Cambridge's Accidental Mayor Shares Lifetime of Politics

It should come as no surprise that Harvard College is an incubator for future politicians. Each year, the College invariably graduates several students who have been planning their senatorial campaigns since kindergarten. Dozens more catch the political bug during their college years.

But for Francis H. Duehay '55, the newly-elected mayor of Cambridge, politics was almost an accident.

When he graduated from Harvard he wanted to teach high school. "All my role models were teachers and counselors," he said in an interview with The Crimson on Monday.

In the interview, Duehay--born and raised a Cantabrigian--discussed both the personal history that led him into politics and the municipal challenges that his city faces as it enters the 21st century.

The College Years

Unlike the typical Harvard-educated politician, Duehay says he was not active in campus politics during his undergraduate career.

"I was president of the chess club," he says.

It was not until the end of his college years that Duehay finally ran for office, when he sought a post on the permanent class committee.

At the time, each undergraduate House elected a senior to be a member of a committee responsible for alumni relations. The position has since been eliminated.

While campaigning, Duehay knocked on every senior's door in Adams House--his undergraduate residence--and eventually won the position.

"That was my first foray into elected office," Duehay says, smiling.

But when he entered the real world, Duehay didn't follow a particularly political path.

After completing Harvard's Navy ROTC course, he served two years of active duty in the Navy.

Once back in Cambridge, Duehay decided to pursue his original interest in education. He re-enrolled at Harvard, earning a master's degree in a joint program between the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School of Education (GSE).

After teaching one-and-a-half years at Belmont High School, he joined the staff of the GSE, serving at different times as dean of admissions and financial aid and director of graduate programs in educational administration.

It was a busy time, Duehay said, especially because he spent his summers working at a New Hampshire summer camp, at which he had worked since college.

"I really wasn't getting much of a vacation," he says.

Entering the Arena

But after five years in the Harvard administration, the Cambridge native decided he needed a change.

During his tenure at the GSE, Duehay was appointed to a Cambridge Civic Association (CCA) committee searching forSchool Committee candidates, but the CCA couldn'tfind any qualified candidates.

"I thought, 'Maybe you really ought to do ityourself,'" Duehay says. "It was put up or shutup."

So the former Adams House resident put up.

Following the same methodical regularity thatwon him the Harvard class committee post, Duehayran an aggressive campaign.

By his own estimate, he campaigned flat-outfrom January to November 1963 with the exceptionof two Saturday nights and a stint at his NewHampshire summer camp. And Duehay added that onone of the two Saturday nights he missed, hesimply fell asleep.

Just like when he was running for classcommittee, the campaigning paid off, and Duehaywas elected to one of the six posts.

In 1970, after four terms on the SchoolCommittee, he secured a position on the CityCouncil, where he has been ever since.

Duehay served as mayor in 1980-81 and again in1985, when then-mayor Leonard J. Russell died inoffice.

Duehay's Cambridge

Duehay, who was born and raised in Cambridge,attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School beforeHarvard College. Over the years, he says, he hascome to know the city inside and out.

Each fall Duehay introduces a group ofnewly-arrived Harvard first-years to the city viaa walking tour organized through the FreshmanDean's Office.

"I take the 30 or so undergraduates, and I tryto show them contrasts, so that they don't thinkthat Harvard Square is all of Cambridge," Duehaysays.

Duehay says he thinks of Cambridge as "a taleof two cities." The universities and the growinghigh-tech industry have brought prosperity to somecity residents, but vanishing factory jobs haveleft others scrambling to find work.

Duehay's plans are focused on both faces ofthis city.

Affordable housing heads the list.

"We have worked to stabilize and increase funds[for housing]," he says, mentioning sources suchas state and federal funds, nonprofit resourcesand low-interest bank loans.

Duehay is also working with various agencies inoffering welfare programs including employment,training, health care and child care.

Duehay also says he wants "strongerrelationships and more relationships" with localbusinesses, including an expansion of the currenthigh-school business internship program thatoffers training.

