A story in yesterday’s New York Times used 2010 census data to show that a majority of foreign-born residents of New York City who make more than $150,000 send their children to the city’s public schools. The following paragraphs from the story sum things up pretty well:
In New York, the affluent typically send their children to private schools. But not the foreign-born affluent. In a divergence, a large majority of wealthy foreign-born New Yorkers are sending their children to public schools, according to an analysis of census data. . .
In interviews, affluent foreign-born New Yorkers said that like all conscientious parents, they weighed various criteria in choosing schools, including quality, cost and location. But many said they were also swayed by the greater ethnic and economic diversity of the public schools. Some said that as immigrants, they had learned to navigate different cultures — a skill they wanted to imbue in their children.
Many of those interviewed made two other points: That in a global economy, going to school at an early age with children from varying ethnic, religious and social groups is an invaluable experience; and that the diversity and less structured setting (as compared to private schools) of the public schools helps develop resiliency and self-sufficiency in their children.
While the Lowell public schools face many challenges, they also are capable of providing students with an excellent education. Perhaps the entire school system and the community as a whole should embrace and highlight the diversity of the public schools as an asset in the global economy. Paul Tsongas once said “if you can make it on the Lowell City Council you can make it anywhere in politics.” Maybe there’s a public school corollary – if you can excel in the Lowell public schools, you can excel anywhere. Certainly the many Lowell High distinguished alumni are evidence of that. We shouldn’t neglect the benefits of our diverse school system as a training ground for leaders in today’s global economy.
It is National Catholic Schools Week! The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2012 is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Academics. Service.” The annual observance officially started yesterday – the last Sunday in January and will run all week to February 5. Schools typically celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Mass, open houses and activities for students, families, parishioners and the community at large. Locally, we’ve seen newspaper ads, special coverage in The Pilot and talk about Catholic Schools in our weekly parish bulletins. Many schools celebrate by honoring a distinguished school alum as the Immaculate Conception School did last Saturday with its recognition of ICS grad Kevin Ahern.
Catholic schools have a long and rich tradition in Lowell and in the Merrimack Valley. Of those schools still open and active in Lowell: St. Patrick’s School in the Acre opened in 1852, the Immaculate Conception School in 1880, St. Michael’s in 1889, St. Jeanne d’Arc School in 1910, St. Margaret’s School in 1941, Franco-American School in 1963 (opened as orphanage in 1908) and Lowell Catholic High School in 1989 as the successor to its legacy schools – Keith Academy(1926) and Keith Hall (1926), Keith Catholic, St. Patrick’s HS, St. Joseph’s HS and St. Louis Academy.
Catholic Schools Week – a time for students to celebrate their unique path of learning within the parish, community and nation – will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year.
What are your memories of Catholic schools in Lowell and the Catholic school experience?
MassMoments reminds us today that when Asa Mercer of Seattle set out to recruit young women of good character to travel to the Northwest and fill the need for teachers in the Washington Territory, he came first to Lowell, Massachusetts. Why New England? Why Lowell? His reasoning was pretty straightforward: “A scarcity of women existed in those far away and newly settled regions, while a superabundance of the fairer sex abounded in New England.” Lowell must have been seen as an opportune place given the way women had flocked to it in the 1830s to work in the mills. The Civil War and the lack of access to raw cotton caused a wide-spread loss of jobs in Lowell. Economic need and a religious zeal caused a small group to answer his call. The overall results of his mission to bring woman teachers – called the “Mercer Girls” - to the west had mixed results – in two trips over 700 were recruited – but many did stay to teach… “about 70% of the women who left New England to be teacher-pioneers remained in the west. Many of their daughters became the teachers of the next generation.”
January 26 …in 1864, a visitor from Seattle held a meeting in Lowell. Asa Mercer explained to his largely female audience that there was a great scarcity of teachers in the Washington Territory. Jobs — and single men — were plentiful. Both were in short supply in Massachusetts. Any woman who could raise the money for her passage would readily find a teaching position — and soon a husband. Mercer also appealed to the women’s sense of duty: “their presence and influence were so much needed” in the West, he told them. In spite of the opportunities Seattle offered, it was unimaginably far away. Only 11 women chose to accompany Mercer on his journey home. These brave teacher-pioneers were long known as the “Mercer Girls.”
