Church in memory of the old West
self. We were all good friends,
Enders who are now deceased.
*
*
*
Vic and I stayed extra close, did a
To Father Bucke, who gave a
LEZBERG
lot together. I hope all West BENJAMIN
wonderful sermon; to the
most
Benjamin Lezberg of West
Enders and friends remember
voices of the St.
wonderful
Roxbury, former operator of Tip
him in prayers .
who sang so brilchoir,
Joseph's
Well, Merry Christmas and Top Markets , a family grocery
deserved
certainly
They
liantly.
Happy New Year to you all. business in Somerville, died while
them .
gave
we
that
applause
the
Enclosed is my donation to help vacationing in Monticello, N.Y.
repeople
wonderful
the
To
He was 90.
cover expenses.
food
of
display
the
for
sponsible
and
born
was
Mr. Lezberg
-Mike Corrente
and beverages; they made sure
Medford,MA educated in Russia and immigrated
to the United States as a teenager. everyone had plenty to eat and
To
* * *
He lived in the West End until drink, my everlasting thanks.
from
friends,
dear
CAROL M. McCAULEY
and
relatives
my
1953.
oxburyin
movingtoWestR
Carol M. (Farkas) McCauley
He was a member of Temple God'spreciousli ttleacre(the West
died on Dec. 16 in Needham fol- Hillel B 'nai Torah in West End, of course). To see you and
embrace you made it a perfect
lowing a brief illness. She was 81. Roxbury.
Born in Austria, she formerly
He is survived by a son, George day. Til we meet again in October,
lived in the West End, but resided of Brookline; a daughter, Marilyn 1991, thank you for a most memoin Somerville forthe past 16 years. Malick of Newton; a sister, Ruth rable get-together.
My personal thanks to you and
She was an avid member of the Zion of Brighton; and two grandstaff for doing such a reyour
Cross Street Elderly Center.
children.
markable job in keeping the West
She was the wife of th~ late
* * *
End spiritalive. Without The West
Hugh; the aunt of Marie, John,
JOSEPH J. SILVA
Ender, it would have only been a
William and Desmond Howe.
My husband, Joseph 1. Silva, sad memory.
A funeral Mass was held in St.
ceivingTheWest
-Jim (Jillio) Tringale
Ann's Church and interment was alwaysenjoyedre
paper.
Ender
Revere,MA
in Mount Hope Cemetery m
He passed away December 20,
Boston.
*
*
*
1990. In his memory, his sister
TIONS!
and I are enclosing a joint CONGRATULA
Mary
* * *
and Rappaport
Jr.
Rappaport
IN MEMORIAM
donation. ·
helped.
certainly
You
lost.
both
Sr.
Please put our names on the
John Hannigan, C.P.O. Funeral
West
the
in
live
to
love
would
I
a
and
you
on
Thank
list.
mailing
Mass from St. Joseph'sChurch
December 10, 1990.
happy, healthy new year to you End again. Small donation enclosed- keep us informed.
Anna Higgins Hannigan passed all.
- Lucia Postizzi Petringa
-Mrs. Joseph J . Silva
away on December3, 1990atage
Boston,MA
Belmont, MA
92 in Alexandria VA.
Witt lllrst ifnbtr
Obituaries
SorrY
one.
MARCH, 1991
WEST END GRIEV ANCE
Once there was a passion in this place,
a grand mix of cultures
By Alan Lupo
(Reprinted from The Boston Globe- 1989)
lt is dusk, and on Catting Street there is no action.
No guys hang on the corner. Nobody takes a bet, makes a bet.
Nobody kibitzes or rocks on the balls of his feet. This is about what is left
of the West End, where people living out their lives are memories at best
for those old enough to recall and nonexistent at worst for most passersby too young to know or care.
Cotting Street is a short city block down in the canyon created by the
Registry of Motor Vehicles, the new Tip O'Neill federal office building
and that despicable symbol of insensitive urban renewal, Charles River
Park.
Three decades ago, there were 874 tenements and other buildings in
Boston's West End before the bulldozers and big money showed up.
Here, they left a miniature ghost towR, a single four-story lenernent,
rehabbed a bit inside, home to five .p ersons or families., and across a
parking lot three attached four-story tenements, one locked ap and two
boarded up.
Two trees now grow against one side of the boarded up red-brick
te.neroents. The old West Enders would have loved their shade. They
would·Jtave pruned them and watered the eanh armmd the trunks. The
trunks~ chok:ed up by trash, much of it gutted out of the buildings and
dumped onto the narrow strip of earth hugging the building's side and
sodden by the rains.
In the trash are pieces of an old wooden chair. Did a woman sit there,
holding on her lap a generation of children and grandchildren? Did she
sing to them the lullabies of Poland or Lithuania, of Russia or Italy?
The destruction of a home is an obscene act. The pi ywood has been
ripped off some windows. There are broken glass and torn shades. There
are gaping holes through which you, a stranger, can look and peer into the
darkness, into what had been the privacy of a family's life.
Once there was a passion in this place, a grand mix of cultures that
one often talked about in America but rarely could find in America. "We
did Girl Scouts," Mrs. B., a former West Ender reminisces in a newsletter
that ex-neighborhoo d guys publish for the thousands who once lived
there. "Albanians, Russian, Ukranian, Polish, Irish, English, French,
Jewish, Italian . .. . We sang Chri stmas carols at the Charles Street Jail.
One Jewish girl sang '0 Holy Night' so beautifully, eyes misted and lips
followed the words . .. . We lived together- tried to understand each
other- DEMOCRACY in action."
I don't know that this country is about democracy, Mrs. B. I think
maybe it is too often about money and hustle. We respec t the land only
if we think it is capable of sprouting a few bucks for us. We strip-mine
our heritage. We are like barbarians. We pollute the land, the water and
the air and rip apart our own neighborhoods, rip out our own roots.
The native Americans who watched us in action tried to explain how
we must repect both our past and the nature around us. We answered
them. "Savages." we said.
A couple of decades, ago, you found an old couple, an Irish couple,
living in one of the remaining tenements on North Anderson Street. He
said his.-name was John and hers was Mary. The wife was drinking tea,
and he was spreading some brown beans on a slice of bread. That was
their meal.
"When you're poor," he explained, "you got no right to complain.
It's all over. They finished the place when they knocked it down and put
the rich in. So where do you go? You can't live in a tent anymore. The
only answer is go ahead and get lost." This is savagery.
Today, there are maybe a couple of answers. Both the city and state
have proposed subsidized housing in or near the old West End . So far,
there has been a lot of talk. When it comes to destroying, we move very
quickly. When it comes to rebuilding, we are not so swift.
"It was a good place to live,"the old man said, " But that's all ancient
history."
No, it was not ancient history then , nor is it now. It is an unredressed
grievance, hunkering down in the dark corners of boarded-up tenements
and awaiting justice.
WOULD LIKE NEWSLETTER
I would like to receive The West
Ender. Please advise as to subscription price and when and where
available. I was born in the West
End in 1916.
-Gaspare Bova
Reading, MA
PAGE THR EE
MARCH , 1991
Tenants Score a T.K.O.
at Rent Equity Board
ARMSTRONG JUNIOR CLUB
Since 1988, tenants of 121 Merrimac St. have been wag ing a war
with an under-handed slumlord. Although they have won some battl es.
the war rages on . The Merrimac tenants are fighting for us. By " us"
I mean those of us who pay our rent for a good home and instead get
victimized by an unsavory slumlord who accepts our money and gives us
nothing but grief- grief that comes in the form of shodd y repai rs
(if any), harassment, rats, roaches, and no heat.
Front row: Frank Silvestro , Dom Freni, Jim Greatorex, Tony Sharaffa, M. Richardson (museum) , K.
Heidelberg (museum), Joe Giordano, Milty Sarver, Dick Hsu (museum) and Mario Ursino .
Back row: Terry Terranova, Dom Bianco, Frank Peluso and Fred Masucci.
ARMSTRONG JR. CLUB
Members of the Armstrong Jr.
Club (West End House) meet on
the firstS unday of each month for
breakfast and a "gab" session. Recently, some of us were invited to
a meeting at the Museum of AfroAmerican Histary. This museum
is presently located at the former
Welch Post B ui ldi ng on Joy Street.
Many years ago the Armstrong
Junior Club were also members of
the Welch Post and held many
functions in the buiJding.
The museum people were interested in any stories we could recall which could aid them in their
historical research. The most interesting story was told by Freddie
Masucci who explained that one
time, while digging in the back of
the Welch Post to build an addition, they discovered a metal door
which, when forced open, led to
another door and what appeared
to be a series of tunnels that probably led to the Charles River.
The museum people said that
it was probably where the slaves,
who had escaped from Southern
plantations, hid during the Civil
War days. They told us that Southern plantation owners hired
"bounty hunters" to bring them
back. All in all it was an interesting session.
We thorough! yenjoy your publication and enclose a picture that
was taken after the meeting. Also,
a check is enclosed to help you
with your publishing expenses.
-Milty "Mike" Sarver
Arlington, MA
* * *
WISH WE WERE BACK
Enclosed is my contribution.
We enjoy the paper and all the
different item s. Wish we were all
back in the West End where we
belong. Continued success.
-Kitty Carriere
Everett, MA
COURT OK'S SALE OF HISTORIC VILNA SHUL
The 71-year-old Vilna Shu!, an gogue) intervened, invoking the
historic landmark on Beacon Hill, cy pres rule, to become the benewill continue to serve Boston's ficiary of the proceeds from the
sale.
Jewish community.
Individual Jews and gentiles
Justice Ruth Abrams of the
Supreme Judicial Court approved living on Beacon Hill as well as
its sale recently in Historic Boston the Synagogue Council of Mass.
