Dear Readers,
May, a month of celebrations, confirmations and graduations for many, Mother’s Day, then Memorial Day, shortly followed by Father’s Day in June and a cascade of wedding anniversaries just around the corner, is a good month to celebrate the “Young People” that Mother’s Day past have brought into the world and give hope to Italian American Associations eager to replenish their aging memberships in the future: The Scuola di Lingua e Cultura Italiana (P.O. Box G, South San Francisco, CA 94083 – www.italianclasses.com – Ph. (650) 574-3089) was founded in 1970 by a group of Italian Americans who volunteered their time and dug deep into their own pockets to provide a language and cultural opportunity for children in the Bay Area’s Italian American Community.
The School of Italian Language and Culture of South San Francisco just completed its 38th year in April. When the school was founded in 1970, the main purpose was to offer classes in the Italian language to recent arrivals from Italy and to those families whose children were born in the United States. Over the years, the composition of the students has changed. Many are Italian Americans, but many enrolled are of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
All have an interest in learning the language. The students are very motivated because they have either recently visited Italy or have plans for a summer trip. To communicate with the Italian people, even if only in brief sentences, adds to an enjoyable travel experience. La Scuola offers conversational Italian classes which include history, culture, pronunciation, and grammar.
Italian speakers and non-Italian speakers are welcome. There are classes for children (pre-school and youth) and five levels for adults. Classes meet Saturday morning from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (September through April) at the South San Francisco Adult School, 825 Southwood Drive, South San Francisco. Many parents come to the school and also enroll their children.
Some members of the youth group, ages 7 to 12, from the class of Monica Marangon, contributed their thoughts on the learning of the Italian language. Here is a sampling from the Youth Class, following Youth Class teacher Monica Marangon’s directive “Express Yourself in Italian”: Celia: Io vado alla scuola italiana perché mi piace parlare italiano. Quando vado in Italia mi sento che sono proprio italiana perché so parlare l’italiano. Mi sento fortunata che ho una mamma italiana e che parlo italiano. Amo l’italiano. Age 10 years. Anna: Mi piace l’italiano perché è utile. Se vado in Italia questa estate mi serve l’italiano.
Age 9 years. Lydia: Mi piace l’italiano perché ho un nonno che è italiano. Age 7 years. Christopher: Imparo l’italiano perché vado in Italia a giugno. Mi piace anche la scuola perché imparo molte cose. Age 9 years. Mariella: La Scuola d’italiana è molto divertente. Imparo tanto. Gioco e parlo con tanti amici. When I come to the Italian School it is so fun. I learn so much. I get to play and talk to so many of my friends. Sometimes it’s hard for me to learn because I am dyslexic. But that does not stop me from learning. I hope I will be good in Italian one day.
Age 11 years. Anna: Mi piace l’italiano! Mi piace l’italiano perché è divertente! Mi piace l’italiano perché imparo molto. Philippe: Mi piace la lingua italiana. Mi piace la nazione italiana. L’Italia è il posto più divertente. È bello. Per imparare la migliore lingua, andate alla Scuola a South San Francisco il sabato mattina.
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Cecilia Galiena & Ramona Maleteai In the pre-school class “Classe dei Bimbi”, teachers Cecilia Galiena and Ramona Maleteai asked the budding artists “Qual’è lo strumento musicale preferito?” Here are some of their artistic replies (see chart below).
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Attenzione: Is your organization trying to attract young people? In Buona Salute Magazine can help. The premier magazine of Italian American Culture specifically meant for communicating and celebrating our Italian American Heritage is offering a discounted group subscription rate for your organization’s members.
Publisher Rob De Feo informs that the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club, citing the “importance of imparting literate Italian cultural experience to all involved in our organization,” has purchased a group rate subscription to In Buona Salute Magazine for all members. “It is crucial that Italians and Italian Americans who are interested in joining a club that celebrates their heritage be informed on all aspects of our shared culture,” said Jim Toland, Public Affairs Director for the 600-member Club on Washington Square in North Beach.
Rob De Feo said that he made the discounted group subscription rate offer because “many Italian American organizations have shared with us concerns of increasing difficulty in attracting new members, especially younger generations. Many feel they are just too busy to get involved and keep their children involved. In Buona Salute Magazine offers to bring the Italian American experience to the mail box of each of your members and their families very other month.
Whether it is politics, travel, local history, current events, or a club profile. In Buona Salute magazine allows anyone interested to stay informed on important issues related to Italian Americans today.” In addition to group memberships, there are other ways for your club to become involved with In Buona Salute Magazine. Call (916) 436-6211 or (916) 677-6751 for more information on how your group can work together for the benefit of us all. You can also visit their website or write www.saluteitalianmagazine.com – 2222 Francisco Dr., Ste 510-357, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762.
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Grazie to signora Capurro of Tucson, Arizona I can share this “young people” story with you: Leo Buscaglia, the late author, lecturer and “Dr. Hug” was once asked to judge a contest. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child, whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman, who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap and just sat there.
When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy just said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.”
10631 Vinedale Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352 - Phone (818) 767-3413 - Fax: (818) 767-1410