Eight ladies from Lowell accompanied by the father of two (Mr. Pearson) were joined by two ladies and a gentleman from Pepperell and one lady from Boston.
Don’t miss this important update from the Small Business Assistance Center from Stacie Hargis the Director:
Something just happened to the Center! As the New Year unfolds, the Center is looking forward to a bright 2012 as we have had much success to build on from last year.2011 meant results that made a difference in the communities of the Merrimack Valley! … And we look forward to continuing that success, but with a new name. As of today, the Lowell Small Business Assistance Center will officially be known as theMerrimack Valley Small Business Center.
A reminder:
The Merrimack Valley Small Business Center is a program of Community Teamwork, Inc. in collaboration with Middlesex Community College, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and the City of Lowell – Division of Planning & Development.
The mission:
The mission of the Merrimack Valley Small Business Center is to provide entrepreneurs from ethnically and economically diverse groups with the education, tools and resources needed to create, sustain or expand viable small businesses.
Harvard University just celebrated its 375th anniversary. But the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War is also of importance to Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust. A noted historian and scholar of the Civil War, Faust will speak in April at the Boston Public Library as part of the Lowell Lecture Series. Her lecture will focus on the latest of her six books “This Republic of Suffering,’’ which examines the effects of the war’s enormous death toll. There’s a quick interview with Faust in a recent Boston Globe book section where she talks about her own reading habits. Check it out here at boston.com. I love that fact that she’s a detective story addict – she started with Nancy Drew!
Young brides were given a copy of the Fanny Farmer Cookbook as a must-have staple to begin married life. Middle class housewives and “ladies of the house” used it religiously. Later, it became the basis of those science of home economics classes taught in public high schools.
The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, one of the best-selling cookbooks in American history, began life in 1896 as the Boston Cooking-School Cookbook. Its author, Boston-born, Medford-raised Fannie Farmer, was writing for the growing number of American women “who aspired to the new ideal of middle-class family life: home ownership, with a wage-earning male head of household and a full-time mother and housewife to oversee the home and family.” The book was a tool for learning what most women tried to learn from other women in their families – mother, aunt, grandmother. In the Preface to the 1919 edition – the last one completely written by Miss Farmer herself – she writes:
With the progress of knowledge the needs of the human body have not been forgotten. During the last decade much time has been given by scientists to the study of foods and their dietetic value, and it is a subject which rightfully should demand much consideration from all. I certainly feel that the time is not far distant when a knowledge of the principles of diet will be an essential part of one’s education. Then mankind will eat to live, will be able to do better mental and physical work, and disease will be less frequent.
3
At the earnest solicitation of educators, pupils, and friends, I have been urged to prepare this book, and I trust it may be a help to many who need its aid. It is my wish that it may not only be looked upon as a compilation of tried and tested recipes, but that it may awaken an interest through its condensed scientific knowledge which will lead to deeper thought and broader study of what to eat.
4
Read the full entry from MassMoments.org here to learn more about Fannie Farmer.
With the city of Lowell just having elected its youngest mayor and one of Irish descent – Patrick O. Murphy, it’s interesting to read the MassMoments story today about Hugh O’Brien. O’Brien was sworn-in on this day – January 5, 1885 - as the city of Boston’s first Irish-born Mayor. O’Brien’s swearing-in marked the beginning of a new era in Boston politics. The city had long been controlled by native-born Protestants -referred to as we look back as “Yankees” – most of whom had a stereotypical view of Irish immigrants as poor, ignorant, undisciplined and worst of all under the thumb of the Catholic Church. But by 1885, the Irish were over 40% of the city’s population. They were the largest group of foreign-born residents and outnumbered the native-born Yankees – this reality and the families that followed brought about political change in Boston and elsewhere. Lowell voters elected its first Irish Catholic Mayor – John J. Donovan – in 1882. Against the stereotype – Donovan was a successful banker and resident of the Highlands. Donovan and others built a strong Democratic party organization in the city of Lowell. The Donovan administration added buildings to the City Poor Farm, built schools and bridges and made the public library free to all citizens. Other early Irish Mayors of Lowell include: Jeremiah Crowley, James B. Casey, John F. Meehan, James E. O’Donnell and Dennis Murphy.
