Motto of “We’ll Try”….is not good enough for Fall River

Posted by Ric Oliveira on Feb 22, 2012 in Blog Posts, Ric's Rants, Top Stories | 3 comments

It was eloquently argued before the Fall River City Council on Tuesday night that the city needs to change its motto from “We’ll try” to something else…

It seems in a city that has a darker cloud over it than Middle Earth, there is always a move a-foot to make things better, to try…

We want to be a tourism city but we are having a hard time selling it.

When the topic came up on the airwaves, the answers were fast and furious as to what the city could be renamed.

“Gateway to Newport- park here,” was one caller’s suggestion.

Another caller thought it should be “Home of Vovo’s soup.” And then there was “We are not New Bedford.”

Still perhaps the one that brought the most giggles and the most consternation was one suggested by Fall River’s own voluminous intellect Robert Moniz: “Why bother?”

It is of course another in the very sad chapters of the city.

We sit here into the 21^st century, geographically located in the Providence television and radio market, with the highest unemployment rate in Massachusetts, the lowest educational levels and a poverty rate that is once again among the highest in the Bay State. Our issues are not aired in the capital of Boston that is until a serious crime occurs, then we get reintroduced to the rest of Massachusetts with a head-shake.  Rhode Island already knows us as the fastest way to Newport.

The city is desperately seeking a divorce from its identity. And while it may seem trivial for some to consider changing our name to something else, it is another side-effect from the fact that we can’t change our history of poor decisions – which have built atop each other to the point where we are grasping at straws rather than holding it up for the world to see.

After all, a city that destroyed its namesake waterfalls in the name of progress and buried the river that pumped its blood through the industrial revolution, is always, it seems escaping from its own poorly taken steps. Instead of having built upon our resources, we have buried them or, worse, blown them up. We now flounder to give ourselves a new identity.

This whole motto changing situation is not new. My friend at the Fall River Cotton City facebook page has revealed that between 1811 to 1924, the city by the Taunton River was called the -“King Cotton-Spindle City.” The city changed its motto to  “We’ll Try” after the Great Fire of 1843.

In 1871, the city, once gain changed it’s name to “The mills always come back” which was followed in the next breath “The construction of 17 Mills, through panics & depressions.”

In 1911, at a time when the city was experiencing great growth, it changed its slogan once again to “Fall River Looms Up.”
The city once again changed its name to the “The Scholarship City” in honor of the work of Dr. Irving Fradkin, who founded Dollars for Scholars here in 1958.

The former Mayor Robert Correia tried to get the slogan to be “Pride Citywide.”

We are back to scholarships.

And now, we are embarking on renaming ourselves once again.

“A Peachaven?” No, that would be controversial.

“Mills, Hills and Swills?” No, too prohibitionist.

“Little Portugal?”  So true but this city takes great pains to hide from its mirror.

“Hardwork and Charity Strengthens our Historical Powers.” Hmm, a bit long though.

“How about Hills, Mills and Will,” in honor of our mayor? No, too many vowels.

“Don’t Mess with us?” Too hard

“Cry Me a New River”  Too cynical and we would probably bury it anyways.

“Boston Hates Us?  Then, why would they visit?

Umm. Renaming a city is not like naming a child.

There are books nowadays that not only give you popular girls and boys names but also the meanings of those names and the projected impact that name will have on the child.

Yet, I can’t help but think that coming up with a new one for the city is a great topic. Can’t you imagine the possibilities!