From America's Oldest Restaurant
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VOL. 118 - NO. 30 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, JULY 25, 2014 $.35 A COPY Celebrating Our Anniversary! 119 Years of Continuous Publication One hundred and nineteen The GAZZETTA, as it was There were churches to be years ago, an Italian immi- properly called, was very built and above all, immi- grant who arrived in Boston short in financial means grants took advantage of when he was only 16 years but had a large vision, to America’s free education old saw the realization of his give its readers a better while learning the process of fondest dreams, to establish and wider understanding citizenship. We devoted an Italian language newspa- between two countries. The pages and pages to that very per that would be the genu- so-called Italian Colony, or important mission! ine voice of the increasing “La Colonia,” had to face a The GAZZETTA became, in flow of Italians to the United complexity of problems and a way, a sort of guide, so States. The boy was James the GAZZETTA had to under- to speak, the go-between V. Donnaruma, the newspa- stand the slow and hard that brought American per was LA GAZZETTA DEL transition of men who, in political life to the Italian MASSACHUSETTS which is most cases, had been en- immigrant. Many times our now published in English as gaged in agriculture in the people were sent unknow- the POST-GAZETTE. home country. Here, they ingly to work in places sub- He remained at the helm were to work in construc- ject to a strike and were of this well-known publica- tion, factories and restau- therefore exposed to physi- James V. Donnaruma - Founder Caesar L. Donnaruma tion until his demise in rants, eventually emerging cal violence on the part of Publisher - 1896 to 1953 Publisher - 1953 to 1971 1953 at which time his son, as small storekeepers and strikers ... in time, the situ- Caesar, took over the reins finally the professionals, ation changed as they of running the now famous heads of business enter- learned more about the new national weekly newspaper prises and eventually to land of opportunity. located in the North End of become industrial leaders, The Italian immigrant Boston. Caesar was loyally heads of state, people to be was a hard worker, a thrifty assisted by an ingenious respected by others. man, a family man. He had wife, Phyllis, who assumed If America was to some a pride. As a family their goal the role of publisher in bitter disappointment, to was to build a future in 1971, as one the nations more it remained a great ad- America. The GAZZETTA first Italo-American women venture and excitement. stressed these virtues. We publishers. Upon Phyllis’ There were new ways to began to publish an all- death in October 1990, their be learned as well as new English section which daughter, Pamela, contin- institutions. There were became a real forum, dis- ued the tradition as the speculators and exploiters to cussing many problems, third generation publisher of be fought, a “padrone” sys- the POST-GAZETTE. tem needed to be destroyed. (Continued on Page 15) Phyllis F. Donnaruma Pamela C. Donnaruma Publisher - 1971 to 1990 Publisher - 1990 to Present Saint Rocco Procession 2014 As we celebrate our anniversary, we would like to thank our advertisers and subscribers for their loyalty throughout the years. We couldn’t have come this far without you! News Briefs by Sal Giarratani Obama as World Citizen I am just finally realizing why so many of Presi- dent Obama’s critics have wondered about Obama’s birthright. Was he born in Hawaii or was he born in Kenya? Back in his young college days, he reportedly seemed to have pretended to be a foreign exchange student, say many of his oppo- nents. I personally think he was born in Hawaii despite all the craziness about his long-form birth certificate. The only reason his birth place seems relevant to many is the fact that no other American presi- Society of Saint Rocco members. dent lived in so many places in and out of the (Photo by Rosario Scabin, Ross Photography) country. I have always said I am more concerned where The annual Saint Rocco Procession, rose petals and pinned their donations. he is taking us rather than where he was born. organized by the Society of Saint Rocco, Saint Roch or Rocco was born in 1348 in However, I must say no other president seems took place along the streets of Boston’s North Montpelier, France and lived until August th to dismiss his country so much rather than build- End this past Sunday, July 20 . Devotees 1376/79. He was a confessor whose death marched along with the Roma Band, North- is commemorated on August 16th; he is spe- (Continued on Page 3) east Italian Band and Portuguese dancers cially invoked against the plague. He may from Rancho Folclorico de Peabody. Those also be called Rock in English. He is a patron present showered the Saint’s statue with Saint of dogs and falsely accused people. THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office is open on Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PMPM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, JULY 25, 2014 Stirpe by Prof. Edmund Res Publica Turiello Nostra by David Trumbull A weekly column highlighting some of the more interesting aspects of our The Customer May Not Always be Right, but He is the Customer ancestry...our lineage...our roots. Last week I wrote about It is, for me, exciting to Italian delicacies, the North Uber and Lyft, two relatively watch a supposedly immov- Andover store serves the Syr- MYTHOLOGY new car services that are able object, the taxi com- ian community, the Chelsea making a big dent in the taxi pany/municipal government store is a little Latin America. Mythology may be defined ating a complete family line business. The services are and their symbiotic relation- The employees are extremely as a collection of legends or which was presided over by wildly popular with riders ship, get pushed aside by knowledgeable, helpful, and fictitious stories of a race or Zeus. who, for years, have been the irresistible force that is cheerful, making marketing nation. It’s also the name To the ancient Romans, stuck with not much alterna- People Power. People Power a pleasant experience. As for given to the scientific study the gods remained as imper- tive to broken down and is being asserted elsewhere, the employees, they are well of such myths; the myth it- sonal natural forces, and wrecked taxis, driven by surly in the current struggle over paid and treated with respect self, of course, being a story these gods did little to earn drivers who refuse to put on the future of the Market by management. Who needs relating to gods or heroes. the affection of the people or the air conditioning in the Basket chain of food stores. a union when your boss Many myths are not entirely to challenge their imagina- summer, pad the bill, refuse The Greek drama that is makes you feel like a family? products of imagination; tion. to accept credit cards, and are the quarter-of-century-old This model of low prices, great some of them are slightly The gods were favored but so engaged in their loud Demoulas family feud over selections, and a happy staff related to fact. The fact could not loved; worshiped as mobile phone conversations control of the business that has worked, making the have been some natural a duty to the state in the in foreign languages that Athanasios and Efrosini Demoulas family one of the phenomena from the past or same spirit as they paid they don’t pay attention to the Demoulas started in Lowell in richest in the Boston area. even recurring events. their taxes. In addition to road and put the passengers 1916 is worthy of a made- By now you have seen the The Greeks seem to have the gods of the sea, earth, at risk of serious injury. for-TV miniseries. The fam- news — massive walkouts of been the most creative in sky, and lower world, they Passengers see Uber and ily lawsuit in the early 1990s Market Basket employees, the development of their also had gods of thievery, Lyft as the solution to poor over ownership nearly de- a widespread customer boy- myths. Their gods originally lust, typhoid fever, etc. They quality taxi service. Local stroyed the business, but it cott, and rallies across the represented the powers of even erected a great num- governments see Uber and survived, and indeed thrived. state demanding the re- nature, while at the same ber of temples to various Lyft as the problem. The Market Basket customers instatement of Arthur T. time, each was limited to personifications or repre- People’s Republic of Cam- love the store. We love the Demoulas as CEO. How will it specific natural phenomena, sentations such as Concord, bridge has tried repeatedly low prices. We love that end? I don’t know. But how- such as fire, light, moon, Honor, Valor, fidelity, Mod- to ban Uber and Lyft. Cam- although it is a chain, the se- ever it ends, the board of this war, love, rain, thunder, etc. esty, Hope, and Intelligence. bridge is not alone in oppos- lections in store are tailored closely held, family-owned Each of these were regarded During later years, their as- ing giving riders the options to the local community — the as acts of specific gods, sociation with the Greeks they want.