Inc., a non-profit corporation, attempted unsuccessfully to beprovided that the $429,000 pur- come parties in the dissolution
chase price can be raised by Sept. proceedings, so that they could
fight either to reconstitute theshul
26, 1991.
at least to preserve it as a reor
The Vilna Shu! on Phillips
of early Jewish immigrant
minder
Street is ·the only synagogue in
Boston.
in
life
National
the
in
listed
Boston
Register of Historic Places and is
* * *
the only building in Boston to THANK YOU
retain continuous Jewish identity
Thank you for publishing my
since its construction in 1919.
note in your last issue of The West
A non-profit organization, the Ender. Always hoping to see
Vilna Center for Jewish Heritage names of people I once knew, and
is being incorporated to raise this does happen every now and
money and to own and operate the then. So many wonderful memoVilna Shu!.
ries of those long gone years.
The organization plans to open
Accept my check to help dea Jewish cultural center in the fray some of the costs.
building for use on Jewish holi-Edna Jacobson
days and other occasions by all
Newtonville, MA
branches of Judaism - Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed and
* * *
Retonstructionist.
RESOLUTION
The pending sale covers the
My New Years resolution is to
entire contents ofthe shu!, includ- send you a contribution and make
ing an elaborately carved wooden sure that I tell you and the staff
ark in the main sanctuary on the how much I enjoy the paper. I
second floor.
hope to renew this promise each
Several valuable Torahs, which year and for many years to come.
have been held in safekeeping
I'll steal a line from Bob Hope
outside theshul, were not included and just say "Thanks for the
in the sale.
memories . .. "
Abram's ruling climaxed a
-Ron Madigan
legal struggle that began in 1985,
Swampscott , MA
at the height of the local real estate
boom, when the shu! was slated to
* * *
be dissolved.
NOT FORGOTTEN
The money was to go to chariEnclosed is a check. Keep up
ties in Israel, which were desigthe good hard work. The West
nated by officersofthe Vilna Shu!
End must not be forgotten.
in legal documents signed 20 years
-Alexander Pless
ago.
Gloucester, MA
The nearby CharlesRi ver Park
Synagogue (now the Boston S yna-
* * *
No More!
The Merrimac tenants decided that they had had enough. They were
tired of being kicked around. Their foe, Albert Onessimo , illegall y
operated this rooming house for years, charging residents above legal
maximum rent for rooms that were substandard. The tenants organ ized
and joined the Massachusetts Tenants Organization (MTO) which along
with the legal expertise of Mark H. Vanger helped fi ght thi s sluml ord.
Since organizing they have won victory after victory.
Worth the Wait
The tenants scored a T .K.O . at the Rent Equity Board (REB ) on
October 25, 1990, when the Board voted by 3-1 to not grant the permit
for the removal of property as a lodging house. The application had been
filed on December 12, 1989. Onessimo claimed this property was
commercial property. If the application had been granted, Oness imo
could have legally evicted every one of his tenants. The landlord was also
found to be in violation of the law by knowingly keeping rooms vacant
for more than 180days. The REB has ordered the landlord to rent vacant
units "t:ithin 90days. These residents are an inspiration. Even though they
have had to wait for one decision after another regarding rent control,
harassment, repairs and illegal evictions, they did not give up. Even
though they have had to wait for decision after decision of appeals, a form
of stone-walling by Mr. Onessimo's attorneys, they did not give up. It is
truly rewarding to see that there is still justice at the Rent Equity Board .
The Fight Goes On
After winning at the REB , the tenants are fi ghting for their rights in
Housing Court. For years, the tenants have been over charged in their
rent. The residents fully expect to win back their money in Housing
Court. According to attorney Mark H. Vanger, who has been working
with residents on a pro-bono basi s, the claim in Housing Court is
probably not going to take just as much effort as the one in the REB
because Mr. Onessimo and his attorney are not giving an inch. But if the
tenants hang in there ,justice will be served. It is just a matter of time. The
tenants fully expect Mr. Onessimo to pay back the money that he has
stolen.
That Long Awaited Day
Mr. Vanger has filed a claim of damages in excess of$300,000. Over
$135,000 is for rent overcharges, over $21,000 for allowing substantial
violations of the State Sanitary Code. Over 130 such violations arc on fil e
with inspectional services. Tenants also seek as damages for negligence
and breach of the warranty of habitability the difference between the
actual rent paid and the true value of the premises, plus actual damages
totalling over $175,000. Finally, the tenants seek damages for Mr.
Onessimo's failure to maintain a record of security deposits , his failure
to deposit security deposits in an interest-bearing account, and for failure
to return security deposits within thirty days after tenants had vacated the
property. The total amount of the claim is a whopping $246,339.50. If
there is justice at Housing Court, the tenants will win . They have been
waiting since March of 1989 for their day in court. That long awaited day
began November 20, 1990. We are hoping that justice will be swift.
TRULY GRATEFUL
Happy new year to all West
Enders! I am truly grateful to have
grown up among you. You are the
BEST! A special hello to my
wonderful girlfriends: Barbara,
Cookie,Caroi,Eieano randMarcy.
To Jim, Joe, Rich and Ray: Thank
you for the excellent work you
do to keep us all connected.
Please continue to keep the news
coming. We love it.
-Ellen (Kaskaviqi) Anastos
Warwick, R1
W.E. SUPPORTERS
I grew up on Green Street in the
old West End. My father was former City Councillor Joe Russo
(Joseph Russo Funeral Home)
I would like to join my brothers , Dom and Joe, as a supporter of
The We st Ender.
Pl ease accept thi s contribution
and keep the paper coming. I was
a member of the George Brenner
_ Vin Russo
Assocation.
Woo dbury, CT
IDl]e Bent
PAGE FOUR
WEST END TRIVIA
Name thisfamous West End doo-wap group and its members. Hint:
the second guy from the right is now called Frankie Paris. The first
ten people with the right answers will get a copy of his new CD,
"Third Rail Screaming." Send answers to limbo at The West Ender,
PO Box413, Somerville, MA 02144.
ffn~er
SPINALE FAMILY REUNION
A memorable evening, enjoyed
by four generations of the Spinale
Family, was held December 21,
1990, at the Ramada Inn in
Bedford, MA.
All the children and family of
the late Joseph (Menazza) and
Rose (Bramante) Spinale, of the
West End of Boston and Medford,
MA, attended. Over one hundred
family members arrived from
Chicago, California, Florida and
Massachusetts. Those attending
with their families were Josie Le
Mier, Franics (Ruma) Bellis,
Domenic and Kate Spinale, Mary
and Miano Ragusa, Connie (Berardi) Marchio, Frank and Margaret Spinale and Peter and Anna
DiFranco. Sadly missed were Lee
Schell of Florida and the late Joseph and Rose Spinale, son and
daughter-in-law of Joe and Rose.
The families reminisced about
the past and enjoyed meeting the
new generations. A scrumptious
buffet was served poolside, followed by a gathering in a private
room where a sweet table was
served. There was a surprise visit
from Santa Claus (great grandson
James Ferraguto) who presented
gifts to all the children in the
family.
The evening ended with a
prayer and thanks to Nana and
Nanu (Joseph (Menazza) and
Rose), for the family and the hope
that the tradition of gathering
continues. Many thanks went to
Roseann (Ragusa) Chardo, who
coordinated the reunion and those
who contributed to its success.
-Anna DiFranco
Medford,MA
Norman Streets, and not forgetRARELY MENTIONED END
ting the lemonade sold by the
West
former
all
to
Greetings
Enders. The nostalgia one gets out Megna's.
The Stable on Pitts Street was
of reading The West Ender is a
it or not, where parents
believe
feeling that brings back fond and
kids who had whooping
their
took
be
to
never
cherished memories
cough. Mr. Imprescia, the olive
replaced in our time.
Bowdoin Square reminds us of merchant was also a part of Pitts
the Telephone Building, Waldorf, Street with the Keystone and
McKeon and Casby, the Fire Sta- Mattress Factory at the lower end.
Green Street with the Paradise
tion, and the then old timers coolPool Room, Russo's Funeral
Cove
ing off on a hot summer night
Bowling Alley and other
Parlor,
from the breeze that came up from
Chardon Street. The radius of stores was quite a busy street.
Bowdoin Square consisted mainly Buster climbing the greasy pole at
of Green, Chardon, Hale, Nor- the annual Fiesta was a classic
man, So. Margin, Pitts, S taniford , entertainment. Our streets were
Cambridge St. and Leverett kept clean by the horse teams that
Upper. Green Street was like a remindedoneoftheB enHurstyle
main thoroughfare to enter the chariots.
* * *
My wife Diane and I met at the
West End.
GEM
REPORTING
St.
Cambridge
on
Club
Mercury
at
through
People could walk
Your special issue #4 is a gem
all hours unmolested. Hale Street and are the proud parents of Mican be remembered for its close chael and Cheryl. Many a party of reporting! 'Truth in Political
unity of people as a "street of was enjoyed at the Mercury Club, Advertising' should be repeated
streets." A tree on Hale St. (yes, well known for great social and repeated- until every reader
there was a tree) produced many a parties directed by Tony Salmeri, knows it by heart.
Keep up the excellent work.
sa fe hit among the leaves for the Joe Leece and yours truly .
was
End
West
the
in
Living
-Dora B . Ferran
Sunday handball games played
like "basic training" for the future.
Concord, MA
there.
Remembered are the Washing- .In spite of the odds, the West End
* * *
ton School, Silvestro's Bakery, has proudly produced men and
ROLLING
PRESSES
KEEP
.
fields
many
in
and Manoli' s Store were part of women prominent
be
should
committee
The
Another small donation to keep
Norman St., with Karp's Store at
work
continued
its
for
commended
and
presses rolling. Keep up the
the
Margin
So.
of
the corner
and effort in keeping everyone good work.
informed and updated on news
Happy holidays.
applicable to the Old West End.
