BRAGA SQUARE IS DEDICATED

Remember that we spoke of those young men who called themselves The School Street Alliance and collected metal for the war effort?  One of those young men was Anthony Braga.  The School Street Village not only gave scrap metal to the country's wars it gave its young men.  In October of 1951 during the Korean Conflict, Corporal Anthony Braga made that ultimate sacrifice.

This is not a good photo but nevertheless one can see the wonderful smile of this courageous
24 year old young man.  Read the writeup to see just how brave our young Anthony was and how
much he deserved to have The Corner he loved dedicated to his memory.

Source:American Monuments Commission

On Sunday, September 20, 1953 The Square was officially dedicated to Corporal Anthony Braga.

1,200 people thronged the Square and watched silently as Corporal Braga's brother 

unveiled the plaque orever changing the name of The Corner to Braga Square.  Earlier a parade whose music was provided by the Taunton City Band which he would have known so well started at the Security Office way up on School Street and proceeded to The Square.  Various members of the Braga family, including his mother were present at the solemn event.  Many state and military officials as well as local and city representatives were also present and spoke.

In the end though, it was a Village event and the Village held it to itself 

in  remembrance then and now.

                                   

Ironically, one of the speakers that day said: " Our purpose is to pay tribute to the memory of Corporal Anthony Braga who gave his life for us in the Korean war, which has recently, and we hope forever,

brought war to an end."

If only that had been true....  There were a total of 836 young men from the state of Massachusetts  who gave their all in this conflict. 

                                                                                               (source: National Archives).

                                                                       .......................

  Thanks to Elaine Farinha DeMoranville for her research at the Old Colony Historical Society and Arlene Gouveia for help with this post.

I do not have data regarding other young men or women

 from the Village who were casualties of the Korean War or other wars.

If you have such information and would be willing to share it,

please do let me know.  It would be an honor to honor them.

The Village Square and the World War II Years

Like a little universe unto itself, the School Street Village made its way through the years.

Although very self contained it still mirrored a world at war in the 40's.

In 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked and the U.S. got into the war in Europe and the Pacific.
Seeking to find a way to be a part of it all, the people of the Village started to collect scrap metal.
Soon piles were growing near or on the Square, especially at an empty lot at 215 School Street. Beds, cars, cans...everything metal was fair game for the fervor of those patriotic collectors.

Peggy Walker remembers that on a lot across from The Block effigies of Hitler, Mussolini and probably their Pacific counterpart were hung on a tree so that people could take out their fear and frustration in some tangible way. Perhaps it was that same lot where metal was stacked.

The metal collection was often led by a group of patriotic young boys called the School Street Alliance. Collections like this were necessary for the war effort as they were converted into war materials.  Arlene Gouveia remembered that as a child she became proficient at smashing and flattening cans.  The collection was added to by everyone in the Village regardless of age.

                       Source: Shoreline Historical Museum online.  Not from the Village.

Even with the direness of war in the air, there was a famed tradition at the Corner: a major bonfire every Fourth of July eve,  That tradition went on when I was young as well.  A week before the Fourth the boys would start collecting wood and combustibles for the bonfire. People all over Taunton would plan on being there.  This was  our Village version of fireworks.I n later years after paint on a house blistered during a bonfire a patrol car hung around trying to discourage the event but still the tradition continued and the wood kept being collected.  You cannot get rid of a tradition that easily.

Also, in those years part of the festivities on Fourth of July eve was a legendary yearly daredevil performance of acrobatic pole climbing by a fellow named Vincent Furtardo whose stage was the telephone pole between 206 and 208 School St.  

Finally, World War II ended.  Five years old, I still remember the bells ringing all over Taunton while everyone poured out onto the Square from every part of the Village.  There was hugging, singing and tears. I remember I had on a blue chenille bathrobe and that I was so small
in that sea of exuberant celebrating and thankful grown-ups!

