SCOLLAY SQUARE

The area we now know as Government Center was originally Scollay Square. In its heyday it was bustling with hotels, restaurants, tattoo parlors, small commercial establishments and two burlesque theaters—the Casino and the Old Howard. The acts at the theaters were primarily vaudeville in nature. The strippers would “bump and grind” their bodies across the stage and the comedians would cause great laughter with their double entendre jokes. If you saw “The Nance” with Nathan Lane recently on TV you will know what I mean.

As a rite of passage a young teenager had to visit the theaters before he could call himself a man, so I did. Honestly, by today standards the stripers were tame in comparison with what you can see on cable TV these days. The comedians were a riot and many of them made successful careers in the early days of live television--- Jackie Gleason, Fred Allen, Milton Berle, Jimmy Durante, to name a few. The strippers became famous in their own right---Ann Corio, Sally Rand, Gypsy Rose Lee, come to mind. My favorite of all was a performer who called herself Rose La Rose. She wasn’t a bump and grind stripper but rather had an act that could raise the emotions of a young teenager—if you know what I mean—enough said.

Unfortunately there was an organization in Boston called the “Watch and Ward Society” that was hell bent in closing down the theaters. “They corrupted the minds of our youth” they explained. J.F.K was a frequent visitor and he turned out all right. They did succeed in closing down the Old Howard. The Boston Police filmed a show in 1953 and a judge was convinced enough to shut it down. It never reopened. The ironic thing about the Society it had the reverse affect that it intended. When they banned a book from sale in Boston the publishers were ecstatic, it guaranteed a complete sellout. They advertised it nationwide as a book “Banned in Boston”.

There was strong sentiment to save the Old Howard from demolition in the Urban Renewal frenzy of the 1960’s. Before it was a burlesque theater legitimate drama was featured. John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln’s assassin performed there. Someone set fire to it. While discussions were held to restore it the wrecking crew came in and leveled it to the ground. End of discussion.

Today there is a vast wasteland in front of City Hall Plaza. No one knows what to do. I have a suggestion for the City. Erect a new burlesque theater and bring back the vaudeville acts. It would be a good use of the space.