Oral Histories of the LHC

Narration by Joan Kelley, Oral Historian for the Lawrence History Center. The major focus is the Trenton Street area, especially during the 1940's and the 1950's with later changes. The narrator nd her brother were fifth generation of their family to live in the cottage at 40 Trenton Street.

Address: 49 Pembroke Dr., Lawrence, MA
Date of Birth: January 17, 1960
Occupation: Southwick Employee, Armhole Presser
Ethnic Background: Portuguese
Interviewer: Jim Beauchesne
Summary: SOUTHWICK-UNION CROSSING PROJECT
Southwick employee. The narrator is a Portuguese immigrant who has been working at Grieco Bros. 32 years. He spoke no English when he came to the US. His job, armhole pressing, is challengng, and he is only the 4th person to do it. His wife, Maria Sousa (OH 738), works there also.

Address: 215 East St., Methuen, MA 01844
Date of Birth: October 25, 1948
Occupation: Southwick employee, Presser, Prod. Manager, Supervisor of Shipping, Baker in Sicily
Ethnic Background: Italian
Interviewers: Esteban Hernandez
Summary: SOUTHWICK-UNION CROSSING PROJECT
Southwick employee
The narrator came here from Sicily when he was 17. He calls Southwick a "beautiful place to work". He takes great pride in his job; as head of shipping, he tells how his job is touched by every department in the building, and the detail that goes into sending every finished garment out with correct labeling, such as size and fiber content.

Address: TEC 65 Glenn St., Lawrence, MA 01843
Interviewers: Wannely Riveria, Giovanni Pagan (Green Team)
Summary: SOUTHWICK - UNION CROSSING PROJECT
The narrator works for TEC, the design engineers for the project. He is on the design team. Union Crossing will be a new neighborhood/community, with community gardens, green lawns, and people working. Because of flooding concerns, the playground and day care will be on the second level, and the housing areas will be above. The warehouse and storage areas (less expensive) will be on the first level. It is an eco-friendly project.

Date of Birth: September 8, 1977, New York City
Occupation: Principal Structural Engineer, TEC
Summary: SOUTHWICK-UNION CROSSING PROJECT

Address: 525 Essex St., Lawrence, MA 01840
Phone: (978) 884-8933
Date of Birth: April 17, 1951
Occupation: Recut Union President, Local 187
Ethnic Background: Dominican
Interviewer: Jim Beauchesne
Summary: SOUTHWICK-UNION CROSSING PROJECT
Southwick employee

Address: 14 Russell Farm Dr., Methuen, MA 01844
Date of Birth: July 12, 1949
Occupation: Purchasing Manager
Ethnic Background: Jewish
Interviewer: Kathy Flynn
Summary: SOUTHWICK-UNION CROSSING PROJECT

Occupation: President of Mainstream Global
Ethnic Background: Hispanic (Equador)
Interviewers: Wannaly Rivera, Luis Pagan (Green Team)
Summary: SOUTHWICK- UNION CROSSING PROJECT

Address: 26 Crossback Rd., Seabrook, NH 03874
Date of Birth: August 8, 1954
Occupation: Office Manager, Customer Service Custom Suits
Ethnic Background: Italian
Interviewer: Kathy Flynn
Summary: SOUTHWICK-UNION CROSSING PROJECT
Southwick employee

Address: 95A Summer St., Lawrence, MA 01841
Date of Birth: January 29, 1948
Occupation: General Operator
Ethnic Background: Dominican
Interviewer: Nakaly Salcedo
Summary: SOUTHWICK-UNION CROSSING PROJECT
Southwick employee

Address: 48 Chickering St., Lawrence, MA 01843
Phone: (978) 683-7557
Date of Birth: November 19, 1926
Occupation: Retired Draftsman
Ethinc Background: Italian-American
Interviewer: Joan Kelley
Summary: The narrator talks about the Romans A.C. (Athletic Club), formed of young men in the Elm/Turner St. area who played sports against teams from young men from other areas. The Second World War broke up their activities, but about ten years later they began having very popular reunions, an activity that lasted many years. Detailed scrapbooks have been donated to the Lawrence History Center. Dedication of IMMIGRANT PLACE.

