Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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F ront Runners He survived the Blitz during World War II, but Churchill gets photobombed on a visit to Boston in 1949. a british bulldog in boston SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL'S SPEECH AT MIT IN THE SPRING OF 1949 SENT SHOCK WAVES ACROSS THE GLOBE. BY MELANIE LIEBERMAN 12 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY O n March 31, 1949, the Boston Garden teemed with more than 13,000 people eagerly awaiting the arrival of Sir Winston Churchill. The esteemed once and future British prime minister delivered his keynote speech for MIT's Mid-Century Convocation during one of the most tumultuous decades in modern history. The three-day convocation was designed to discuss the postwar role of science in general, and at MIT in particular. People across the globe considered Churchill's keynote speech as important as his Iron Curtain speech in 1946. Despite having "no technical or university education," Churchill praised the role of science and industry, marveling at the "conquest" of air and sea and describing airplanes and submarines as the shining works of human imagination. Yet he also emphasized the value of balancing these great leaps in technology with a reverence for the humanities. Churchill concluded his address by imploring the audience to "let us then move forward together," a tribute to the alliance between Britain and the United States. On the final day of the convocation, more than 200 presidents from American and international universities joined Churchill to celebrate the inauguration of MIT's 10th president, Dr. James Rhyne Killian Jr. Churchill and his retinue stayed at the Ritz-Carlton hotel on Arlington Street (now the Taj hotel), where he was seen entering the lobby and giving his famous "V for Victory" gesture before retiring to the floor that was reserved, in its entirety, for his use. Since then The Ritz-Carlton has moved to its new location in the Theater District, and Sir Winston's visit is commemorated with the 700-square-foot Churchill Suite, complete with a wood-burning fireplace and a signed portrait of the great British dignitary. BC BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 012_BC_FOB_FrontRunners_Spring_13.indd 12 2/11/13 3:05 PM