VICA Il Messaggio Fall 2010 Issue

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Volume 12 Issue 3

Fall September 2010

VICA Board MembersContact these people for information or help

about any VICA activities:

President Adele Dienno 802-862-2595

Vice-Presidents Don Catalano: 802 660-

8914/Barbara Guiduli 802-862-4200

Secretary Carol Usher 802-863-2487

Treasurer Audry Rini 802-878-0990

Board Julie Bonanno, Adrienne Donohue,

Barbara Marden, Nancy Specht, David Usher

Il Messaggio Publication DatesQuarterly, Mar 1, June 1, Sept. 1, Dec. 1

Deadlines for submissions: 15 days prior to

publication.

Submit content to [email protected]

MembershipAnyone wanting to join VICA can do so by

contacting Carol Usher at 802 863-2487 [email protected] for an application. Member-

ship is $25. annually for individuals, $35. for

families, and $15. for st udents.

VICA Website:www.vtitalians.com

I l M e s s a g g i oV e r m o n t I t a l i a n C u l t u r a l A s s o c i a t i o nP . O . B o x 3 1 5 5 B u r l i n g t o n V T 0 5 4 0 8

I l M e s s a gg i o

Inside this issue:

Famous Italians 2

VICA Member News3

VICA Member News (cont.) 4

Italy in the News 5

Community Calendar 6

Upcoming VICA Events 7

Who We Are - Audry Rini 8

An organization dedicated topromoting and preserving

Italian culture in Vermont

Did youknow thatItaly is wellknown inter-nationally for

being aleader in thefield of edu-cating stu-

dents withdisabilities in typical classrooms? Histori-cally known in Italy as "Integrazione Sco-lastica", the vast majority of students witha full range of disabilities are educated ingeneral education classrooms alongsidetheir peers without disabilities. This beganin the 1970s when Italy enacted nationallegislation and policies that virtually elimi-nated special education schools and classesin favor of providing special educationsupports for students with disabilities intypical classrooms. Around the same time

the United States also enacted a law (IDEA- Individuals with Disabilities EducationAct) favoring the placement of studentswith disabilities in general educationclasses -- though the two countries have

taken quite different paths.

The US approach to including studentswith disabilities has been slow and incre-mental, whereas when Italy made this shift,they did so all at once. From the 1970s to2010, the percent of US students with dis-abilities placed in general education classeshas risen from about 30% to 57%. There is

tremendous variability between States andthe vast majority of students in certaincategories (e.g., those with intellectualdisabilities) are mostly excluded from gen-eral education classes. Once enacting theirnational policies, Italy's percentage re-mained at approximately 98%-99%throughout that same time frame and theyinclude the categories of students we tend

to exclude.

Here in Vermont we have had a long his-tory of being a national leader in the inclusionof students with disabilities in general educa-tion classes, being ranked first in the nation formany years, until about 5 years ago. Since theearly 1990s the percent of students with dis-abilities included in general education classeshas declined from 89% to approximately 70%in recent years. It is also interesting to note that

Italy identifies only 1%-2% of its children andyouth as "disabled", compared to 12%-14%here in the US. For example, children we labelas "learning disabled" are not considered

"disabled" in Italy.

As professors in the Education Depart-ments at the University of Vermont and St.Michael's College (and both former specialeducation teachers), we are studying the Italianapproach to educating students with disabilitiesto see what we can learn that might help usimprove educational practices here in Vermontand nationally. If you have experience or

knowledge about schooling in Italy (e.g., youwere a student or worked in the Italianschool system within the past 10 years) or if

you have school contacts in Italy you are

willing to share, we hope you will contact us.We are at the earliest stages of exploring Italianschooling for children with disabilities and

hope to visit Italian schools in 2011.

Authors:

Michael Giangreco (Professor, UVM Ed Dept)[email protected](656-1144)

Mary Beth Doyle (St. Michael's College)

[email protected] (654-2279)

Students with Disabilities in Italian Schools

You can choose an electronic or a paper

copy of Il Messaggio by contacting the

editor.
http://www.vtitalians.com/http://www.vtitalians.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.vtitalians.com/


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I l M e s s a g g i oPage 2

Famous Italians...

