Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 29 Issue 15 Thursday, April 12, 2012 50¢ Herb Berman: Dot’s Mr. Postman; at 85, he’s still delivering the goods By GaBe philBin He cherishes his family special to the RepoRteR life: four children with Nothing can prevent his late wife Shirley – Dorchester’s own Mr. Arthur, Bruce, Carol, Postman, Herb Berman, and Charlene – and two from working his route whom he has adopted five days a week while in the spiritual manner: enjoying his life and Satu Carlsten, a waitress his close relationships at Gerard’s, over the last within the community seven years, and Otis he serves. Williams, of Roxbury, “I could not be in a bad who joins Berman for mood here,” said Berman dinner every Sunday from his seat at Gerard’s night. “He’s just wonder- in Adams Corner. “I call ful,” said Carlsten. “He’s it God’s little acre.” the best father you could Berman, a gregarious ask for.” family man who turned What can a man say 85 this month, has been about 52 years of deliver- delivering mail for the ing mail through rain Postal Service for 52 and snow and sleet and years, beginning in 1960. dark of night? Well, says Timothy J. McCarthy, inset, was a first-class pas- He has been on this Herb Berman: “From the senger on the Titanic. The 54-year-old Nelson Street Dorchester beat since minute I got in it, I loved father perished along with 1,514 others. 1990, but he doesn’t it. It started as just a job. just drop off the mail at I knew I’d like walking Dorchester lost homes and businesses; around, and I knew I’d he also picks up endear- like being with people. ing friendships at nearly For instance, a half a man when the every stop along the way. century-later, there are No stranger to serving two kids who give me a Titanic went down his country, Berman was hug when they see me. honored in 2006 for 50 Herb Berman: Door-to-door service. After those hugs, I’m set By patRick o’connoR years of doing so: four Photo by Ed Forry for the rest of the day.” special to the RepoRteR A third element in By the spring of 1912, Timothy J. McCarthy of years in the Navy (“I being deployed to Pearl numbers as day after day the life of this multi- Nelson Street in Dorchester was no stranger to was no hero,” he says, Harbor), followed by 46 he makes the rounds of dimensional man is his trans-Atlantic voyages. The 54-year-old father of noting that he never saw as a mailman. Six years Adams Village. love of bowling, of the five had already made 22 journeys as part of his job action because WWII later, he continues to But Herb Berman isn’t as a buyer of stationery for the Jordan Marsh Co. ended while he was add to his remarkable a one-dimensional man. (Continued on page 11) At noon on Wed., April 10 – 100 years ago this week – McCarthy, traveling first class, was one of the 2,228 passengers on the maiden voyage of the Neighbors looking at new design luxurious (some called it “unsinkable”) liner the RMS Titanic as the ship’s captain eased his way out of the harbor at Southampton, England, and set course for Morton-Gallivan intersection for New York City via Cherbourg, France, where he By Meena RaMakRishnan current layout. “If you’ve ever been State Representative was to pick up additional passengers. special to the RepoRteR The intersection has through this inter- Russell Holmes and Four days later, at 20 minutes before midnight The wheels are fi- been called one of the section… you know State Representative on the 14th, the ship struck an iceberg that badly nally turning to give most dangerous to cross that can be difficult to Linda Dorcena Forry, damaged its starboard side. Three hours later, at the hazardous Morton in Boston. MassDOT navigate. There are also whose office helped to 2:20 a.m. on the 15th, the Titanic was at the bottom Street and Gallivan spokesperson Michael concerns with regard to allocate funding for the of the North Atlantic. Timothy McCarthy was one Boulevard intersection a Verseckes said car pedestrian crossings, project. Out of the three of the 1,514 unfortunate souls who perished that much-needed overhaul. crashes have been a and safety concerns for alternative street maps night in the frigid waters off Newfoundland as rescue At a meeting held last major issue between the nearby school,” said presented, the majority ships sped to the site. Tuesday, April 3 at the the two streets. In the Verseckes. of the attendees chose One of those vessels, the Carpathia, reached Charles Taylor School, last three years, there Around 40 people the first option. It would survivors in lifeboats just after 4 a.m. as word of the community members have been at least 44 attended the