Back to Boston… On this day:
…in 1885, Hugh O’Brien, the first Irish immigrant elected mayor of Boston, took the oath of office. A new era was beginning. For several decades, the Roman Catholic Irish had outnumbered the native-born Protestants, who were now forced to give up their long domination of Boston politics. As a well-spoken, mild mannered, successful businessman, O’Brien defied all the Yankee stereotypes of Irishmen. During four terms as Mayor, he widened streets, planned the Emerald Necklace park system, and built the new Boston Public Library in Copley Square, all the while cutting taxes. Popular among both native- and Irish-born Bostonians, Hugh O’Brien paved the way for the better known Irish mayors who would follow him — “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald and James Michael Curley.
Read more about Mayor O’Brien here at MassMoments.org.
For more information about Lowell Mayors – read “The Mills and the Multitudes: A Political History” by Dr. Mary Blewett – a chapter in Cotton Was King: A History of Lowell, Massachusetts edited by Arthur L. Eno and published in 1976 as a project of the Lowell Historical Society.
January is National Mentoring Month. I’m so thankful for those who mentored me… first it was the nuns – particularly Sister Mary of Charity, GNSH at the Immaculate (she was from Lowell – a Welch, I think) who saw my potential as a would-be teacher… then it was women professors at Lowell State – but especially Dean of Students Mary McGauvran … at Lowell High School it was a group thing - Frank McHugh, Tom Murphy, Claire Quigley, Peggy Royal, and so many others – many of them peers. I count the late Catherine Goodwin, Peter Stamas and especially my dear friend Mary Bacigalupo as so important in channeling my interest in community and cultural activism. In politics - it was Helen Droney, my uncle Bob Deignan and a host of politicos who let me work with them and learn. In my family my great aunts Beatrice and Vera Deignan encouraged my community service and always sent such wonderful notes and my mother who through her own activities and support of mine made so much possible. In turn – I try to be encouraging to others across a spectrum of issues and civic activity. Be a mentor! It’s important and rewarding for you and those you mentor.
Here are some suggestions of things to do this January to celebrate “mentoring”: Become a mentor in your community; think about the mentors in your life and post a tribute to them online; partner with a mentoring organization; make a donation to a local mentoring organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters, Best Buddies Massachusetts, Reading is Fundamental… Opportunities for mentoring are available in many places in the community, the schools, the faith-based community and through business.
MassMoments reminds us today that the Puritans of Massachusetts led by minister Increase Mather thought the celebration of Christmas a vulgar, pagan-like and “profane and superstitious custom.” Over those early years the custom was never totally stamped-out. In the early 19th century when the revelry – especially drinking and merry-making that some associated with Christmas – was claimed to pose a threat to public order, middle- and upper-class Americans moved to re-make Christmas as a family holiday. The appearance of the poem – “A Visit From Saint Nicholas” by Clement Moore -presented an idealized, child-center Christmas. Santa Claus became the image of Christmas.
An 1856 Massachusetts law accorded legal holiday status to Christmas, Washington’s Birthday, and July 4 th. The success of including Christmas in this measure was due to the growing number of Irish Catholics in the electorate. To this day, Christmas Day is one day when public offices, government and most business shuts down.
On this day
…in 1659, a law was passed by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony requiring a five-shilling fine from anyone caught “observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way.” Christmas Day was deemed by the Puritans to be a time of seasonal excess with no Biblical authority. The law was repealed in 1681 along with several other laws, under pressure from the government in London. It was not until 1856 that Christmas Day became a state holiday in Massachusetts. For two centuries preceding that date, the observance of Christmas — or lack thereof — represented a cultural tug of war between Puritan ideals and British tradition.
Happy Christmas to All!
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