ENJOY READING
-RichardR. Alexander
Many thanks to Joe LoPiccolo for
I do so enjoy reading about old
Belmont,MA
submitting my name to the mailfriends and places in my past.
* * *
I would also like to know if the ing list.
Enclosed is a check to help you ST. JOE'S REMEMBERED
Asst. Publisher Raymond J. Papa
Thank you for sending me The
is the brother of Ralph Papa. Ralph keep editing this informative and
was an old boyfriend of mine. We memorable data you publish with West Ender. Imagine my surprise
when I saw the graduating class of
lived on Minot Street next to the your tireless effort.
" May our hinges of friendship, St. Joseph, my dear husband and
Pinto family .
many dear friends. Thank you
Thank you for putting me on never grow rusty."
-LeoS. Cipriano again. Keep up the good work.
your mailing list.
Melrose,MA
-Frances Ventre
-Beverly (Senna) Bondi
Medford, MA
CA
San lose,
* * *
MARCH, 1991
NICE TO REMINISCE
I received a copy of the November 1990 issue of The West
Ender and was so happy to read
about the various places in my
neighborhood: Lowell St.; Barton
Ct.; Barton St.; Lynde St.; Allen
St.; the Peabody Playhouse, West
End House, and the Burroughs .
I lived in the West End from
1917-1940, when I left the area to
accept a job for the government in
Washington, DC. We were a
family of8 (Bochcofsky), Ma, Pa,
Zelda, Sarah, Ada, Celia, Honey
(Me) and my brother Kopie. My
sister, Sarah and Kopie are
deceased as well as my parents,
of course.
Whatever knowledge I acquired I certainly owe to the excellent teachers at the Blackstone
School, Wells School and Girls'
High. The culture and appreciationofthearts was certainly due to
the marvelous programs at the
Peabody Playhouse. I remember
our Modem Dance teacher, Miss
Sampson, a Jr. Leaguer, and Mrs.
Trask, the pianist, two lovely
wom~n. the Esplanade concerts
and the 4th of July celebrations at
the Boston Common were so
enjoyable and important.
I was delighted to see two
names: Roy "Izzy" Leavitt, Albany, CA and Morris Dashute,
Foster City, CA. I made contact
with Izzy and he was so happy to
hear from me. I had been trying to
locate his sister, Sarah, for years,
who was one of my closest friends
and learned I was a year too lateshe had died. Mashie (Morris) did
not give his full address and there
is no telephone listing.
The Dashutes lived above us
')n Barton Ct. His parents were
lovely people with 5 children: AI,
Ben, Edith, Shaney and Mashie.
Mrs. Dashute helped prepare the
food for my wedding at the Shu!
on Chambers and Poplar St. (3/
42). If you are reading this, Mashie,
please write or call collect - 1407-351-2930. I hope you have
recovered from your heart attacks.
Enclosed is a con tributi on for
your excellent paper and please
include me on your mailing list.
-Anne (Honey) Rothstein
Orlando, FL
* * *
TO MY W.E. FRIENDS
Wishing your holidays were
merry and holy. Happy new year
to all.
Yolie S.: Good hearing from
you, as usual. Helen and Roberta:
my thoughts are also with you. Of
course one of my dearest friends ,
Rita- God bless and get you on
your feet. Miracles do happen.
Hope the Spinale reunion
turned out a great success. I was
there in spirit only. I'm sure they
had a great one this year. Keep up
the good work, Rosa and whomever took a part in it.
Pray all is well and write, as
I love hearing from all of you.
-Lee "Spinale" Schell
Holly Hill, FL
* * *
BATTAGUA GIRLS
This donation is from the Battaglia Girls. We used to live on
Wall St. My grandfather was a
homeowner there since the midtwenties and was evicted with the
rest of our friends and neighbors.
Please print the "Battaglia
Girls" in the paper. Great paper,
we enjoy it thoroughly. Keep it
up!
- Mrs. Frances (Battaglia)
Papazian
Medford,MA
WANTED!
MISSING FROM THE WEST END
Does anybody know the identity and whereabouts of the five young
men shown in this photo? Any information should be forwarded to
The West Ender.
PAGE FIVE
MARCH, 1991
HAPPENINGS AT EPH . ..
Last year the Peabody House
serviced over 7,000 individuals.
We have been a very busy place
and next year promises to be the
same.
Our annual Spring Bazaar will
be held on Saturday, April 27th
from 10-4. This hasalwaysbeena
fun day for everyone. We have
white elephant tables, arts and
crafts tables, baked goods, snack
bar, face painting and much more.
Plan on coming and if you wish to
rent a table please call Betsy at
623-5510. The cost for a table is
ten dollars.
The annual meeting of the
Board of Directors will be held on
May 2nd. This has become an
event for the community and
friends of the House. Refreshments will be served from 5:30
pm to 7 and at 8:00pm we will
enjoy a performance by the
Peabody Youth Drama Group.
Our annual Camp Gannet reunion will be on June 23rd. If you
have never been to one of these
youhavemissedalot. Thereare45 hundred former West Enders
who attend and they are filled with
stories about the "good old days".
The theater at the Peabody
House has become recognized as
one of the finest theaters in the
Boston area. We have troupes
from England ancf"Russia who .
I VOTE YES
The West Ender of September,
1990 was received and appreciated. Our gratitude to Mr. Frank
Privitera for sharing his Big Event.
An announcement suggesting
that everyone on the mailing list
donate $10.00 toward publishing
and upkeep. Yes, indeed! Here's
mine.
-Mr. B.
Boston,MA
will be producing plays next
year. We have performances every
weekend of the year. If you would
like to be placed on our theater
mailing list please call Gary Duehr
at623-5510.
We have an active Alumni
Group who last year held a very
successful 50's dance at the Peabody House and organized the
Camp Gannett reunion . This
year they are sponsoring a raffle
with the proceeds going to do more
renovations at Camp Gannett. If
you are interested in buying or
selling some chances please contact Suzanne Palma at 623-5510.
If you would like to become a
member of the Alumni please call
Suzanne. We could use more
interested people.
* * *
BIG SURPRISE
We just love reading The West
Ender. It brings back so many
memories. Our daughter in law
had h sent to us.
Now we would love to send it
out to California to another West
Ender friend of ours. He will love
it and it will be a big surprise. He
does not go out as he is not well
and this will give him something
to read about his old home town.
- Dominic Spinale, Sr.
' · · ' Arlington, MA
FINALLY BROKE DOWN
Received The West Ender. I
loved that article about Rappaport, the thief Rosie Berger sure
looks good.
I finally broke down and am
sending you a small contribution
for thinking about me and sending
me the paper. Keep on sending me
the paper. Its ure brings back some
fond memories.
Give my regards to Raymond
Papa. Tellhimibrokedownagain.
- Mario Correnti
East Boston, MA
MOVING TO N.H.
Thank you for the newsletter
The West Ender, which my husband and children enjoy very
much. We are moving to New
Hampshire the first of September
and I would like to have The West
Ender sent to the new address.
I am enclosing a check to help.
-Nellie (Polichuk) Stern
West Franklin, Nil
CARMELINA MORELLO
Carmelina (Coronella), of the
West End of Boston, died on
February 17. Beloved wife of the
late James Morello. Loving sister
ofConcettaMacaroneofMedford
Maria Strazzerio of Rome, Italy:
Elvira D' Agosta and Rosina
Strazzerio, both of Augusta, Italy.
Also survived by several dear
nieces and nephews. A funeral
mass was held in St. Joseph 's
Church. Entombment was in St.
Michael's Cemetery, Roslindale.
Mrs. Morello was the proprietor ofCarmelina's Bridal Shop in
the West End.
* * *
THANKS TO NAT
Thanks to Nat Spinale. I met
him ;wd he told me about The
West Ender. He let me read it so I
called you people and I received
it. So I am donating a little something to help your expenses.
Thanks to Nat Spinale.
-Dominic Strazzulla
Somerville, MA
KEEP PAST ALIVE
Enclosed find donation for The
West Ender. Keep up the great
work. You keep the past alive and
brighten the future.
Always look forward with
much relish to the next issue. I was
born and brought up in the West
End.
-Jim Visitor
Brocklon, MA
wqe lllllest iEnber
PAGE SIX
MARCH, 1991
The ·weather
TOD ,\\-5 i\IAXDl!
Some
~pe .3k
pcrie~ce;.
Forecast for \\'est End
and Vicinity.
from ex- .
others. from
. expn iencc." don ·t speak .
•
.
!I
11
... : • . I l l..'
,.
l1 e i·-
·( ~ ·: ~..i j ,l'(U C :::, di1(\
, ,: ; :~; ... : ~:~:::,,! , C:1.1:·\ e; :.i iJ ie r. Bert Ly : ~! ~
._ ,:·
~.._""h :-. :-\~.."' t~e
De-Luxe Edition
:1~ j ".
Note: This page has been reconstructed
by Joe LoPiccolo of The West Ender staff
from a copy of "The Bugle" that was the
creation of Anthony Mondello~ 1952.
:' .;~:~ ~',:' ;T;~~ :~;~ <);·;~d,;•~;·,~~;:, ~ ~:':.~'·d;'~~~
.
Wednesday, January 30, 1952
Vol. 1, No . 1
Fair and cooler Wednesday to be followed
by Thur;day and l-'ri-
H unt".'
I
Ho w Eddie Havilnnd would lisp: 2 appie, I tustarcl, and 1 zppicot.
T he co rn-col.l nnd clay pipes that cost
but a ce nt.
