The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1952-09-13
WHAT PULLS THEM BACK?
By WALTER J. sTEVENS

former distinguished resident Of city who moved
away some years ago. yearns to return TO the lana O
aBaked Beans and the "Cod In his letter TO this reporter
he asks "What the pull that makes 50 many Of Us want
return to Boston?
First of ALL our city is stepped in tradition, and every
foot along the way Of its narrow streets haowed ground
It is place where quickly learns to have talt just as
children learn to faith in the story Of Santa Klaus But
of course there also the tangible things Fefhaps te
ePuD to come back is the desire the Common and
view the statues that commemorate the glorious deeds OF
heroic black men? 1T may be the public gardens with it's
flowers and swan boats of boyheod memory that you yeafn
to see? Or perhaps the sail boats the Charles navgated by
hundred kids? It may be the ilustrious atmosphere OF
Harvard and "Tech" that hover all? To some the
Po is the esplanade concerts the only of its kind in
the VERDI where you relax in setting Of trees and
green lawns and listen to the of Bostons symphony
as it arises to ecsacies of Mendesohn "A Midsummer
Nights Dream" Music gentle the song of the birds
and as quiet as the twilight over the river
NAV be that you long for the East wind that comes
with the tang of the sea to cool the bsteng heat of the
summer days Perhaps you want to drive the new
enbankmen road and speed for miles along the Charles
River on smooth concrete highway the wheels of your
only inches away from the soft surge of the water? Orr
the pulp may be drive the route 1913 that takes
you beautifully everywhere for miles and miles and still
not tired you want cross the Mystic bridge of
the finest highest and longest in America? Perhaps you
resen of much racial designation for you have learned
that the word Harlem" is synonymous with the word
NEGRO" and that we have no "Ghetto" in Boston,
Maybe you yearn to visit again "464n noble institution
born Of the first world war dedicated the service of our
people, whose President Mrs John Hall has for many
years the Mantle" with courage and gracousness
bequeathed to her by the founder Mrs Butler R. Wilson Or
YOU recall 1858" whose staff continue carry in the
tradition of its first great president Maria Baldwin And
while you reminscing my friend you may recall the
Gardner museum in the Fenway with its million dollar
paintings and tapestries its ever changing display of flowers
enjoy the growing beauty the voice of Marion MeCree
and the piano artistry of Bucner Candy Perhaps you
remember "Resthaven 1T here when you left and
still operated by Edgar P. Benjamin Some Of our old
friends residence there how delighted they would
be to you again Perhaps you want mend your ag
body after being away long Well, Boston is the
knowledged medical centre of America You may any
hospital you choose and the chances that the specialists
standing at your bedside will be doctor nurse of your
color.
Maybe the greatest pull that makes you want to
back your desire to stimulate your race consciousness
Boston the workshop Of the great William Monroe
Trotter Here he designed plan for stand upright
first class citizens in the presence of fellow man. and yet
walk humby with God The action of Trotter who in
spite of cultured background Invested himself of pride to
take job ship chion unselfsy to serve his people
in the time of need is unparalleled You remember his
voyage the tramp steamer to Paris on May 1919 to
present his petition behalf of the Coored peoples to the
Peace conference and that denied and left out of the
agreement Do you remember what he demanded Of
Clemenceau, Marshall Foch, Lloyd George Baron Maxine
and Orlando of Italy, who represented the five great
of the world? His demands were "Colored Americans want
full liberty and equality of rights This demand he sent to
President Wilson, to all foreign journals to every Peace
delegate until it heard around the world This is vlv
the dramatic episodes in the life of this great man of color
writ in the blue of the sky that arches over the
whole Of Boston He left to his newspaper The Guardian
fifty years in service and dedicated to the founders
Battle cry of freedom" Here of the reasons thai
"Pulls them back