meet- maintain the geometry disaster was filtering into newsrooms on both side and public officials voted accidents that occurred ing, including State of the intersection and of the Atlantic. It reached New York on Thursday on an alternative to the in the intersection. Senator Jack Hart, (Continued on page 3) evening the 18th, where hundreds of reporters and families were awaiting its arrival. Rev. Lane named in settlement Menino issues Timothy McCarthy’s body was recovered days later budget that’s up by one of three cable ships, the Mackay-Bennett, $60 million. City which had been sent from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to with man claiming sexual abuse look for the bodies of victims. His remains were sent to By toM Mulvoy Brendan’s Parish who councillors will Boston where a funeral Mass was said by Revs. Peter and Bill FoRRy was for many years a vet the numbers. Ronan, who had officiated at Timothy’s marriage to RepoRteR staFF chaplain with the Boston Page 3. his bride Mary in 1888, and John V. Cronan at St. A story in Wednesday’s Police Department. Lane Matthew’s Church on Stanton Street. Newspaper Boston Globe reported died in 2007. accounts relate that more than 800 employees of the that a settlement had The newspaper pointed Jordan Marsh Co. attended the funeral. McCarthy been reached between out that “as is standard,” was laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery. the archdiocese of Boston none of a dozen settle- McCarthy was traveling with a fellow Jordan and an individual who ments mentioned in Marsh employee, Herbert H. Hilliard, 44, of Brighton, claimed he had been the story “involved an who also perished in the sinking, leaving behind a sexually abused by the admission of guilt.” All contents copyright wife and young daughter. His remains were never late Rev. James H. Lane, Terence Donilon, the © 2012 Boston found. Rev. James H. Lane the longtime pastor of St. (Continued on page 13) Neighborhood News, Inc. Page 2 THE REPoRTER April 12, 2012 Reporter’s Notebook On The Record Councillors seek hearing Hart hailed on issue of ‘sober homes’ By Gintautas duMcius the exception, not the rule, among news editoR elected officials. As the State House Two city councillors who represent News Service noted in its preview of Dorchester say a hearing is needed on the meeting, “In an unusual caveat the matter of so-called “sober homes,” accompanying a meeting advisory, which have caused headaches for local organizers say commission members residents in the last year. In filing their will not be taking questions ‘during, order for the hearing this week, District before or after the meeting’ and that 3 Councillor Frank Baker and District media inquiries should instead be 7 Councillor Tito Jackson noted that directed” to the commission’s flack. the term “sober home” implies an All that was missing from the com- environment where people struggling mission’s table was a sign advising with drug and alcohol addiction can the public, “Do Not Approach, Feed, receive support, and that homes not or Even Look Directly at Gambling offering services hinder recovery efforts Commissioners.” and disrupt neighborhoods. Dorchester has faced its own difficul- Connolly asks family input ties with sober homes. An investigation on student assignment process conducted in 2010 for the Reporter City Councillor At-Large John Con- through Northeastern University’s nolly on Tuesday sent an e-mail from Initiative for Investigative Reporting his campaign account, asking families to weigh on the school assignment State Sen. Jack Hart, center, pictured with Children’s Trust Fund Board mem- discovered that few people in City bers Jim Rooney, left and Bill Kennedy, received the Valuing our Children Hall or the State House could “state process. The Menino administration is Award from Children’s Trust Fund at the State House on March 26. with accuracy how many sober homes planning an overhaul of the process, a exist in the city or how many people frequent source of frustration among live in them.” parents who depend on a lottery to The state Department of Public get their children into a school of their Ups N Downs cleared in fight that closed it Health is expected to release a legisla- choice. Meetings asking for input from The Boston Licensing Board last week found “no violation” in the actions of tively mandated report on sober homes parents and residents are ongoing and Ups N Downs on Feb. 23, when an unknown assailant stabbed seven people, sometime this month. The report was a plan for neighborhood schools – allow- but the bar remains closed and still plans to shut down permanently.