The South End Historical Society NEWSLETTER 532 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02118-1402 — Vol. 39 No.1, Winter 2011 knew (adults to me, Dr. Merrill Moore children when she Psychiatrist and Poet lived there), and told stories about by alison barnet drinking home- In anticipation of celebrating the made wine with 45th Anniversary of the South the owners of an End Historical Society in 2011, Italian market on we are pleased to publish this Washington Street. profile of a prominent resident of Merrill Moore had the past by longtime South Ender wanted to start a and author Alison Barnet. food co-op on East Springfield Street, n 1935, when Dr. Merrill my former land- Moore arrived at Boston lady had once told City Hospital for his post- me. Despite the Igraduate training in neurology Depression, those and psychiatry, he was already were evidently good the author of 25,000 sonnets. times in a family- His record, according to the oriented, ethnically Journal of the American Medical mixed South End Association, was one hundred in neighborhood. four hours.1 “My husband “[H]e does not compose was a lot more them, he improvises them,” gregarious than I commented writer/editor Louis am,” wrote Mrs. Untermeyer. “He dictates them Merrill Moore, 1938 Moore. Indeed, a to his wife, jots them down to be three sons and a daugh- Boston Post reporter in shorthand between cases, ter) — bought a house close to noted in 1935, “Nobody else [and] forms them driving home the hospital. “I do have many of my acquaintance knows as during pauses in traffic while happy memories of our life at 39 many people as Merrill Moore. the lights change from red to East Springfield Street, between He is on terms with perfectly green.”2 Although many of Dr. 1935 and 1940,” his widow, Ann equal friendliness with janitors Moore’s poems were not, strictly Leslie Moore, an artist, wrote and college professors, with speaking, sonnets, they were to me half a century later. She street sweepers and college always fourteen lines. remembered several people on presidents. He is one of those The young Moore fam- East Springfield Street, some extraordinary people who have ily — wife and two sons (soon of whom I’d heard about or continued page 2 p Celebrating the 28th Year of the South End Landmark District 2 The South End Historical Society Newsletter 3 pcontinued from page 1 pcontinued from page 2 2010 Annual Report Dr. Merrill Moore member would bring to the meeting his small s the south end historical society Poem by Psychiatrist and Poet stint of poetry,” wrote poet/editor John Crowe continues its 44th year and I continue Ransom, “but Moore would bring twenty, thirty, into my seventh year as its president, I Moore a way of being or fifty brand-new sonnets as his exhibit.”4 wish to thank all of you, every member of the always at the A “Merrill Moore looks the part of both the Society, for another year of participation and hard I Think That It Is Later center of events. poet and the earnest physician,” wrote a Boston work. I also wish to thank our executive director Than You Think If an accident It is possibly later than you think, Post reporter in 1935. “He is 32 years of age, six feet Hope Shannon and the entire board of directors happens on the tall, not too thin, with a quiet bearing of the tra- for their tireless efforts. The Society cannot per- It is likely later than you think, street, fate will It is usually later than you think, ditional Southern gentleman; sandy hair, inclined form its mission without their hard work and dedi- have it that It is somewhat later than you think, to red; a good listener, but with an earnestness of cation, program planning and nighttime landmarks Merrill Moore It is considerably later than you think, speech which is characteristic.”5 hearings. As I reflect on another year of economic should be It is a whole lot later than you think, Moore’s first books of poetry were collections uncertainty and the possibility of economic recov- passing.”3 It is sometimes later than you think, of poems from The Fugitive magazine: The Noise ery, I am thankful that we remain fiscally strong. Merrill It is a good deal later than you think, That Time Makes (1929) and Six Sides to a Man We continue to tighten our belts, but our ability to It is always later than you think, Moore was born (1935), about which one reviewer wrote, “Merrill carry on the fight remains undeterred. It is by all odds later than you think, in Tennessee in Moore’s Six Sides to a Man is the sort of book that We appreciate that you have attended our It is surely later than you think, 1903. His father, touches off impassioned debate of the question, programs and meetings and encouraged