Founder’s Day Shines a Light on Boston’s History of Emergency Response

The Founder’s Song rang out through Rousmaniere Hall on November 6, as the entire school joined together to celebrate the founding of Roxbury Latin on this year’s Founder’s Day. After several opening prayers in Hebrew, English, Greek, and Latin, led by selected Class I boys, Dr. Schaffer welcomed the community, providing historical context on the founding of the school and introducing the topic of this year’s Founder’s Day: the history of fire in Boston and the critical service of first responders.

“We celebrate Founder’s Day in November because we know for certain, based on ships’ records, that John Eliot landed in Boston on November 2, 1631,” Dr. Schaffer stated. “We do not know the exact date of the founding of the school, because its earliest records were destroyed by fire caused by a gunpowder explosion in spring 1645.” 

This year, Stephanie Schorow, author and professor of journalism at Boston University, spoke in Hall about Boston’s long history of firefighting and some of the city’s most catastrophic fires. These included the Great Boston Fire of 1872 and the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire, which occurred on November 28, 1942, killing nearly 500 people and injuring over 100 more. Though devastating, this fire led to the widespread adoption of life-saving inventions, such as penicillin and lit exit doors, and changed safety and medical practices for first responders forever. 

“That night, doctors and nurses at Boston hospitals worked frantically to save the lives of the hundreds of injured. Doctors tested new burn treatments that proved effective in saving lives. Penicillin, the antibiotic that would transform medicine, was used for the first time on a civilian population, on victims of the Cocoanut Grove Fire. Psychologists would also treat the people who were injured not just in the body, but in the mind, first studies of what we know as post-traumatic stress,” Professor Schorow stated. 

After Hall, the boys, faculty, and staff gathered for the annual all-school photo on the Senior Grass before heading to the Smith Theater for the second half of the day’s events. First, Mrs. Berg hosted a panel of first responders in our parent community, including Beth Rimas P’19 ’26 (Boston EMT), Chris Holt P’29 (Boston PD), and Steve Nelson P’31 (Brookline FD). The panelists shared insights into their careers and the paths that led them to this line of work, as well as personal anecdotes and stories from the job. The boys then had the opportunity to ask their own insightful questions. 

After lunch, Juanita Allen Kingsley—an EMT for over 20 years and parent of two RL alumni—led the school in an informative overview of recognizing and addressing medical emergencies, including cardiac events, anaphylactic shock, and life-threatening wounds. 

Before the completion of another successful Founder’s Day, the school participated in the traditional Founder’s Day Kahoot! trivia challenge. Once again, Mr. Piper emceed this moment when the boys could show off their trivia knowledge and competitive spirit. After two close rounds, Temi Martins Dosumu (II) was crowned—or, rather, plastic fire helmeted—victor.

View photos from the students’ Founder’s Day adventures.