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work that city: cambridgeprevious|next
Cambridge is home to fair Harvard, MIT, and Tufts, as well as several other smaller colleges. However, beyond its colleges, Cambridge is a progressive, diverse city with many neighborhoods that FUPpies may not explore during their years at Harvard. Likewise, social justice issues in the Cambridge area may go unnoticed by many, as most of Harvard's community service is concentrated in other low-income neighborhoods such as Roxbury and Dorchester. Contrary to popular belief at this fair institution, Harvard Yard is the center of neither the world nor Cambridge. But living at Harvard, we often fail to learn the history of dear Cambridge. For example, we know about cows grazing in Harvard Yard, but we remain ignorant of the fact that Cambridge was the home to America's first rubber hat factory. So what else is there in town? Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (on Broadway): The only public high school in Cambridge. The make-up of the student body reflects the diversity of the city -- over 70 nationalities are represented there. The Teen Health Center is a clinic that operates in the school and provides free health care to students. It also conducts education campaigns on topics such as safe sex (they give out condoms, etc.). Cambridge has one of the highest per-pupil expenditures of any city in the country (approx. $9000/pupil -- it's a phat school). CRLS is a result of the merger between the Cambridge Rindge Vocational School and the Cambridge Latin School in the late 70s. The latter was the bougie school while the former was the blue-collar one. Look for Rindge kids in Loker-they hang there and play pool. Longfellow Elementary School: It houses Cambridge's ASP (accelerated studies program). The Cambridge School Committee has committed itself to making sure that all students learn algebra and geometry by the 8th grade in response to studies that show a strong correlation between early math achievement and high school graduation. Inman Square: A few blocks north of Central Square and the only one of Cambridge's five large "squares" not to sit on the red line, Inman is up Cambridge street from Harvard, accessible by foot or the #69 bus. In Inman Square you can find Christina's Ice Cream, rich and popular among Harvard students, and the less-prominent Punjabi Dhaba, a fast-food Indian restaurant whose proprietor also sells Indian pop music CDs if you ask. East Cambridge (from Inman Square on over to Lechmere): This area is predominately Portuguese. Actually, it houses the second largest Portuguese community in the U.S. There has been a lot of racial tension between the black, latino, and Portuguese populations, especially on the borders. The Brazillian Cultural Center offers classes on capuera, a traditional martial art/dance that involves standing on one's head and hands. Central Square: This is a good location to talk about gentrification and the end of rent control, which has pushed the average 2-bedroom apartment in Cambridge up from $1200/month to $1400/month in the past year. Central Square as we know it may disappear in 5 years; already, the Gap has moved in and a mall is under construction. Since rent control was done away with statewide in 1995, many of the artists and low-income residents in the area have had to move out. Many of the buildings and businesses in the commercial area of Central Square are scheduled to be demolished to make way for a mall complex including new luxury apartments. These additions to the neighborhood will push rents up even higher and push working-class families out of the area. The key words here are gentrification and evil capitalism. Right now, Central Square is one of the most vibrant and diverse parts of the city. But for how long? Be sure to point out Cambridge City Hall, which became the site of the first gay marriages in Massachusetts this past May. Brattle Street: Extending west from Harvard Square, Brattle Street is host to some of the oldest and grandest homes in the nation. The area just beyond Radcliffe Yard is known as Tory Row; during the revolution, the well-heeled residents of this area were loyal to the crown and did not appreciate the antics of upstart George Washington (who occupied Harvard buildings centuries before the first student protestors came along). Once again, we are unfortunately unable to cover all the interesting parts of Cambridge in Work That City. Here are a few things you might talk about while walking, though:
-Porter Square: The home to Cambridge's best Mexican food, Ana's Taqueria, Porter Square is well-recognized (especially by quad folks) as the cheap (but still heavily-commericalized) alternative to Harvard Square. Besides the commercial perks, Porter Square will hold its place in the Annals of Sidewalk Advocacy for the community action taken to improve the safety of the intersection entering the main shopping area (campaign from 1997 to about 2001). Also, check out the glove sculptures as you make the interminable descent into the T-station...crazy. City of Cambridge Cambridge Schools' Profile Cambridge "Smart" Yellow Pages History of Rent Control Porter Square Neighbors Association Banneker Charter School Davis Square Community Journal Inman Square previous|next |
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