your It is certainly later than you think, John Trotwood ‘Yes, but is it poetry?’” In 1938, Moore came out friends and neighbors to do the same. Programs It is definitely later than you think, Moore, was with a hefty volume called M, which stood, of ranging from The Great Fire of Boston to a It is undoubtedly later Tennessee’s Poet course, for one thousand. If this wasn’t enough, Victorian period Singing Duo broaden the depth than you think . Laureate. Merrill Moore admitted it was “part of a larger work, still of our understanding of the rich tradition of the Dr. Merrill Moore, M: One Thousand graduated from in progress” of 50,000 sonnets.6 Some critics later South End that we champion. Autobiographical Sonnets, 1938 Vanderbilt Uni- counted 100,000. We appreciate that you have participated in versity in 1924 Moore was always in good intellectual com- our fundraising efforts and have donated what and Vanderbilt 39 East Springfield in 1972 pany. Distinguished poets Louis Untermeyer, you can.We are able once again to report a suc- Medical School John Crowe Ransom, Allen Tate, and William cessful 42nd Annual House Tour in October. We four years later. While an undergraduate, he became a member of Carlos Williams wrote introductions and epi- will work diligently to reinvigorate the Annual the then unknown group of poets called The Fugitives. “Another logues for his books; famous artists Rockwell Spring Event next May. continued page 3 p Kent and Edward Gorey illustrated them. We appreciate that you have volunteered your Moore’s subjects ranged from eels to af- time to our committees and projects. However, Extravaganza King Is the Subject of Her Book ternoon naps to baths (“Water, what is water? we must remain vigilant.While our continued lison Barnet is a known for his musical theater What is soap?”) but didn’t seem to include the presence at South End Landmarks Commission longtime South Ender that the First Corps of Cadets South End. It’s unlikely he meant the Washing- meetings has helped to preserve the rich fabric and the author of the hired him to stage productions ton Street El in “Streets in Dislocation, Stolid of the South End and has helped teach those bookA Extravaganza to raise money to build Snow…” but maybe he did. around us about its economic and aesthetic value, King: Robert Barnet and the armory, known the uncertainty of these times continues to create Boston Musical Theater. today as the Park On the snow-piles in the gutters of pressure to circumvent or ignore historically ap- In her book, Alison Plaza Castle. The lav- propriate and sensitive solutions. We need to ask Streets the Elevated ran above discusses the life of ish productions gained even more of your generosity. her great-grandfather Barnet the nickname And shook to their foundations momently [sic] I look forward to meeting with more of Robert Barnet, a suc- “Extravaganza King” As if they quaked to fall apart and die.7 you this year at our functions, programs, and cessful Boston sugar and became so popular meetings. Thank you all again. merchant who wrote and Park Plaza that many of the shows Castle, Boston By the late 1930s, Moore was an assistant Michael Leabman, president produced musical theater traveled the country. visiting neurologist and psychiatrist at City productions. He became so well continued page 6 p 4 The South End Historical Society Newsletter 5 Upcoming Events This newsletter is published by Membership the South End Historical Society, oin us on February 17 at 6:30 p.m. at 532 Inc. © Copyright 2011 Renewal Massachusetts Avenue for “The Legacy of the Merchant The SEHS Newsletter is just one lease send your member- Princes of Boston: The Philanthropy of the Nineteenth- benefit of membership in the Society; ship renewals for the 1972 Prints a nonprofit organization dedicated to — Century Boston Brahmins,” a presentation by Christopher recognizing, preserving, and recording year January 1, 2011 Now Available J the historical buildings, monuments, December 31, 2011. Yearly Donohue. A light reception will follow. RSVP required. Please RSVP parks, and artifacts of Boston’s South P ictures from the by calling (617) 536-4445 or emailing admin@southendhistoricalso- single memberships are $25 End and through advocacy, outreach, South End Historical ciety.org. documentation, and education to pre- and family/dual memberships serve them for future generations. are $40. Additional opportuni- Society’s 1972 survey 42nd Annual House Tour Individual membership is $25 per of all extant buildings are year, Family/Dual memberships are ties to support the society are Is a Tremendous Success $40, and opportunities to support the also available at the $100 Pavailable for purchase.