The number of Italian greats is awe-inspiring. Heres how they are listed in Luigi Barzinis well-known book,

The Italians (1964). How many do you know?

The saints: Saint Francis, Santa Catarina da Siena, San Bernardino da Siena, San Luigi Gonzaga, Saint Thomasof Aquino. The sinners: the Borgia family (Spanish but acclimatized), Cellini, Caravaggio, Cagliostro,Casanova. The political thinkers:Dante Alighieri, King Frederick of Hohenstaufen of the two Sicilies (born inItaly, the inventor of the modern state, the 'state as a work of art'), Lorenzo de Medici (inventor of the 'balance of

power'), Machiavelli, Guicciardini, Mazzini, Cavour. The military leaders: Giovanni dalle Bande Nere,Raimondo Montecuccoli (who led Austrian armies), Napoleon, Garibaldi. The admirals:Andrea Doria,Mocenigo, Morosini, Bragadin, Caracciolo. The scientists:Galileo Galilei, Leonardo da Vinci, Volta, Marconi,Fermi. The navigators:Columbus, Vespucci, the Cabots. The thinkers: Saint Thomas of Aquino, Campanella,Croce, Vico. The poets:Dante Alighieri, Boccaccio, Petrarch, Leopardi, Manzoni. The sculptors: Verrocchio,Donatello, Ghiberti, delia Robbia, Cellini, Michelangelo, Bernini. The painters:Giotto, Botticelli, Fra Angelico,Leonardo da Vinci, Piero de la Francesca, Perugino, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Tintoretto, Tiepolo,

Modigliani. The musicians: Palestrina, Pergolesi, Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Rossini, Verdi, Bellini, Donizetti,Puccini, Toscanini.

Get a 3-D portrait of your pet in [email protected] 802-863-2487

www.wooliedales.com


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I l M e s s a g g i o

The Pelligrini (Pilgrims) Storyby Aime Motta

Page 3

deport the family and so Caterina would tell the childrento cry and scream as they approached. With the officerscompassion, the family stayed for seven days until Luigiultimately showed up even though he never did receive a

telegram from Caterina.

The Pellegrini family settled into a home inClifton, New Jersey, where five more children wereadded to the clan. Luigi moved onto the position of man-

aging the tools at a machine shop where his accurate re-cord accounted for every tool at the plant. He taught Ital-ian to the children of the Italian immigrants, which al-lowed many people to keep the connection with theirrelatives on the other side of the Atlantic. Caterina andLuigi cultivated a large garden, raised hens for the eggs,and goats for the milk. Caterina kept a few boarders andcooked for them, washed their clothes (the washboard

way), and tidied their bedrooms.

In 1998, the Pellegrini family celebrated onehundred years in America in the parish hall of the churchwhere the original family attended. Ninety-eight of the

nearly two hundred descendents of the Luigi and CaterinaPellegrini family were in attendance.

This account came from speaking with my ZiaAngela (the second oldest) and from reading her storythat she published for the family. She lived to be 91. I

am blessed with a wonderful heritage.

Luigi Bartolo Pellegrini, my great grandfather, wasborn in Bogliaco on the western shore of Lake Garda. LakeGarda is the largest lake in Italy and borders three regions Lombardia, Trentino Alto Adige and Veneto. Bogliaco ispart of the province of Brescia in the region of Lombardia.As a youth, Luigi was known as one of the fastest swimmersand would plunge to the bottom of the lake for coins thrown

in by tourists.

Luigi graduated from high school and began to pur-sue the priesthood at a seminary in Brescia. In time, he felta calling for the life of a teacher and left the seminary forcollege. Upon graduation, Luigi was assigned to Capovalle,a most beautiful village in the Italian Alps northwest ofBogliaco. Luigi met Caterina Graziotti, the daughter of a

very established farmer, whom he would marry a year later.

