User:FoustCox/sandbox

Overview
Cecil Guscott, was born and raised in Roxbury, Boston, MA on East Lenox Street back in the early twenties. Before he was drafted into the army and upon his return from World War II, Cecil was an integral member of the Roxbury community. He opened a number of small businesses including a bicycle shop called "Donny's", an art business, and Real Estate business known as HUD.

Early Life
Cecil Guscott attended the Shawmut School, an all boys school for grades fourth to eighth and then he moved over to the English School, for the remainder of his education. At the Shawmut School, Cecil received a robust education with not only the regular book work but also tactical, hands on courses such as carpentry shop, electric shop, sheet metal, and printing. As for his parents, they both were immigrants who came to America seeking the land of opportunity. Cecil's mother proved to be quite successful upon opening a business called Boston Progressive Credit Union at 1095 Tremont Street.

As a young boy (age 11 or 12) Cecil had numerous jobs around town. On Saturday mornings he would wake up early to get a job working on a “team” for the day. These jobs varied and included things such as working on the horsing team, carrying up groceries or ice for delivery or for Mr. Foye, a shop owner on Lenox Street who sold wood. When he became a littler older he started to sell newspapers on the streets—The Guardian and the Chronicle—on Saturday mornings for five cents a paper. Cecil also worked with his brother during their teenage years at the Hingham Shipyard.

Later Life
For fun and entertainment, Cecil, amongst many others living in Roxbury, would travel to the Museum of Fine Arts, Symphony Hall, and Franklin Park Zoo. Guscott frequented Cotter Playground as a child of which still exists today, however, is soon to be taken over by Northeastern University. He also attended church at St. Augustine's on East Lenox Street.

Guscott’s next career move involved working closely with a man named Dolly, who is attributes learning a great deal about business from. Dolly owned, People’s Mart on Tremont Street, one of the first supermarkets in Boston located in a black area. Cecil would get up early in the morning to go to Faneuil Hall market with Dolly to buy the goods for the day and then in the afternoon would operate as a clerk and made deliveries of goods to the customers.

Cecil, who currently lives on Hawthorne Street, has remained a prominent and important member of the Lower Roxbury community.

Culture of Roxbury
Growing up on East Lenox Street in the early twenties, Guscott remembers a diverse district of immigrants—Italians, West Indians, and Africans. Besides for his brief stint in the Army, Guscott has been a member of the Roxbury community for his entire life and vividly remembers the boundaries of Roxbury expanding to what is now known as “Upper Roxbury” and “Lower Roxbury”.

Cecil talks about the destruction of Negro districts in America, especially in Roxbury, through the destruction of iconic areas such as Madison Park, a place in the early thirties where they would have band concerts on Sunday afternoons. Today, Madison Park is now referred to as the Lenox Project.