Another key issue will be the city's stance onzoning, reflected in the debate that has recentlyarisen in Harvard Square.

The current Harvard Square zoning laws permitthe construction of high-rise buildings like theHolyoke Center. Duehay, however, says the moremodest, historical architecture must be preserved.

"A lot of what we think of as the heart ofHarvard Square could become lower Manhattan ifwe're not careful," Duehay says.

Duehay says Harvard's opposition to rezoning inthe Square has often caused change to fail incouncil votes, as local businesses often followthe University's lead and oppose rezoning.

Town-Gown Relations

While the issue of zoning in Harvard Square isa major conflict between the city and theUniversity, it is not the only conflict.

"Obviously, the University is very powerful indefining the community," Duehay says, pointing tothe cultural and intellectual life that surroundsHarvard and MIT.

He says that universities are also "powerfulengines of economic change," attracting businessesto the area.

"But there are also negative forces," Duehaysays.

Duehay remembers his early years on the citycouncil--the turbulent 1960s and early 1970s--as atime of escalating town-gown tension.

"This was a time when Harvard was expanding itsreal estate holdings into the surroundingneighborhood," Duehay says; upset with theescalating rents that accompanied Universityexpansion, local neighborhood activistscommandeered Harvard's 1970 commencement ceremonyin protest.

Dramatic demonstrations are more rare today,but Duehay says the city and the University stillhave a "love-hate relationship."

"I would say that the thing that most annoyspeople in Cambridge is the failure of theUniversities to pay taxes," Duehay says. "Theycould eliminate one source of town-gown strife inone fell swoop with paying full taxes."

As a non-profit educational institution, mostof Harvard's land is exempt from property tax.While the University makes voluntary payments inlieu of taxes, Duehay says it isn't enough.

"It would cost a lot of money, but these arepremier universities and they make a lot ofmoney," Duehay says, pausing for a moment beforehe continues, "I don't think it will happen,though."

Another town-gown debate has arisen over thecity's universities--especially MIT--attractingspinoff industries over the past two decades.

"The economic tide that is sweeping intoCambridge is enormous," Duehay says, "but notenough people will be able to take advantage ofthese new opportunities."

The growing high-tech industry in Cambridge hasbrought prosperity to many, he says, but he sayshe worries that employees of the soap, candy andsteel factories of the Cambridge of 30 years agohave been forced out.

On a more immediate level, he says, Cambridgeresidents feel threatened by University expansion.

Duehay points to Harvard's proposed KnafelCenter for the Humanities as one potentialexpansion that has enraged neighbors.

"Imagine it: All of a sudden, instead of aquiet, residential neighborhood, you'd live by abustling academic building," he says.

Despite some town-gown tensions, Duehay'sprognosis for the city is positive.

"There's a lot going on in the public sector,there's a lot going on in the business sector," hesays.

"The change in the city is visible."CrimsonHector U. VelazquezHE'S THE BOSS: FRANCIS H. DUEHAY '55presides over Monday night's City Councilmeeting.

"I thought, 'Maybe you really ought to do ityourself,'" Duehay says. "It was put up or shutup."

So the former Adams House resident put up.

Following the same methodical regularity thatwon him the Harvard class committee post, Duehayran an aggressive campaign.

By his own estimate, he campaigned flat-outfrom January to November 1963 with the exceptionof two Saturday nights and a stint at his NewHampshire summer camp. And Duehay added that onone of the two Saturday nights he missed, hesimply fell asleep.

Just like when he was running for classcommittee, the campaigning paid off, and Duehaywas elected to one of the six posts.

In 1970, after four terms on the SchoolCommittee, he secured a position on the CityCouncil, where he has been ever since.

Duehay served as mayor in 1980-81 and again in1985, when then-mayor Leonard J. Russell died inoffice.

Duehay's Cambridge

Duehay, who was born and raised in Cambridge,attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School beforeHarvard College. Over the years, he says, he hascome to know the city inside and out.