C r·.. :aLL' t.:' rs S!l' t.'e t r.:1n o n l ~-; fr o m
1
T he cu ntin ua :. \· :~ c.f C-n .. rr.~ e :·s ~1. ,.,·;1s kno ,,· n :ts L i\' \ \ .t:l) : l
Those Sat. Nile
Pol<cr Games in
the G~·m Hou se
Charlcs hanl<
at
\\'ere rugged, says
Tom Gra d y .
~,."" , . :1~8r; ~l~e :::::> Pop!~1r ~t5 ...
r ·.c·
: Icc: ,,<:
\'an:.; ce 13 :nc ii. o n Ch:1rles s t ..
of t!c e Y <~n!-:ee homes in the sec -
l:l •ll
.Juhn Tum;1se llo's fruit s to re on Le,·c rL'tl s t .. where you co uld get n rC<ll
l <~;,; e s l<~ b o f ic c c~ c il m fo r a pcnr1y. Incid ellt <1 11y, it wn s ser ved on a piece o[
paper. What a treat!
Ba ldi 's ba1l>t:r shup, w t.e:rE: a sliave
wa s a nicklc and a haircut was JOe.
1 ""or ig inal site of the P enl>ody House
•.n : 111: c"mer of Popl<1r and B.-ighton
... t~ . '1
.!ud:~,·· s
Gn,cery S tore on th e opposite
Barton st., that we could hop, step
and jump so easily .
;mel
Walking around most of the summer
in your ba re feet. No wonder wP. had
Cr lrne:··:
~lcGr <~ th ' s,
next to
· ~· P()!ll :\ r c:t
j; rt~r
;Jt
Chansky·~.
th~ ':""!'"! " f'l'
nf
K~n­
n;Jrcl av ·.' Where were the re ever m ore
;;e, erous people tha n the McGt·nths''
B il !y
""· ,,eel
l >l :t L·h (· ~·
. . Trolley C<irs comlng in from ' Cilm ~
bridge over old Ct·aigie Bridge, up Leverett st., and down Causeway st. to the
North Station .
O 'B r ien 's
iJ ., . Billy
b c)y'.
me;"~t
m arke t
l ater
the
little
Brophy,
1
!1!-eJr ll< tt'' s s t " re . \\'here <t pitcher of
: ••: c r W i l!) 15 cen ts·.• Th is s tore lfltcr bc. <~111L' th l' ! • ., n l c q f S te:1rn's D c li c itlcs~cn .
;-'!f! do-'!s.
The trees on Barton and Brighton sts.
Old Jake's b<1rn on the same street
and the old paint s hop a fe) v doors aw<1y.
The dump on Fruit s( on which the
Eye and Ear lnfirmnry now stands.
Or the Har vard Dental School on
Fruit at the foot of North Anderson st .
hJ~
Poplar
:,,·ay to a
and
~!"fH>d
Bri gh tc!:
cr~!l
Sis.
;:!me ::!
Oh.
BoJ·!
l\'0 WITJIIIOLDING TAX.
Thanks nre clue to all, who, in <1ny
way helped to make this publication
possible . More matet·ial th<1n we could
possibl y use was sent in and every
effort was made to boil it down . If
yours wns omitted it was because of
a simila.r ity of r.opy . We al~o want to
thank "Hill" Cnshman for his assistance
in.. the makeup of "The Bugle".
c.a•·-d ·l thcz-!:';~ Tb~y
The old-time doctors namely : Kelly,
Morrison, Noye~. Lawler, Cilley; Thompson and othe:·s·: And calls then, were
only one buck ..
Roanoke Hall · and the surrounding
spas. namely: Scannell's "Mall ow Spa "
anct John Holland's rest room _
Canning & P a tc h's d,·ug store, now
the home of Johnny Corso's fruit s tand ,
corner o f Green and Chambers sts.?
\Vc had so me darn good
Bowling howlct·'s. Take a peek at Johnny Dunn 's
scrapbook If you douht ll.
The three-horse hitch of Engine 10
on River st. What a sight that was as
those horses went by .
The porcelain factory that gave the
name to Porcelain pl., of( the lower tl\d
o[ Poplar st.
The Bell Foundry on All e n st.
When the footbnll team of Boston University practiced on Boston Common?
We sat on the sidewalks on Sh ort
B a rt on st. and walchect L<1rry Mulvey
and S oro ka (later the W<1rd Bros., who
topped the bill at Keith'~) practicing
buck and wing dancing.
The kids of the West End House al')d
the othe r organizations had gre<1ter <1 Cti\·i ty th a n all o tl:cr districts or Bostn"
combined.
Those nightCy walks of Martin and
Bill Prendible, when you could set ynur
watch on the time they would rea ch
McLe a n and Chambers st.?
St. J oseph's Cadets, directed by J ohn
I. and Howard Ka ne?
OLI> Tll\IERS
The old police force of Barry, Bergin,
Merritt, Wym<1n, Sharkey, Parmentf:r,
T ·""' ,,~JY•'Jl.)' ·
"<d l <in 'C;unbri dg c ' ~t.
Mayhew Schon!
Prec i· net. You
know a way back
when. Piclt the
voter.
The old Peabody
House - Poplar .
St. "Hey .there!
Will you throw
that cue ball up
here?" Looks like
!larry Hunter.
On
Murray's St<•\'!: Shop, JetTY Greene's
cmpuriu~ and J ('.l' Ft·cno's barl>ct· shop,
\'.'Crc
::eo.lly
our friends, but we didn't appreciate
them.
1\Iary's store opposite St. Joseph's
Church, where " Nonie'' Cuddy would
gi,·e you a p!e;Jsan t smiJe whether or
not you bought somethi':'g·
Pinkus Levine's or Grcatorex' tailor
where the work was good ilnd
the prices reasonable.
Those three blokes in the corner with
the instruments are p a rt of the origin;~!
Mondello's Orchestra . They remember
and play all the old tune~-and in key .
Don't be bashful. If you feel like a
song, see Joe Sheeran, master of entertainment and he'll put you on .
How frequently J ohn I. came near to
being annihilated by oppos ing basketball players'
The Esplanade and its beauty and
the girls we took for strolls down by
the Charles?
Just before Election
I>ay in the olcl West
hack
away
End
when .
~hops,
The boys who got you in the end:\lullen·~ on Causeway st .. Linehan's on
Chnmbers st. (later Costello's} and
Burke's opposite Allen st.?
To all We~t Enders who made th~
supreme sacrifice In the sl!rvice of our
.:c.ur;try.
\Vhen ther·e was a barroom on every
corner? But whet·e are the corners?
When you could see what you were
doing on Lowell st. ?
PAGE SEVEN
MARCH, 1991
Historv of t.
The Polish Parish of downtown
Boston had its beginnings in the
basement of St. Stephens Church
in the North End. Encouraged by
the determination of Reverend
Chmielinski of South Boston,Rev.
Laidislaw Sikora conducted services there until 1919, where it
became possible to purchase the
building formerly used by the
Second Reform Presbyterian
Church and Other Protestant
Bodies on Chambers St. in the
WestEnd.OnSeptemb er 13,1920
the church was dedicated as the
Church of Our Lady of Ostrobrama, also known as St. Mary' s
Polish Church. For some years the
church administered as a mission
of the neighboring St. Josephs
Church, and in 1932 was raised to
the status of Parish. The longing
desire to worship in the ir own
language and ethnic heritage was
complete.
As with other houses of worship with ethnic roots, Our Lady
ofOstrobrama Church served as a
center where the many Polish
immigrants could be initiated to
the adjustment process of a new
life in the United States. The
church opened its arms providing
friendships, hospitality, and support. It was used as a ·vehiCle to
attain information and assistance
concerning language difficulties,
housing, and possible employment
as well as insight to the basic
concepts of day to day life in
America. This was all shared and
superceded by the strength and
devotion to the Eucharist. Families were formed in the Sacrament
of Matrimony, children and adu!Ls
were Baptised, young adults
received Holy Communion and
Confirmation, penitants were
given forgiveness, and the sick
were annointed. These duties were
carried out over the years by the
Pastors; Father Sikora, Limont,
Nagusieswiski, Orzech, and
Chmaj.
In 1940, a fire destroyed most
of the church. The resourcefulness, cooperation, and fund raising capabilities of the priests and
parishoners had ultimately made
rebuilding possible, and in 1941 a
new brick edifice was constructed
in the same location. Prayers of
thanksgiving and hope for a long
bright future filled the church as
well as the hearts of the parishoners.
Social and religious societies
such as Father Nogusiewski's
basketball team, the church choir,
the Holy Name Society. and Father Ozech 's Saint Teresa •s Society created long standing friendships between the parishoners. The
church hall located in the baseII ..
~
to
II u lo lo
lo
~
II II lol II ol n I· II
I;
u
SAINT MARY'S CHURCH
ment of the building was used for
many a church sponsored event
and receptions.
In the 1950's, under Rev.
Francis Chmaj and his assistant
Rev. Stanislaus Sypek the church
membership grew to 1000. In
1957, news came that the church,
along with the entire West End
was to be demolished in order to
make way for the West End development disaster. The news tore at
the hearts of the parishoners who
found themselves without a building but not without spirit. Plans
were made for church services to
be held in the lower level of Saint
Josephs Church, McClean St. With
support from the parishoners and
Rev. Bucke of St. Josephs the
availability of the church provided
a home for the faithful Polish
congregation for 3 years, until it
was decided that the parish was to
be unified with St. Hedwigs
Church at 100 Otis St. in East
Cambridge. The move was to be a
return to St. Hedwigs for Rev.
Chmaj, who was once assistant to
Rev. Henry Zmijewski in 1937,
before he was called on to guide
the West End parish in 1953. The
parishoners who came with Rev.