Their life in Capovalle brought five children, theoldest being Maria, my nonni. The salary of an elementaryschool teacher was not enough for the family and thus Luigiset off for the United States upon hearing from a cousin who

had found success after a short period of time.

Luigi worked numerous jobsselling newspapers inNew York City, washing dishes in a hotel, working in a coalmine in Pennsylvania and lastly a dye house in Clifton, NewJersey. At this point, he had saved enough money and wroteto Caterina to inform her that she and the children could now

come to America.

In November of 1898, the journey of a youngwoman and five children under the age of ten began with theride on a mule from Capovalle to Brescia. The children satin a basket purposely made to hold them, while Caterinawalked on one side and the owner of the mule on the other.

Upon arrival in Brescia, the family boarded a train to Genoaand finally the steamship bound for America. The trip onthe steamship in steerage took seventeen days. The crudebunks and constant inflow of water made the journey an un-happy time for the children. Caterina, with her melodious

voice, cheered the five little ones by singing lullabies.

Arrival at Ellis Island did not bring the anticipatedjoy for the family. Caterina had sadly lost Luigis addressduring the frightening ocean crossing and they were not ableto leave. Each day, the immigration authorities threatened to

VICA Member News

Italian Trivia:

Once upon a time, a bachelor who lived with his parents wascalled a mammone. Lately, though, the term bamboccione hasentered the the public discourse when referring to Italian menwho remain at home after the age of 30.

In fact, a recent report by Istat(Istituto nazionale di statis-ticathe Italian National Institute of Statistics) noted that "anincreasing number of young adults are simply forced to staywith their families because they can't find work or affordablehousing. The number of 30-34-year-olds who are still livingwith their parents, despite wanting to move out, rose from11.8% to 28.9% between 1983 and 2009."
http://www.istat.it/http://www.istat.it/http://www.istat.it/


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VICA Member News Continued...

TheAmiciWelcomes Student

TheAmici met for lunch at the Ice House in Burlingtonin July to hear guest speaker Filippo Magnani, who wasvisiting Vermont from Italy and staying at the home ofVICA members Carol and David Usher. Magnani at-tends the Bocconi University in Milan, where he com-mutes from his hometown of Olgiate Molgora in the

region of Lecco north of Milan.

Magnani spoke about the Italian school systemand his experiences with choosing the path of study af-

forded Italian students. He addressed such cultural dif-ferences as economics, job availability, family relation-

ships, and drug and alcohol use among students.

An enthusiastic group of VICA members at-

tended. Professor Michael Giangreco of UVM and his

wife Mary Beth Doyle of St. Michaels College had a

particular interest in hearing Magnani because they are

anticipating a sabbatical tour in Italy to study their spe-

cial education system (see front page story). Professor

Gino Moretti, a retired consultant in the aerodynamic

industry in the U.S. who spends his retirement writing

and painting, attended with his daughter to hear a fellownative-speaker. Franco and Wilma Gatti, who arranged

for Magnanis visit, had earlier IBM connections with

the Magnani family who worked in Essex Junction for a

season. Filippo, who was 4 years old when they lived in

Essex Junction, was motivated to take this trip to relive

some of his childhood memories of America even as we

Italian-Americans pursue ours of our Italian heritage.

VICA Member Celebrates 85

th

Birthday

VICA member Doris Dattilio Mitchell celebrated her85th birthday this summer at a picnic party for familyand friends at Bayside Park in Colchester. Among theactivities was a quiz about who knew Doris the best. In

case you didnt know, her favorite singer is Andrea Bo-celli, her favorite food is pork, and her favorite TV showis the Golden Girls. Of course, from her autobiographyin the Fall 2008 issue ofIl Messaggio, you may remem-ber that her real birth name was Donata Maria Dattilio(which a school treacher translated into Dorisat the

Ira Allen Elementary School), that her family came fromthe region of Foggia in Italy in 1917, and that she andher family continue in the Italian traditions she grew upwith. Of course, the number of her great grandchildrenhas increased from six to eight since 2008, and I

thought I heard I something about great-great-grandchildren, too.