                                      Source: Tennessee History for Kids;Online

                                              Not from the Village

Thanks to Peggy Walker, and to memories of Jeanne Nascimento, Delores Veilleux
and Freddie Ventura through Arlene Gouveia.




Next Post:  The Corner is dedicated to one of
its fallen warriors.

Tales From the Village Square

What is a Village without a Square? Ours was called for years simply The Corner and

later Braga Square.  The next few blogs posts will be on this topic.

The Corner as it was long called knitted together upper and lower School Streets,

Winter, Floral Street and Longmeadow Road. It was anchored by the Broadway Bakery,

Thomas' Store and just a little off, Jigger's Variety. Anyone with knowledge of the

chronology of these shops please jump it.  When I was a child in the 40's, this is what I knew.

We already know of the cows coming home through the Corner to

their barn on Winter St.   

Let's go all the way back to the 1930's for a full history. We are fortunate enough

to have some wonderful stories to share.

In the U.S. here is what was happening.

In the 1930's the Empire State Building opened in N.Y. City. 

 FDRwas sworn in as President in 1933 and proceeded to establish the New Deal.

FDR and Al Smith in 1932

In the 1930's the Empire State Building opened in N.Y. City. 

 FDRwas sworn in as President in 1933 and proceeded to establish the New Deal.

Things began to get more promising and there was hope that The Great Depression would end.

You Tube: Theme song when FDR was elected: Happy Days are Here Again.

*******

In 1933, my Aunt Mary Souza of 184 School Street married John Bernadino. 

My Uncle Joe Souza, her oldest brother 

and her friend Mary Costa (of Taunton Flower Studio) were best man and

maid of honor. She is a lovely bride and was a person quick to smile and laugh

We miss her, as well as my wonderful Uncles John and Joe.

One of the reasons I did a Souza genealogy was that I wanted the young generation

to get a flavor of the gift it was to grow up surrounded by the love of these

Aunts and Uncles in an extended family.

Left to right: John Bernadino, the new Mrs. Mary Souza Bernadino.

Joseph Souza and Mary Costa.  The marriage took place at

St. Anthony's Church on School St. in Taunton. A Village event.

*******

In 1933, the 21st Amendment ended Prohibition.

Not far from The Corner on School St. was The Block (we went in for simplicity).

The Block housed 10 families: 5 apartments downstairs, 5 upstairs.

Did you know that during Prohibition there was a Speakeasy downstairs in

one of the apartments at The Block? Yep, says Peggy Walker who lived in

those days in The Block.

As a small child she used to charm customers 

by singing" Oh, You Nasty Man"

to them and was rewarded with pennies.

 They loved hearing her and of course, her Daddy was nearby.

 An early Village entrepreneur.

Remember children wandered easily around The Block, as did my late

brother, Leo Campaniriowho at age 2 or so was often sent by his Mom

 from the Block to get bread from Semas Grocery next door.

Speaking of Speakeasies of that time...

Alcoholics Anonymous was founded not many years later..

But, I digress....

 *****

Another wonderful story concerns Sassy Lopes' (our barber) father.

Mr. Lopes Senior was an active member of the Portuguese Baptist Church in the 30's 

as well as of The Salvation Army. He was used to rousing music and fiery sermons. 

He decided to share his talents.

Each Sunday morning he would roll his organ all the way from Whitsborough St. to 

The Corner and start preaching accompanied by his music.  People would come out of their

homes bringing their own chairs to listen. Most of them had

already been to Mass at St. Anthony's!  Still Mr. Lopes attracted them.

After his inspiring sermon, he would then wheel his organ  

all the way back home.

Immediately after, the true tenants of The Corner would take back

The Corner and play craps.  In the next posts we shall talk more

about these young men and their place in the History of

our own Village Square.

Young men playing craps. Not the Corner.

from Floridamemories,com

********8

Thanks to Arlene Gouveia who shared stories from her father, 

to Kathy Campanirio for stories from her late husband, Leo,

Peggy Walker for sharing her stories, and to Beverly Bernandino 

for the wonderful photo of her parent's wedding.