Chmaj to St. Hedwigs enriched
not only thenumbersofthechu rch
but also brought with them a new
energy.
Together, Rev. Monsignor
Chmaj and his assistant Rev.
Rudolph Wieszczek lead the Parishoners of St. Hedwigs Church in
devotion today. Mass is celebrated
in Polish twice daily along with
the eight thirty and ten o'clock
masses on Sunday. The eleven
thirty mass on Sunday is held in
English. The church choir is led
by organist Wanda Trotzky
Pieciul, and two of its members,
Frank Pieciul and Leon Ramusiewicz, are former West Enders, sing at the two Polish Masses
on Sunday. St. Theresa's Society
has now transformed into Our
Ladies Guild. Its membership,
once numbering 30 has now lessened to 10, all former West Enders. Social and fund raising
meetings are held monthly at various members homes to -plan upcoming activities. Its members;
Helen Baron, Linda Trotzky
Kozel, Julia Kraszewski, Kornela
Lipinski, Margaret Miroski,
WandaPieciul,Helen Switlekowski, Dorothy Trotzky, Patricia
Mezuk Wiggin, and Francis
Jaworski Zaleski have formed a
bond that has lasted over the years.
At this past Octobers annual
church bazaar, members of the
Sergei family. Mezuk, Rudzis
family. Josephine Rum Joyce,
Stella Garbaczuk Hwidziewicz,
II " Jl II Jl I• II II II 10 U II II ·I 1, II Jf I> 1'1 ,_ '
II II I'
II~ ~
" II
~
If M W II 11 II
r ;
l'l 01 •J II II • II.
~
1o W "
,
r.o "
could be found chatting with old
friends. On any given Su.l).day,
former West Enders Ted
Switlekowski, Stanley and Stella
Hwidziewicz, Anthony Trotzky,
Eugenia Rodz, members of the
Dashco family, the Pawlak family, and Gzeszik family and others
can be found amongst the congregation.
The Parish does not boast the
numbers of members of yesteryear, but under Monsignor Chmaj
and Rev. Wieszcek the church
remains a cohesive unit, morally
devoted and supportive of their
church. The members of St. Redwigs Parish are appreciative of
what the Church has offered them
in spiritual fulfillment, religious
direction, and preservation of their
Polish heritage. To the West
Enders who remain as members
of the Parish it is a link to the past,
a time of new beginnings and
friendships, memories that will
always warm the heart, a never to
be lost feeling of warmth and
belonging.
-Barry Pieciul
Cambridge, MA
* * *
Look at Leverett Circle and see
those buildings shine
But don't ever forget that it
once was all mine!
-The West Enders
JoeRamaci
Roslindale. MA
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THANK YOU
Thank you for sending me The
West Ender, it brings back a lot of
wonderful memories and all the
good times we had together. I
really enjoy reading it.
I also noticed a few West Enders arc living in California. If
you remember me you can give
me a call or drop me a line, maybe
we can get together sometime.
Thanks a lot again for all the
fond memories. Enclosed is a
check to help wi.th the mailing.
Love to all.
-Ruth (Bartholomew) Guidice
1920 6th St. #252
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(213)399-7660
Thanks for not dropping us off
the list and sending us our West
Ender. Here's our donation, it's
been a while.
Our family including six grandchildren keep us very busy aside
from our jobs and aging parents.
Keep them coming- thanks again.
-Kathy (Deary) and Joe Corso
(No . Russell St. & Green St.)
Melrose,MA
* * *
I am Charly Butman, lived and
was born on 39 Poplar St. Moved
to Barton St. Do you have some
kind of a directory to look up past
West Enders? I would be interested in knowing where Johnny
Kisilowsky, Grace Ventresca,
Chubby Stancato, Charly and
Louie Fama. Alex Federchuck,
Tommy Natzi. Johnny Lyons,
Carmen Puopolo and Percy Ross.
I am 58 years old now, and
really miss the old gang. Thank
you for enriching my memories.
Enclosed is something for my
appreciation for trying to bring
us closer together.
-Chuck Butman
Brookline, MA
I r> ., .. 110 W .. If t J1 •
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* * *
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Hi, guys. Enjoy reading this
paper so much. Just had to send in
a donation to help out. I was born
and raised in a large family . We
lived on quite a few streets in the
West End. Pitts, Hale, Leverett,
Wall and Minot.
-Frances Ternullo Danieli
Braintree , MA
t
*).t y* *
When I received the June issue
of The West Ender and saw a
familiar name, Gladys Shapiro,
whom I remember as a young girl
who I thought reached the highest
goal - a lawyer. Whenever I
walked along Eaton Street and she
smiled at me, my day was complete.
Thank you for this issue ofTM
West Ender A small donation is
enclosed. Keep up the good work.
-Sylvia Kaufman Swartz
West Bridgewater, MA
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PAGE EIGHT
ECHOES OF THE OLD WEST END
PARTTHREE ·
\
. 1
Landsmanshaften:
Anchai Austrian by Lisa C. Kleinstein
13 Lowell St. ................. 1900
Anchai Kieve Synagogues and Societies
13 Green St. ................... 1895
Etz Chaim Association
Among the 54 Lansmanshaften
............... 1896
St.
Norman
30
that Boston had, some represented
BenevolentIsrael
'nai
B
regions of Eastern Europe, i.e.
Wall St. ....... .............. ..... 1892
there were three representing
Bikur Chaulim Chebra
Kurland, two that were
..................... 1892
Hall
Minot
representing Wolin and one for
Association
Prenner
Lithuanian. Nathan Kaganoff of
55 Lowell St. ................. 1891
the American Jewish Historical
Wilno Ladies Somech Noflim
Society considers that probably
- 30 Norman St. ............. 1899
immigrants initially were happy
of KurlandSisters
to find fellow country men who
St. .................. 1900
Poplar
30
and
region,
were from their own
Anshai Birsh
Shlomo
Mishkan
as more individuals came from
1899
.....................
St.
-Minot
the same cities and villages the
Assoc.Progressive
Meretz
remaining landsmanshaften
Charles St. ..................... 1906
became exclusively from single
Petersburg Assoc. St.
cities. Then, over a ten year period
Cambridge St. ......... 1898
199
there appeared two landsmanshafof Birsen Brothers
ten for the cities of Birsen and
Russell St ....... 1898
North
31
Prenner; three for Vilna; and four
of Birsen Sistership
for the town of Vilkomir. There
St. ................. 1900
Lowell
58
were 45 social clubs established
Assoc. Benevolent
Zitomir
in Boston and 4 2 different societies
1909
....................
St.
Wall
48
established by women for social
Marshoe
Hebrew
Austria
The
need.
and charitable
1913
..................
St.
Poplar
62
Landsmanshaften also ran many
Wilna Associationsmall loan societies, burial and
79 Leverett St................ 1905
charitable societies that included
Mikulincer Benevolent distributing Passover food and ·
Leverett St. ............... 1905
80
money. TheAmericanfewish Year
Society Ponovola
Book for 1901 lists 46 lodges.
St. ............... 1905
Leverett
80
These Fraternal Orders were
Agudath Hamorim Hoebrian organized in the following way:
62 Chambers St. ............ 1911
26
II
5
3
I
Order of Brith Abraham
Independent Order of the
Sons of Benjamin
Independent OrderofB ' nai
B ' rith
Independent Order of the
Free Sons of Israel
Independent Order of
Kesher S hel Barzel
(the Iron Band)
Each year the American Jewish Year Book would record the
new groups. Ehrenfried writes that
the Fraternal Orders stimulated
integration by education, and
promoting self-reliance and patriotism, while providing centers of
adaption and social aid. The national Fraternal Orders were successful rivals to the traditional and
less inclusive landsmanshaften.
For a list of these organizations
for the West End, constructed
according to street addresses, my
sources were the Boston Advocate, the American Jewish yearbook and the American Historical
Society's list of organized Jewish
Group Activity in 19th Century
Massachusetts. The following is a
list of Landsmanshaften and Fraternal Lodges active between 1900
to 1914.
Fraternal Lodges:
Bay State LodgeMinot Hall ..................... 1900
(Meeting conducted in English)
Boston Lodge #186 I.O.B.B. Minot Hall ..................... 1885
Gad El Lodge#71 Kesher Shel
Barzel ............................ 1886
Jegar Shaduth Lodge #27 Minot Hall ..................... 1892
Liberty Lodge #93 Minot Hall ..................... 1900
Mass. Lodge #27 Minot Hall ................... .. 1896
Mordecai Lodge #39 Minot Hall ....... .............. 1899
Mosenthal Lodge #28 Minot Hall ..................... 1888
New England Lodge #179 Springfield St. ............... 1898
Noemi Lodge# 11 (Unabhingiger Orden Truer Schwestern)Minot Hall ..................... 1892
Sisters of RebeccaMinot Hall ..................... 1892
Ahavat Achin Lodge #174 31 N. Russell St. ............ 1906
Education Lodge #339 80 Leverett St. ............... 1906
Pride of Boston Lodge 31 N. Russell St. ............ 1906
Gov. Bates Lodge #35215 Leverett St. ............... 1906
Bay State Lodge #21515 Leverett St. ............... 1906
David Talner Lodge #16125 Leverett St. ............. 1906
My list is probably not complete, but seems like quite anumber of societies for an area that is
not very large, but was densely
populated. Boston was a favorite
convention spot for many Fraternal Orders and the Jewish community was sensitive to the way it
was being perceived by the nonJewish press. The Boston Advocate
reacted to both the regular press
and the behavior of members of
Fraternal Orders in June, 1905:
"Either the newspapers of this
city are determined to report the
meetings of Jewish Fraternal
Orders that select Boston as their
convention city in the light of an
assemblage of wild men, or these
organizations insist on conducting meetings in disregard of established standards of order and
decorum. The city press presents
the convention ofB 'rith Abraham
delegates as the scene of disorder
and riot, working incalculable
mischief. Our advice to the delegates is to be aware of the fact that
the public will judge them; to the
newspapers, don't believe all you
hear and treat the visitors fairly."
