How Lucky Chelsea Residents were in 1940s through the 1960s?

Back in the 40's and early 60's, students at Chelsea High School were more fortunate than the rest of the country. However, they didn't realize it then. In retrospect, it took a life time to understand how lucky we new Baby Boomers, hatched after the second world war (WWII), really were. Back then, life was good, workers were happy, production was high, and the country overall was prosperous. Most of our parents were not rich, but everyone worked hard to save money for the future education of their children.

Chelsea, a small suburb north of Boston, was not your average city. What it lacked in size (1.8 sq.miles), it made up in its tremendous ethnic diversity. The "Melting Pot" started around 1840, as many Europeans (Irish, Italians, Armenians, Poles, German Jews, etc.) and Russians (Lithuanian and Latvian Jews) migrated to America. Some just wanted a better life for their families, but many escaped from famines and political/ethnic persecution. As the dust settled, Boston became full and Chelsea took the overflow, comprised mostly of Jews. These were hard working, dedicated people with very few resources, but a lot of intestinal fortitude. Soon, they built over fifteen places of worship (Temples, Shuls & Synagogues), and a new community emerged with every business imaginable. There were: grocery stores; bakeries and a bagel factory; delicatessens; taxis; dry cleaners; clothing stores; furniture stores; stationery supplies; repair shops; shoe stores; hardware & paint stores; pharmacies; a myriad of medical specialists; lawyers; educators & artists; a funeral parlor; junk yards; several credit unions, and lastly a sports and recreational center, the YMHA -Young Man's Hebrew Association - which opened its doors to all ethnic groups and women. Although many of those Jews escaped "literally" with just the clothes on their backs, they all had something unique: Knowledge and a Trade. That is why, in every Jewish family, the "number one goal in life" is, was and always will be - Education.

Now you know what gave those Chelsea students, Jews and Gentiles, their "special advantage" over others. Anyone who graduated from the "College Course" curriculum at Chelsea High with high grades, which were not easy to obtain, had a front row ticket to the theater of life. It was common knowledge in those days that "more freshmen entered MIT annually from Chelsea" than any other city in America. This was not by chance, the city politicians and school board members deserve credit for creating one of the best, if not the best, teaching faculty in the country. Yes, most of those educators and city leaders were Chelsea Jews and graduates of the same system.

Lastly, I would be remiss, if I failed to mention that many philanthropists from the business community contributed to ensure the success of that paradigm, which produced some of the future leaders of today. One cannot measure their total achievements in so many fields; they made the world a better place. For all those graduates, including myself, we most humbly express our gratitude to Chelsea.   "Thank you, Chelsea."