LETTER TO THE EDITOR: The Columbus myths and facts Community Content Thank you [Select Board] for deliberating before a quick rush to judgment on Columbus Day. Since Maynard prides itself on diversity and tolerance, I’ll back the guy who has more statues than even George Washington. The recent push to change the name of “the October public holiday” to Indigenous Peoples Day is interesting because for years Columbus was considered a hero. But let’s have Indigenous Peoples Day because after all, it was a Native American, Squanto, that helped the Pilgrims survive those first trying New England winters. His presence led to a strong, mostly peaceful relationship with the Wampanoags and Pilgrims from 1620 until the King Phillips War in 1675.