In a typical weekday, the Globe’s news pages contain roughly 128,700 words, give or take. No surprise that within that crush of verbiage are some errors. Readers have come to accept that.
Another kind of error is less understandable: those that occur again and again, and take on a life of their own.
The most recent high-profile example was John Kerry’s not-so-Irish roots. But there are many more mundane examples – like the fact that the Globe’s ”This Day in History” feature has each year reported that Boston Latin School was founded on Feb. 13, 1635. It wasn’t.
In both cases, an error that first appeared nearly 20 years ago became so woven into the record that it was taken as fact. Here’s how it happens:
Kerry’s roots: Perhaps the most surprising thing about the Kerry case is that only eight times (starting in 1984) have Globe Staffers described Kerry as part Irish, according to a search of the Globe’s archives. Still, that – and similar mentions in other newspapers – helped perpetuate the widespread assumption that he was part of the state’s powerful contingent of Irish politicians.
When the paper reported last month on Kerry’s background – revealing the Austrian and Jewish origins of his Irish-sounding side of the family – some readers felt long-deceived.
Wrote one Boston reader, referring to Charles Sennott’s 1996 profile of Kerry: ”We are told … `He was the first son to a father, Richard Kerry, who hailed from an upper-class Boston family of Irish and Scotish ancestry.’ … On what basis did Sennott report that fact? Did he ask Kerry? … Did Kerry never read his profile and call the Globe with a correction? What’s going on?” A fair question.
Sennott, like other Globe reporters who have written that Kerry was part Irish, says he can’t recall exactly where his impression originated – maybe in reading past news clips – but when he went to interview Kerry for the ’96 profile, he believed the candidate to be part Irish. In the interview, Sennott says he recalls joking with Kerry about his house, once a nunnery, and the exchange reinforced in his mind that Kerry was Irish Catholic. After the profile ran, Sennott says, he saw Kerry ”for several days running,” and he did not note the error.
Much has been made of whether Kerry has corrected any assertion that he was Irish. He maintains that he has, whenever he has become aware of it. During his January interview with the Globe, Kerry said he had a conversation several years ago about his ancestry with then-Globe editor Matt Storin at a restaurant. He recalls telling Storin, ”My grandfather came from Austria, and my grandmother was Jewish.” Storin has no recollection of the long-ago conversation, but says that does not mean it didn’t happen. He adds: ”If the senator had been asking us to run a correction, I am sure we would have done so, and I am sure I would remember.”
I asked several reporters who had described Kerry as Irish whether he had ever corrected them. No one recalled that he had.
It may not have been up to Kerry to correct the Globe’s mistake, but doing so certainly served the noble cause of accuracy. Whatever Kerry’s effort, the fact-that-wasn’t continued unchallenged in the Globe archives for nearly two decades; each reporter researching Kerry took it as true. Had Kerry not decided to run for president – the impetus for Michael Kranish’s Feb. 2 look at his ancestry – the error may have lived far longer.
Latin’s start: On Feb. 13, the ”This Day in History” feature – produced by the Associated Press and run daily in the Globe – stated: ”In 1635, America’s oldest public school, the Boston Public Latin School, was founded.” But the date should be April 23, not Feb. 13. The error has run every year since 1986.
Admittedly, it has some logic to it. Boston historical records refer to Boston Latin being founded, ”The 13th of the 2d moneth, 1635,”according to research by Boston Latin assistant head master Malcolm Flynn. But, as he explains, in the 12th century March 25 had been adopted in Christian nations as the first day of the year, commemorating the Annunciation (Dec. 25 is nine months later). April, therefore, was the second month. Adjustment from the 13th to the 23 d came in 1752 with the switch from the Julian to Gregorian calendar.
However confusing the date’s history may be, the error went uncorrected too long.
”I remember telephoning Ask the Globe and writing a letter to the editor, both with no response, but those efforts were some years ago.” says Flynn. His more recent query here prompted AP to research the matter and determine that a correction is indeed warranted. AP says it will issue it soon.
Flynn is cautiously optimistic. ”I look forward,” he said, ”to reading the [This Day in History] feature on April 23.”
In other business:
When the astronomy column Star Watch was discontinued in January, hundreds of readers made passionate and articulate pleas for its return. It paid off. Star Watch is back. Look for it on the first Saturday of each month, on the weather page.