Address: Bellesini Academy, 94 Bradford St., Lawrence, MA 01840
Phone: (978) 989-0004
Date of Birth: May 8, 1970
Occupation: Executive Director
Ethnic Background: Italian-Irish
Interviewer: Joan Kelley
Summary: The narrator describes the development of St. Stephen Bellesini Academy for Lawrence boys from grades five - eight. The students must come from economically disadvantaged families to be elegible to attend. They must also like school, since they have a long school day, return in the evening for study, and have an eleven month school year. She describes the academic program, the uniforms, and the ways in which the school is attempting to break the cycle of poverty.

Location: 2nd Floor Oral History Room

Address: 32 Cypress Ave., Methuen, MA 01844
Date of Birth: Herve: 1918
Occupation: Herve: Retired Water Department Foreman
Ethnic Background: French-Canadian
Interviewer: Jim Beauchesne
Summary: Both narrators grew up in primarily French Canadian neighborhoods. Both went to St. Anne's School. They belonged to St. Anne's Church (parish) when it had a very large congregation. Their lessons were taught in French and English. He talks about St. Anne's Club. St. Anne's Camp was a day camp with separate days for girls and boys. The children would meet and walk up and back. She was in shows, which made money for the parish.

Address: 25 Abbot St., Andover, MA 01810
Phone: (978) 475-5094
Date of Birth: June 17, 1935
Occupation: Community Activist
Ethnic Background: English-German
Interviewer: Joan Kelley
Summary: The narrator tells of her history of getting involved in community affairs and her eventual involvement in Lawrence, bringing Habitat for Humanity for an opportunity for decent home ownership. The group got their first piece of property, not considered desirable, from the city for one dollar. She explains the procedures and the ongoing work, including re-building after the devastating fire in 2008.

Date of Birth: July 2, 1908
Ethnic Background: French-Canadian
Interviewer: Jim Beauchesne
Summary: The narrator describes growing up in a French-Canadian neighborhood and going to St. Anne's School, where she had a half day of French and a half day of English. She had to leave school at 14, like the rest of her siblings, to help support the family. She describes activities of St. Anne's Church (parish).

Address: 63 Plymouth St., Methuen, MA 01844
Date of Birth: 1926
Ethnic Background: French-Canadian
Interviewer: Jim Beauchesne
Summary: The narrator went through school at St. Anne's and was the Salutatorian of her high school class (then called St. Joseph's). Her freshman class had 50, but 8 graduated. She describes life in the French-Canadian community and St. Anne's Parish. Her classes were taught in French and English, and the boys and girls were taught separately in grammar.

Address: The Community Group, Inc. 190 Hampshire St., Lawrence, MA 01840
Phone: (978) 722-2594
Date of Birth: January 1, 1957
Occupation: Director of Bilingual Training
Ethnic Background: Cuban-Chinese
Interviewer: Joan Kelley
Summary: The narrator came to the United States because her parents were dissatisifed with the Communist governemnt. She describes how the family suffered hardships (her father was sent to work on a farm) until they finally got their turn to leave. They could take virtually nothing out of the country. She was terrified about leaving Cuba, because she had heard that the US was racist. Here, she had problems with a language barrier in grammar school and felt isolated. She earned honors in a bilingual training program at Lawrence High. Today she is Director for Bilingual Training for the Community Group and is very aware of the problems of not knowing a language. She works primarily in training adults in childcare, but teaches the required CPR and First Aid in Spanish

Address: Lawrence Family Development & Education Fund, Inc. 34 West St., Lawrence, MA 01841
Date of Birth: August 8, 1958
Occupation: Professional Educator
Ethnic Background: Latino
Interviewer: Joan Kelley
Summary: The narrator describes his role in school administration, including the Greater Lawrence Vocational School. Today he is the Superintendent of Lawrence Family Development & Education Fund - Lawrence Family Development Charter School. He was the first Hispanic to be elected to the School Committee in Lawrence (School Committee).