In addition to these organizations which provided support for
their members, there were others
that provide charity and relief. One
of these was the Federated Jewish
Charities of Boston, a large group
which had many organizations
under its umbrella. Most of these
were located on Tremont St., but
some were also found in the West
End. In 1908 it became the Greater
Federation of Jewish Charities
with $60,000 in donations and by
1913 it had $75,000 that was dispensed to the various charities.
The Benoth Israel Sheltering
Home on 6-10 North Russell St.
Est.1885 to give shelter, food and
aid to the needy. It had no paid
employees. It supplied an average
of 30 lodgings and a 100 meals a
day in 1900. By the end of four
days of residence, the average
immigrant was able to find employment and permanent shelter.
In 1911, it was supplying only 15
lodgings and 60 meals a day,
because the need for temporary
shelter in the West End was diminishing as more more immigrants were able to tum to their
own family and friends for help.
The Hebrew Immigrant Aid
Society raised funds at mass
meetings in the North and West
Ends to provide legal council
and guide service at the docks.
Established in 1902, by 1914 it
had 3,000 members.
The Hebrew Women' s Sewing
Society on 154 Charles St., Inc.
MARCH, 1991
1894, was a group that delivered
cut material to poor women who
were paid for sewing it The garments were then distributed among
the needy and included skirts,
jackets, babies clothing, underwear, sheets and pillowcases. They
offered training in sewing at their
headquarters, and had a summer
recreation program for tenement
house children and mothers that
sent 300 of them to the beach on
the South Shore for two weeks
under the auspices of the "Country Week Committee" and Mrs.
Spitz. They also had a literary
Social Committee and a Visiting
Committee for cases of acute distress. The Diet Kitchen of the
Society gave attention to tubercular patients.
In addition to these Jewish
maintained and organized benevolent community structures were
others that were non-sectarian and
open to all residents. The Jewish
children especially benefitted from
the existence of fine institutions
like the West End House.
The West End House, which
llill stands like an isolated and
forgotten memorial, at 16 Blossom St. was established by James
Storrow in 1906 for the recreation
and study of the West End boys.
It's first home was at 9 Eaton St.,
then in 1911 moved to 45 Cham. hers St. and finally into 16 Blossom St. It was also known as the
West End Settlement House. The
Saturday Evening Girls Club was
the feminine branch which met
here. The West End House had a
full size gym, basketball and street
hockey teams, and a swimming
pool. They maintained a boy's
summer camp in East Parsonfield,
Maine also. It was for young men,
12 years and older, of any race.
They had lectures, entertainments
and a library.
The Frances E. Willard Settlement House, established in 1897,
was located on 38-46 Chambers
St. The objective was to provide
homes for young working women
with low salaries, or who needed
temporary aid; and to provide
social, educational and moral enlightenment. The Frances E. Willard House on 44 Chambers St.
was for Protestant white working
girls under 25, who were earning
low wages or handicapped. Room,
board and laundry was $5.00 a
week in 1924. There were 30 beds
in the house.
The Elizabeth Peabody House,
established in 1894, was on
Charles St. and its object was to
promote educational and social
work through classes. There was
a kindergarten, theatre and gymnasium, and a summer camp.
The Hebrew Industrial School
was founded in 1889 for girls, but
went co-ed in 1892. It was the fust
vocational school in the city and
while it was mainly financed by
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Hechts, from
the beginning it interested many
New Englanders. The Appletons,
the Lowells, Prof. Francis Child
of Harvard, and S.S. Pierce all
contributed annual subscriptions.
Girls were taught hand sewing,
power sewing, millinery, and
pattern cutting. Vocational
guidance was given by the school
director Golde Bamber. Students
from Harvard College and Harvard
Law School volunteered their
services evenings, as did daughters
of local families.
Mt. Sinai Dispensary was
founded in 1902, manned by 36
physicians. The institution was
non-sectarian for the poor of
Boston with two clinics. Patient's
fees of 10 to 25 cents and the
Federation of Jewish Charities
were the support of the hospital,
which eventually could not maintain its existence and was abandoned in favor of the Beth Israel
Association. Medical directions on
medications and in pamphlets were
written in both Yiddish and English for the clinics on Chambers
and Compton St. The physicians
volunteered their services and
brought their own instruments with
them. In 1903 Mt. Sinai expanded
into a building on Staniford St., by
1908 it served 11 ,000 patients and
in 191324,000. The large number
ofpatients which the hospital could
not handle properly brought condemnation of the building on
Chambers St. in 1913. Beth Israel
Hosp. replaced it in 1916 in a new
building in Roxbury, later on
Brookline Ave.
In addition to Mt. Sinai Hospital, there were other excellent
hospitals for those who could afford their fees - Mass. General
Hospital on Fruit St., the Boston
Lying-in Hospital on McLean St.,
the House of the Good Samaritan
for white women and children, St.
Monica's Hospital for colored
women and girls on Joy St., the
Vincent Memorial Hospital on
Chambers St., the Mass. Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary on
Fruit St., and the WestEndinfant's
Hospital on Blossom St. The
Infant's Hospital did not refuse
treatment for lack of ability to pay
and pioneered the care of premature infants and the development of milk formulas. In 1923
they joined Children's Hospital in
the Fen way area of Boston.
(Con tinued in next issue)
* * *
ENJOY NEWSLETTER
I enjoy your news regarding
the old West End and I wish all
those from that area good health
and enjoy.
- Jerry Shulman
Randolph , MA
IDl}e Best iEnber
MARCH, 1991
MARTIN LOMAS NEY
by John T. Galvin
(Reprinted with the permission ofThe Boston Globe)
(PART THREE)
Power Drew Praise, Resentment
Allen T. Treadway, Republican of Stockbridge, president of
thcstatcSenatefrom 1909to 1911,
called Marlin Lomasney "the most
influential man in the Legislature."
Mayor James M. Curley resented Lomasney's rising power
and, in 1915, with the support of
the Boston City Council, tried to
clip Lomasney's wings by enlarg. ing his ward. The boundaries of
Ward Eight were widened to include the North End and a section
of the South End known as The
Cove. (The number of the ward
was changed from Eight to Five. It
is now Ward Three.) At the end of
the last century and the beginning
of this one, the racial mix of
Lomasney's district had altered
radically as thousands of Jews and
Italians poured into the West End
and the North End, and the Irish
began to move out. Through an
appeal to the Supreme Judicial
Court of Massachusetts, Lomasney obtained three representatives instead of the two that
Curley and a hostile City Council
had dealt out to him.
At age 57, Lomasney gave up
his seat in the Massachusetts
Legislature to serve in the Constitutional Convention of 1917-1918.
The 320 delegates included Charles Francis Adams, whose ancestor, John, had written the state's
original constitution in 1780; former Democratic Gov. David I.
Walsh; ex -MayorofBoston Josiah
Quincy; former justice of the
Supreme Judicial CourtofMassachusetts James Morton; Harvard
historian Albert Bushnell Hart; and
such distinguished Bostonians as
Henry Parkman Jr., Sherman L.
Whipple and Augustus Loring.
Said to be "the finest assemblage
of political intellect since Revolutionary Days in Massachusetts," it
was challenging company for a
man whose schooling had ended
in the fifth grade.
Lomasney was one of the 15
members of the convention's
Committee on the Bill of Rights,
chaired by former Boston Mayor
Edwin Upton Curtis. Lomasney
and Curtis introduced a resolution
"to prohibit the support from
public funds of institutions not
under public control and management." At issue was state support
for parochial schools, which, as
Thomas Carens wrote in the Boston Herald, had been "vexing the
several legislatures just preceding
the convention and ... was threatening to divide the commonwealth
into hostile religious camps."
Lomasney informed the convention that although much of the
pressure was aimed at preventing
the Catholic institutions from
getting public money, they had
received only $49,000 in public
funds between 1860 and 1917,
compared to $18,%2,874.94 given
to non-Catholic institutions, some
of them Protestant churches.
When US Rep. Charles G.
Washburn of Worcester, where gency; biennial elections; consoliWorcester Polytechnic Institute dation of commissions; and state
had already received $575,000 budget
Raymond L. Bridgman, the
from Massachusetts taxpayers,
introduced an amendment to ex- convention's official historian,
empt technical and engineering stated that "Lomasney was conschools, "Lomasney rose and spicuously the most important
made one of his lightning force at the convention. He was a
speeches, his collar unbuttoned to leader, a hard hitter, a fair fighter,
his throat, his big jaw protruding, generous, sympathetic, respected
and his teeth showing with the by all who came close enough to
look of a bulldog." He praided feel the -strength of his personal
Washburn as a "good-hearted, qualities."
Republican Henry Shattuck,
intelligent, capable son of Worcester," but went on to say: "Mas- who was an observer at the Consachusetts feels that you had your stitutional Convention and who
day at the public treasury, getting later served with Lomasney on the
money for a private institution, Committee on Ways and Means
when the whole state now wants ' of the Massachusetts Legislature,
said: "It is a pity that most of
to stop it in the interest of the
Lomasney's record is oral, and
people:"
that most of those with whom he
Taking on the Cardinal
was associated are now dead and
William Cardinal O'Connell of what they could have told has
Boston felt the Lomasney-Curtis been long lost." Speaking to the
amendment was not only "an at- members of the Massachusetts
tack on the Catholic Church" but Historical Society in March 1936,
also "unjust in shutting off future Shattuck added that fortunately,
aid to parochial schools." The 90 "in the Constitutional Convention
Catholic delegates at the conven- we do have a record .. . Lomasney
tion were under extreme pressure was then at the height of his powto oppose the amendment. In the ers, and I believe I am making no
end, only nine did. It was adopted overstatement in saying that he
by a vote of 275-25. In the state rose to true statesmanship."
election on Nov. 6,1917, the anti* * *
aid amendment was ratified by the
John T. Galvin writes about
people, 256,239 to 130,357.
