Mr. Mayor

Rockford is the second largest city in Illinois, with a population of 140,000 in a metro area of a quarter of a million. Although just 15 percent of the inhabitants of the relatively conservative Midwest city are minorities, a few months ago Rockford elected its first black mayor, Charles E. Box '73. People who know himwhether residents of Rockford or classmates from Dartmouth aren't surprised. He's been on a pretty fast track since he graduated magna cum laude from the College and went on to get his law degree at the University of Michigan.

Charles grew up in Rockford, where his family owned and operated the city's most famous barbecuedribs restaurant. He captained Auburn High's football team and made the National Honor Society. And he listened when his father said, "Look in the mirror every night and say 'I didn't take any shortcuts. I did the best I could.' "

Charles was in private law practice for five years and subsequently was appointed the city's legal director by then Mayor John McNamara. Two years ago he stepped up to city administrator, handling day-to-day oprations. He won a reputation for being a tough boss who helped McNamara professionalize city government and turn around a depressed economy. Then he won McNamara's endorsement in this spring's mayoral campaign. Said a Rockford attorney, "I don't think there's anyone in the city who knows more about municipal law and government." So it wasn't an overwhelming surprise when the ordinarily -Republican city gave Democrat Box every ward and 63 percent of the vote. (Four years earlier McNamara won with only 51 percent.) People seemed to figure he'd "hit the ground running."