Address: 21 Wyndmere Drive, Londonderry, NH 03053
Phone: (603) 434-0931
Date of Birth: July 9, 1936
Occupation: Retired Facilities Administrator
Ethnic Background: Italian-French
Interviewer: Joan Kelley
Summary: The narrator lived on Fitz St. when he was young. His leisure time consisted primarily of sports, with neighborhood boys organizing their own games. They used any battered equipment they could get. In the winter, the city would flood the Hayden Scofield Playstead, the site of their good weather games. Although the family and others around them did not have much money, the narrator had a pleasant youth.

Address: 302 Broadway, Methuen, MA 01844
Phone: (978) 687-1777
Date of Birth: June 5, 1940
Occupation: Lawyer, State Representative (NH)
Ethnic Background: American Italian
Interviewer: Joan Kelley
Summary: The narrator describes the home his family owned on White St., a building that was taken in the later stages of URBAN RENEWAL. He did not think that he lived in squalor, but as people began to leave, the area did begin to deteriorate with rodents, fires, and problems which plagued the area which he had enjoyed in his youth. He blames the displacement of 3,000 people as a cause for the demise of Essex St. He eventually owned 200 of the new apartments which replaced the demolished structures; the developer had run into problems. He gives a picture of a large hard-working family who grew tomatoes and made their own wine. Also Rocca D'Evandro Mutual Aid Society and Rocky Club.

Address: 60 Whittier St., Andover, MA 01810
Phone: (978) 475-9305
Date of Birth: October 5, 1932
Occupation: Free Lance Writer
Ethnic Background: Irish-German
Interviewer: Joan Kelley
Summary: The narrator worked at the Eagle Tribune from 1976-1997. She describes her various jobs and the importance of a newspaper with local coverage. The paper was owned by the Rogers family from the late 19th century until into the 21st century, when it was sold to an Alabama company. She emphasizes the coverage of former Superintendent of Schools James Scully and the Pulitzer Prize winning coverage of the Willie Horton story, which helped elect George H.W. Bush. She gives much credit to Dan Warner, whom she respected as she wroked for him.

Address: 206 Olympic Lane, North Andover, MA 01845
Date of Birth: March 3, 1969
Occupation: Commercial Property Developer and Manager
Ethnic Background: Jewish
Interviewer: Jennifer Pagan and Giovanni Pagan
Summary: SOUTHWICK - UNION CROSSING PROJECT

Address: The Community Group, 190 Hampshire St., Lawrence, MA 01840
Phone: (978) 682-6628
Date of Birth: April 4, 1940
Occupation: Executive Director, Non-Profit
Ethnic Background: Irish-Scotch-German
Interviewer: Joan Kelley
Summary: The narrator is the Executive Director of The Community Group. Its administrative offices are in the old Library building, as are the early childhood programs and Grade 1 of Community Day Charter Public School. The other grades of the school are on Prospect Hill in a historic mansion and the old Venerini property. The organization has programs throughout the city, and maintains a relationship with the regular Lawrence Public School system.

Address: 24 Yale St., Lawrence, MA 01841
Phone: (978) 685-8896
Date of Birth: August 11, 1954
Occupation: Director of the Lawrence Public Library
Ethnic Background: English-Irish-French
Interviewer: Joan Kelley
Summary: The narrator tells the role of the Lawrence Public Library today. It is the place where people go for traditional research, but also for information about getting help with other areas of their lives. People can be directed to other agencies for help. Print is not the only source of information within the library. Computers provide access and are well used. She explains special programs, and the importance of the library to the people of Lawrence, including a very active children's room.