Lomasney had cleared the air with Boston, its history and its politics.
Some ofthe material in this essay
a solution favorable to no one, and
was presented in an article pubequal for all.
lished in a recent Bulletin of the
"Lomasney's speeches in supSociety ofBoston.
Eire
taken,
had
he
port of the position
•
on the floor of the convention and
in the campaign for ratification,
amazed those delegates who had
not met him previously," wrote
the Herald. "They expected an
unlearned man ... Instead they
discovered a man who spoke with
a profound knowledge of the fundamentallaw of the state."
The Constitutional Convention
lasted 26 months and discussed
more than 200 separate proposals.
Of the 22 amendments eventually
approved by the convention,
Lomasney concerned himself with
not more than six: anti-aid, initiative and referendum; necessaries
of life during a national emer-
REMEMBERTHEKA ISERS?
Although I was not born in
the West End I spent a lot of my
childhood there visiting my grandparents, aunts and uncles who lived
there all their lives. Does anyone
remember the Kaiser family? My
dad, Louis, was active at the
Newsboys Reading Room. They
lived on Willard St. and Leverett
St.
Keep up the good work. Enclosed is a donation to keep the
newspaper coming.
-Irene Kaiser Lisker
Melrose , MA
PAGE NINE
CHERISHED MEMORIES
My name is Mary McConn ick.
I am originally from the West End.
That is where I grew up as a child
and an adult. As a former resident
and chief head nurse once at the
Mass. General Hospital I can only
say that my best memories which
reoccur in my mind were the times
I spent with my friends and my
family in the old West End. A
place which will be cherished in
my heart forever.
Although I am now Jiving my
life in a nursing home, where I am
beginning to meet with new
friends, I still long for the old
home town where I enjoyed the
best moments of my life. So now
because I am no longer in Boston
I would greatly appreciate it if you
would be so kind as to send me
copies of The West Ender newsletter. That would be the best way
for me to keep up with the newest
events along with stirring up cherishcd memories of my past.
-Mary McCormick
Stoneham, MA
* * *
I'M WOKINGFOR ...
My name is Ginger Fragnito
and I've been trying to locate some
of my good West End friends for
ages. lltcy're Joe Noe and two
guys (both named Tony). My
roommate Joan Cunnolly and I
lived on McLean St. until we were
asked to move by Mrs. Sacchetti .
We missed going to all the dances
on Cambridge St., with invitations
from these nice guys. I moved to
BeaconS t. ncar the Public Garden
and soon we lost track of our
friends. How we missed them.
Doesanybodyknoww hereJoc
Noe is, or if he's still around? I
still live in the West End, at 250
Cambridge St. It isn ' t the same
wonderful place it used to be. I
have memories that Mr. Rappaport will never have the pleasure
of. Thanks, guys, for The West
Ender. Enclosed is a small donation .
Keep up the good work and
God bless you.
-Ginger Fragnito
250 Cambridge St . (Apt . 510)
Boston, MA 02114
* * *
MISS WEST END
I really miss the old West End.
My brother Stan, my sister Wanda
and I often reminisce about our
old friends and neighbors, too
numerous to mention individually.
With a sense of nostalgia I'd
like to say "hello" to everyone and
hope this letter finds them healthy
and happy. Enclosed is a check to
help defray mailing costs.
-Stephen Mirowski
Boston, MA
. .. ..
~
..
.. . .
ENJOY IT IMMENSELY
My name is Mary (Spina le)
Costa. I enjoy the paper immensely. It makes me nostalgic.
In Florida, two of my neighbors
are from the West End. I give
them my paper, which they enjoy
reading.
I lived on Norman St., across
from the Washington School. I
have two sisters who have lived in
Florida for 34 years. My brother
Joe, who lives in Roslindale belonged to the Armstrong Club and
was called Joe (Nigo) because
there was so many Joe Spinales in
the West End. Please put him on
your mailing list as I know he
would enjoy the paper as much as
I do.
Enclosed is a check to help
defray costs.
-Mary Costa
Boynton Beach, FL
* * *
THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE
Having just finished the September, 1990 issue of The West
Ender and as usual thoroughly
enjoyed it. Recently rode my
Honda Goldwing to the area surrounding the West End House
camp. Pleasant memories for a
street kid of Boston who directly
relocated to Maine from the camp
experience of 40 years past.
Your front page photo of the
Rappaport protest picketers is
getting classy. I knew Frances
Rothwell from Poplar Street when
his name was "Mousy". Ask him
if he recalls that monicker. Here's
my assessment again. Nice going
guys. Keep it going.
Shalom and Pax Vobiscom .
-JoelRudom
Bangor, ME
* * *
THANKS FOR MEMORIES
Thanks for the memories. I
apologize for wailing so long to
send this little donation. I always
look forward to receiving The West
Ender.
Would you please put my
mother on your mailing list? She
would love to get them .
We used to live on Norman St.
My father was Pat Giordano, and
my two brothers were Buddy and
Terry. Keep up the good work.
- Joe Giordano
Medford,MA
* * *
LIKES NEW CONCEPT
I received my copy of The West
Ender and enjoyed it very much .
I like the new concept.
Keep up the good work.
Enclosed is a small donation to
defray some of your mailing costs.
-Lenora Dimitri
Brighton, MA
~""
..
~ ·
...
... ........ . ...
~
•• ,. ... . . . . . . . .
# .: o.· • ·
IDqe Best i:nber
PAGE TEN
MARCH , 1991
WILLIAM BLACKSTONE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL- CLASS OF 1953
~
FORMER WEST ENDERS BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTINGS
COMPANY NAME
Actors Workshop
Alberino Brothers
ArthurS. Athanas
A wards Unlimited
Boston Harbor Cruises Inc.
Burne/Sharrio & Co .
Cataldo Insurance Agency
David A. Leone
Discount Invitations
Eastern Rainbow, Inc.
Electronic Space Systems Corp.
Fleming Miranda & Colonna
Four T's Fuel Stop
Gallo Electric
George T. Lanigan
Hydramatic Sales & Service Corp.
Hydramatic Sales & Service of Dedham
Independent Marine Services, Inc.
J & M Enterprises
Joanne Compiano -- Jewel Image
John A. DeMarco
Joseph F. Spinale
Joseph Russo Funeral Home, Inc.
L. A. Carpentry
Louis Pokat
Luggage Distributors Co.
Marie Howe Real Estate
Market Place Restaurant
Olde Harbour Travel
Olde Harbour Travel
Pete Levine's Scrapbook
Pete Levine Service
Pizza Market
Pizza Pad
Privitera and Privitera
Quality Invitations
Raymond Harris Ltd.
Rent-A -Consultant, Inc.
Roman Composition, Inc.
Ruma Fruit & Produce
Sebasti an's
Sherman's
Sportbilt Inc .
Stained Glass Art
Tringalc Studio of Art
ADDRESS
40 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116
Somerville, MA 02145
229 Salem St., Suite 2A, Swampscott, MA 01907
77 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02145
One Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110
46 West Foster St., Melrose, MA 02176
888 Washington St., Suite 310, Dedham, MA 02026
637 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA 02174
15 Pennacook Rd., Tewksbury, MA 01876
Derry Industrial Park, Derry, N.H. 03038
Old Powder Mill Rd ., Concord, MA 01742
30 High Street, Suite 201, Medford, MA 02155
24 Cypher St. , So. Boston, MA 02127
P.O. Box 598, Assinippi, MA 02339
294 Washington St., Suite 454, Boston, MA 02108
4 Joy Street, Somerville, MA 02143
21 Williams St., Dedham, MA 02026
194 Putnam St., Manchester, NH 03102
29 Henderson St., Everett, MA 02149
6 Noble Lane, Peabody, MA 01960
14 Dartmouth St., Malden, MA 02148
8 Fieldstone Dr., Burlington, MA 01803
814 American Legion Hwy, Roslindale, MA 02131
18 Sheridan Road, Bedford, MA 01730
5 Burlington Woods Dr., Burlington, MA 01803
333 Washington St., Boston, MA 02108
200 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143
1102 Lawrence St., Los Angeles, CA 90021
204 Hanover St., Boston, MA 02113
442 Main St., Melrose, MA 02176
1916 Piedmont Cir., Atlanta, GA 30324
1916 Piedmont Cir., Atlanta, GA 30324
105 E. Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02118
540 Commonwealth Ave ., Boston, MA 02215
Somerville, MA
11 Barbara Ln., Medford, MA 02155
701 Salem St., Malden, MA 02148
2409 18th St., N.W ., Washington, D.C. 20009
87 Wendell St., Boston, MA 02110
210 Beacham St., Everett, MA 02149
101 First St., Cambridge, MA 02141
11 Bromfield St., Boston, MA 02108
225 Cedar St., Somerville, MA 02145
14 Waring Rd., Natick, MA 01760
47 Independence Drive, Woburn, MA 01801
PHONE
(617) 423-7313
(617) 625-3620
(617) 592-0589
(617) 625-0100
(617) 227-4321
(617) 665-5605
(617) 329-3020
(617) 648-2345
(508) 851-2244
(603) 432-2547
(508) 369-7200
(617) 395-7550
(617) 268-8216
(617) 878 -4800
(617) 523-5900
(617) 666-5000
(617) 326-8150
(603) 644-4545
(617) 387-7171
(508) 532-1250
(617) 322-5031
(617) 272-7647
(617) 325-7300
(617) 275-2537
(617) 229-4999
(617) 742-4400
(617) 666-4040
(213) 622-7285
(617) 523-7061
(617) 665-3504
(404) 233-5028
(404) 233-7695
(617) 695-0202
(617) 536-0559
(617) 666-0300
(617) 391 -2345
(617) 324-0511
(202) 223-9175
(617) 423 -0778
(617) 389-8090
(617) 547-5944
(6 17) 482-9610
(617) 776-3477
(617) 655-2576
(617) 933-0644
TYPE OF BUSINESS
Acting School
Design & Carpentry
Utility and Telephone Consultant
Trophies & Awards
Sightseeing Cruises
Accountants for Small Businesses
Insurance Agency
Attorney at Law
Social & Commercial Invitations
Agency Sales
Antenna Systems
Attorneys at Law
Auto Fuel
Electrical Contractor
Attorney at Law
Hydramatic Sales & Service
Hydramatic Sales & Service
Marine Surveyor
T-Shirts, BB Caps, Sweatshirts
Jewelry/Designer Bags
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountant
Funeral Home
Carpentry
Public Accountant
Luggage, Leather
Real Estate
Restaurant
Travel Agency
Travel Agency
Old Toys and Collectables
Auto Service
Pizza Parlor
Pizza Parlor
Attorneys at Law
Wedding Invitations
Drapes & Quilts
Management Consulting
Typesetting Services
Supermarket Suppliers
Custom Picture Framing
Appliances, Jewelry
Athletic Equipment Cleaning
Stained Glass
Art Studio
FORMER WEST ENDER
Frank Storace
Alberino Brothers
Arthur S. Athanas
John Russo
Matthew J. Hughes
William J. Sharrio
Michael W. Cataldo, Sr.