Each fall Duehay introduces a group ofnewly-arrived Harvard first-years to the city viaa walking tour organized through the FreshmanDean's Office.

"I take the 30 or so undergraduates, and I tryto show them contrasts, so that they don't thinkthat Harvard Square is all of Cambridge," Duehaysays.

Duehay says he thinks of Cambridge as "a taleof two cities." The universities and the growinghigh-tech industry have brought prosperity to somecity residents, but vanishing factory jobs haveleft others scrambling to find work.

Duehay's plans are focused on both faces ofthis city.

Affordable housing heads the list.

"We have worked to stabilize and increase funds[for housing]," he says, mentioning sources suchas state and federal funds, nonprofit resourcesand low-interest bank loans.

Duehay is also working with various agencies inoffering welfare programs including employment,training, health care and child care.

Duehay also says he wants "strongerrelationships and more relationships" with localbusinesses, including an expansion of the currenthigh-school business internship program thatoffers training.

Another key issue will be the city's stance onzoning, reflected in the debate that has recentlyarisen in Harvard Square.

The current Harvard Square zoning laws permitthe construction of high-rise buildings like theHolyoke Center. Duehay, however, says the moremodest, historical architecture must be preserved.

"A lot of what we think of as the heart ofHarvard Square could become lower Manhattan ifwe're not careful," Duehay says.

Duehay says Harvard's opposition to rezoning inthe Square has often caused change to fail incouncil votes, as local businesses often followthe University's lead and oppose rezoning.

Town-Gown Relations

While the issue of zoning in Harvard Square isa major conflict between the city and theUniversity, it is not the only conflict.

"Obviously, the University is very powerful indefining the community," Duehay says, pointing tothe cultural and intellectual life that surroundsHarvard and MIT.

He says that universities are also "powerfulengines of economic change," attracting businessesto the area.

"But there are also negative forces," Duehaysays.

Duehay remembers his early years on the citycouncil--the turbulent 1960s and early 1970s--as atime of escalating town-gown tension.

"This was a time when Harvard was expanding itsreal estate holdings into the surroundingneighborhood," Duehay says; upset with theescalating rents that accompanied Universityexpansion, local neighborhood activistscommandeered Harvard's 1970 commencement ceremonyin protest.

Dramatic demonstrations are more rare today,but Duehay says the city and the University stillhave a "love-hate relationship."

"I would say that the thing that most annoyspeople in Cambridge is the failure of theUniversities to pay taxes," Duehay says. "Theycould eliminate one source of town-gown strife inone fell swoop with paying full taxes."

As a non-profit educational institution, mostof Harvard's land is exempt from property tax.While the University makes voluntary payments inlieu of taxes, Duehay says it isn't enough.

"It would cost a lot of money, but these arepremier universities and they make a lot ofmoney," Duehay says, pausing for a moment beforehe continues, "I don't think it will happen,though."

Another town-gown debate has arisen over thecity's universities--especially MIT--attractingspinoff industries over the past two decades.

"The economic tide that is sweeping intoCambridge is enormous," Duehay says, "but notenough people will be able to take advantage ofthese new opportunities."

The growing high-tech industry in Cambridge hasbrought prosperity to many, he says, but he sayshe worries that employees of the soap, candy andsteel factories of the Cambridge of 30 years agohave been forced out.

On a more immediate level, he says, Cambridgeresidents feel threatened by University expansion.

Duehay points to Harvard's proposed KnafelCenter for the Humanities as one potentialexpansion that has enraged neighbors.

"Imagine it: All of a sudden, instead of aquiet, residential neighborhood, you'd live by abustling academic building," he says.

Despite some town-gown tensions, Duehay'sprognosis for the city is positive.

"There's a lot going on in the public sector,there's a lot going on in the business sector," hesays.

"The change in the city is visible."CrimsonHector U. VelazquezHE'S THE BOSS: FRANCIS H. DUEHAY '55presides over Monday night's City Councilmeeting.