How to Say I love You in Italian

Tongue-tied when it comes to love? Try these

Ti penso sempreI always think of you.Mi manchiI miss you.

Come sei bella! - How beautiful you are!

Voglio vederti staseraI want to see you tonight.

Tu sei una stella...la mia stellaYou are astar...my star.

Cara mia, ti voglio bene...My darling, I love you!
http://www.unibocconi.eu/wps/wcm/connect/SitoPubblico_EN/Navigation+Tree/Home/About+Bocconi/?lang=enhttp://www.unibocconi.eu/wps/wcm/connect/SitoPubblico_EN/Navigation+Tree/Home/About+Bocconi/?lang=enhttp://www.unibocconi.eu/wps/wcm/connect/SitoPubblico_EN/Navigation+Tree/Home/About+Bocconi/?lang=en


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Green Mt Coffee Partners with Italy

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, based inWaterbury, has recently partnered with Lavazza coffeecompany from Italy to produce single-serve espresso

for the popular Keurig coffeemaker. Lavazzas presentinvestment in GMC is a 7% stock purchase with theidea of increasing that in the future, reflecting thegrowing popularity of the single-serve.

Italy Cracks Down on Mob(from the Wall Street Journal, July 13, 2010)

Police arrested alleged mob bosses and morethan 300 other suspects from the 'Ndrangheta crime

organization in Milan and in the southern region ofCalabria, seizing arms, explosives, and tens of millionsof euros worth of property and other assets. The sus-pects face charges of arms and drug trafficking, murderand extortion, among other crimes. Years of trackingthe organization revealed that Milan and Lombardy hadtaken such a major role in the commercial success ofthe organization that it considered ceding from theoriginal base in Calabria. The 'Ndrangheta also man-aged to establish bases in countries as far away as Can-ada and Australia. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlus-coni vowed to continue to battle the organized crime

scene until it is eradicated.

Evading Italian Taxes

When the owner of five Ferraris claims an in-come of 1,000 euros (~$1,200) a month and a restau-rant owner buys a 750,000 euro house and declares noincome, you might agree with The Economist (Jun 24,2010) that these cases are part of a "colorful patch-work" of Italian tax evasion (which is estimated to costthe country about 100 billion euros a year, equivalent tosome 6% of the GDP).

A new decree issued on May 31, 2010 allows

for closer governmental surveillance, stiffer rules, andeven paybacks to towns successfully prosecuting evad-ers. But Italians still rely heavily on cash...and it iscash that drives the black economy, where evasion isthe rule. As can be expected, Italians preparing fortheir next tax returns will probably consider how seri-ous the risk is for getting caught in spite of the morestringent policies. A tougher economy adds to thetemptation, for with less money in their budgets, many

will think that taxes are still optional.In spite of the drain that tax evasion has on

the country, Italy ranks seventh among the world'seconomies in terms of its nominal GPD according tothe International Monetary Fund (IMF). Here's theranking of the top 12 countries, published online athttp://www.altiusdirectory.com :

United States, China, Japan, Germany, France,United Kingdom, Italy, Brazil, Russia, Spain, Can-ada, India

Are You Getting the Real Italian?

Bufala Mozzarella, Parma prosciutto, bal-samic vinegar from Modena, San Marzano tomatoesand Gorgonzola cheese. Is your mouth watering yet?Because these Italian specialties command such highprices, rip-offs and gastronomical forgeries abound.What you think you're buying or eating may not bethe real thing.

These and other famous products have beengranted protection by the European Union. To protectthese brands, food detectives are assigned to snoop

out counterfeits with the power to confiscate and de-stroy false products.The total sales of EU-certified Italian prod-

ucts account for $14 billion in yearly sales. "Foodsheriffs" work closely with the food fraud unit of theCarabinieri and they go to great lengths and expenseto protect the reputation of famous brands.