David A. Leone
Joseph E. Morello
David Pokat
Albert Cohen
Thomas F. Colonna
Paul Theodos
Joseph Gallo
George T. Lanigan
Peter DiFranco
Paul DiFranco
Gerald A. Poliskey
Joe Messina
Joanne (Brogna) Compiano
John A. DeMarco
Joseph F. Spinale
Joseph Russo, Jr.
Leo Arria
Louis Pokat
Robert J. Sherman
Marie Howe
Tony & Peggy Van
Maria R. Alexander (Calitri)
Dolores Giuliano (C alitri)
Pete Levine
Pete Levine
Murray Steigman
Murray Steigman
Frank & Jeannine Privitera
Robert A. Morello
Ray Harris
Alan Skvirsky
Richard J. Morello
James A. Ruma
Sebastian DiModica
Robert J. Sherman
Michael A. Messina
Marion Jacobs
Vincent J. Tringale
MARCH, 1991
PAGE ELEVEN
Former West Enders Business Directory
ONE BEDROOM CONDO
FOR SALE OR RENT
JOHN A.. DEMAR CO
C:."/e/erd' .:Ad/a:. .r:k,ud'o.~t/
I 4 Dartmouth Street
Malden . Massachus etts 02148
Thomas F. Colonna
Over 550 sq. ft.
Ideal For Student or Professional
Aooiw.k:
NOW !
Locllliolf:
t300 block of Commo nwealth
Ave. near CVS and All sto n
Squash Club
Near trolley/buses to BC, BU.
J)owniOWn , Harvard Sq., Watertown, aad Longwood medical
area.
Near grocery stores, pizza
shops , parks, and West End
House health <lub.
(61 7) 322 -503 I
F•tJ111rrs:
Atfome_I(S at
30 Hi&h Str~et. Suite .201
MMSaehUHtts .02155
(617) 395-7550
M~rd,
Law
1514 Blue Hill Avenue
Mattapan, Massachus~tts 02126
(617) 2%-2791
Excellent heat and hot water.
Laundry machines in building.
Ca.pet in louilding hl!llways.
Over 5SO ~- ft .
Nanlwood floor.i , white walk,
woodwerk rofinished/ rq>ainoed .
Priu
$75,080 (sale) •
SPORTBILT INC.
S5~/ ,.h . (~t)
~eftt
PETE LEVINE S SCRAP BOOK
w/op«ion 10 buy ft<gllliable •
reM inclw:les heat ~ hot v.:ater
7
Old Toys and Collectables
C.IJ:
1916 Piedmont Ci~cle
Atlanta , GA 30324
South Buckhead
(404) 233-5028
$oe~
I
r-
PRESIDENT
FAX#38 1-9789
o( a./:h~ti.c
upa.i.'f.infJ
Uf~il'tnE.n.t
225 Cedar St.
Somerville, MA 02145
Office 617-776-3477
"
Since 1926
Richard
J. Morello
President
• 2 Spacious Chapels
• Centrally Located
• Ample Parking
387-717 1
typE.~
President
• Air Conditione d
• T-SHIRTS • B.B. CAPS • SWEATSHIRTS • JACKETS •
Jl
cka.ni.ag &
Michael A. Messina
JOSEPH RUSSO
Funeral Home, Inc.
I
cSpE.ciA.l~t~ in
Mass. (617) 969-8657
Cal. (415) 493-411!2
Keep trying. Leave a tel. nuntbc:r.
Jtout att. Coutpo~itiott.
SPECIALIST S TYI•ESE'IT INGS..ECIALIS'I'S T) ' I'l'.-'-iiTri:-\C,
• Pre-Arrangement
Counseling
• 24 Hour Service
8 7 We nd e ll Str eet
Te l. (6 17) 4 23-0778
•
Bosto n , MA 02 110-30 19
Fax {617) 4 23-1 642
814 American Legion Hwy.
Roslindale , MA 02131
(617) 325-7300
Qualit y Invita tions
Paul DiFranco
Featuring Invitations by Chase
• Low Prices for High Qu ality Invitations
• Wedding · Shower - Anniversary Invitations
• Matches - Napkins - Accessories and More
• Letterheads - Envelopes - Busmess Cards
• All Types of Printing to Meet Your Needs
Bob More llo
61 7-391 -2345
11 Barbara Lan e
Medfo rd , MA 0 2 155
Hydram atic Sales & Service Corp.
of Dedham
GEORGE T . LANIGA N
ATTORNE Y AT LAW
21 Williams Street
Dedham, MA 02026
(617) 326-8150
TEL. 523-5900
ELECTRONIC SPACE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Old Powder Mill Road. Concord. MA 01742
Telephone : 508-369-7200 Telex : 92-3480 FAX : 508-369-7641
(508 ) 851 -2244
SUITE 454
Albert Cohen
C hairman
294 WASHINGT ON ST.
BOSTON, MASS.
02108-3088
Disco unt Invita tions
Social and Commercial
Invitations • Stationery • Cards
Joseph E. Morello
15 Pennacook Road
Tewksbury , MA 01876
Wqe Illest i.Enber
PAGE TWELVE
MARCH, 1991
s
16171 666 - 0300
Bl R\1
PRIVITERA and PRIVITERA
ATTORNEYS
AT
Aero
I
~~~
s
\RRJU & CO
a Bt.
. . . . . . .tJiutnelenl eea,IDe.
Marine Surveyor & Consultant
~ness<
Member, National Association of Marin e Surveyors
LAW
FRANK PRIVITERA
JEANNINE PRIVITERA
WILLIAM J. SHARRIO
Gerald Poliskey
(603) 644-4545
FAX : (603) 644-7886
194 Putnam Street
Manchester, NH 03102
(617) 268-8216
Peter DiFranco
46 West Foster Street
Melrose, Massachusetts 02176
(617) 665-5605
4 Joy Street
Somerville, MA 02143
UEL STOP, INC.
S
FOUR
6 AM - 6 PM
Hydramatic Sales & Service Corp.
MONDAY - FRIDAY
24 CYPHER STREET
SO. BOSTON , MA 02127
(617) 666-5000
PAUL THEODOS
Your
$25.00
Phone: 6 17-695-0202
Fax: 6 17-426-1933
-
617
105 E. Berkeley Street
Boston , MA 02 11 8
Murray Steigman
666 - 40 4 0
donatio
for an ad
MARIE HOWE REAL ESTATE
on this page
B UY - SEL L
will allow us
- R ENT - APPRAISA L S
to continue
to keep alive
20 0
SO M ER VIL LE , M ASS . 02 143
HIGHL A ND AVENU E
the Spirit of
The West End!
An Affiliate of A National Company
0I
Utility and Telephone Consultant
(617) 592-0589
~~
I
-
]r
l
, _9nc..
MICHAEL W. CATALDO , Sr.
(6 17) 229-4999
We believe in paying our fair share but only our fair share
Suite 310
888 Washington Street
Dedham , MA 02026
229 Salem St. , Suite 2A • Swampscott, MA 01907
Lot
I
Bus. 329-3020
Res . 762-2874
}>( KA'I
I'
(617) 324-0511
PHON E 275-2537
POKAT AND FRIEL.
P .C.
P U BLIC A C'(J()UNT i\....."..:TS
f.!a'J m.onJ JJarrij
£. Jl. Carpentry
cftJ.
INTERIOR DECO RATING
DRAPERIES & BEDSPREADS
KITC HEN S - DECKS - GEN. CARPENTRY
5 B U HI.JNG T ON \ Vooos DHIVE
LEO ARR IA
18 SHERIDAN ROAD
B UI<.LING'I'ON , MA 01803
BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS 01730
RAY HARRIS
DECORATOR
701 SALEM STREET
MALDEN , MA 02148