Take Parmigino-Reggiano cheesemaking asan example. This delightful cheese must be madeonly with milk from cows fed hay grown exclusivelyin the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena orMantua on the right bank of the River PO, and Bolo-

gna province on the left bank of the river Reno, ac-cording to official EU standards. The wheels must bemade in trademarked molds with a distinctive insig-nia. Counterfeiters try to forge these mold markingsto get a superior price for inferior cheese.

Next time you buy an Italian specialty food,know that you may not be getting the real thing evenif you pay a high price...but Italian authorities aretrying to assure you're getting what you pay for.

Italy in the News


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Community Calendar(non VICA sponsored event)

"Celebration of the Vine" Harvest Festival

Date: 9/18/2010 TO 9/19/2010Time: 11:00 AM TO 4:00 PM

Event Description:The Harvest Festival is held on the 18th and 19th of September and includes a variety of events, from winetasting to live music, with activities that will appeal to all ages. Wine Festivities Include: Grape picking fromthe vine Viewing crushing and pressing Grape stomping contest Live music Vendors Clown, face painting,hayrides, and corn maze And Much, Much More!!! Location: Boyden Valley Winery Admission: $10 Website:www.boydenvalley.com

Directions:

Located on the corner of Route 15 and 104 in Cambridge, VT64 VT Route 104, Cambridge, VT 05444


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Upcoming VICA Events 2010-2011Mark Your calendars!

Next events:

Sat, Sept 25, 2010 5:30pm Dinner, Foxfire Inn Stowe; 8pm Stowe Theater, "Light inthe Piazza" Its not too late to buy tickets ( www.stowetheater.com) and make dinner reservation.Contact: Ann (802-863-5155 ). Carpooling available from So. Burlington and Richmond.

Sun, Nov 7, 2010 2-5pm: Coffee Social at Adrienne and Tom Donohue's in Burlington.Contact Aimee (802-434-3481) if you want to come join one of VICAs long-standing Fall events.

Sat, Nov 13th, 2010 Palace 9 Live Met Opera, So. BurlingtonDonizetti's Don Pasquale: 1:00pm (3hrs,50min) .

Note: All Met-Live performances at Palace 9 are usually sold out early, so VICA is buy-

ing a block of tickets for each of the above operas to guarantee a seat for 20 of our members. Buyfrom us early! Contact Audry (802-878-0990). We are arranging after-show parties for each of the

operas as well (TBA).Schedule of Italian Operas: Save the dates, buy tickets now.

Verdi'sDon Carlo (New Production): Sat, Dec 11,2010, 12:30pm (5hrs)Puccini'sLa Fanciulla del West: Sat, Jan 8, 2011, 1pm (3hrs,50min)Donizetti'sLucia di Lammermoor: Sat, Mar 19, 2010, 1pm (4hrs,20min)

Rossini'sLe Comte Ory (New Production): Sat, Apr 9, 2011, 1pm (3hrs,20min)Verdi'sIl Trovatore: Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1pm (3hrs,30min)

Save these dates, too...

Sun, Dec 12, 2010Noon: Amici Family Christmas Brunch, Sheraton, Burlington, info TBA.

Sun, Jan 9, 2011: Pasta Dinner CelebratingEpifania, more info TBA

Sat, Jun 4, 2011 Montreal Opera House: Puccini'sLaBoheme:, 2pm matinee, Charteredbus; Dinner following in Little Italy at Dai Baffoni Trattoria on Boulevard St-Laurent. More info tocome. Save the date.

Note: Besides the above schedule, potential plans for next year's VICA activities include a panel on

dual-citizenship, lectures on Italian film-maker Passolini, agritourism and travels in Italy, a wine-tasting and local vineyard tour, and of course our usual Italian films, Italian conversation classes,

and a VICA picnic in June. Well keep you informed.
http://www.stowetheater.com/http://www.stowetheater.com/http://www.stowetheater.com/


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Documents

VICA Il Messaggio Fall 2010 Issue