ANOTHER COURTSHIP

Clementina Lanzillotta and her family were well known to Libero Sauro. They immigrated from Mottola in Puglie in 1907. Having converted to Protestantism in Italy, they joined the same community in Montreal that Libero was part of. When it came time to educate their children, the Lanzillotta’s chose Pointe-Aux-Trembles, a French Protestant school. The fee of $25.00 a year was taken care of by the church. The certificate dated 1920 indicates that Clemmie completed her studies to grade 9.

At about this time, the family moved to Hamilton. In order to continue her education at a high school in Ontario, she was required to provide proof that she met all the qualifications to enter High School. All students in Ontario were required to pass this Departmental exam which was not discontinued until the year I finished grade 8 – 1944.

In January of 1921, Clemmie’s father died. She was 17 year’s old and all the children of working age had to enter the work force to support the family. After working at her mother’s market stall for a time, she pleaded with her mother to let her go back to school. Since there was sufficient help at the market, her mother agreed. She so impressed her teachers that when she needed a letter of recommendation, her principal had no trouble providing it. Her papers indicate that she successfully passed her Lower School (Grade 11) Examinations in 1922. Unfortunately, there is no indication as to the recipient or why this recommendation was required. With her Lower School education she could qualify for entrance to Model School, which was an alternative teacher training school where the student worked with actual classes of children as an apprentice for 1 year.

Even while Attending Model School Clemmie continued her quest for a more complete education. In June and September of 1923, she completed all her credits for a Middle School Diploma (Grade 12) with very high marks. In March of 1925 during the time she was teaching in Sault Ste Marie, she studied for 4 Upper School (Grade 13) credits on her own, without attending classes and was successful in the June exams. In 1927, in Welland and Toronto, she successfully completed all the credits required for an Upper School Diploma

In 1924, Clementina Lanzillotta graduated from Model School and began her career as an elementary school teacher. Jobs were scarce at that time and being Italian and Protestant was a detriment in the very British foundation of the school system. The only jobs available to a novice would be in a remote country area in a one-room school encompassing all grades from 1 to 8. At one time, with the presumption that she was of that faith because of her name, she was hired by a Roman Catholic school board. After a few weeks on the job, her principal reminded her that she was expected to attend mass every Sunday. The jig was up and she soon lost that position. That first job lasted 2 months. From September to October of 1924 she worked for United School Section #2 Baldwin and Merritt. In 1925, she did some supply teaching in Sault Ste Marie. From October, 1925 to June, 1926 she taught for School Section #1 Dowling, Creighton, Merritt and from September 1926 to June 1928, she taught French in Welland.

It was probably in 1925 that she would have been doing supply teaching in Sault Ste Marie when she encountered Italo in her class. She obviously impressed an inspector who indicated that there might be a full-time assignment for her in the following school year.

In 1926, Clemmie landed a job in Welland teaching French, an event that warranted a headline in the newspaper.

Clemmie’s teacher training and experience served to guarantee a successful future for her in later life. She returned to teaching in 1949 after her husband could no longer earn a living. Her first contract was with North York where she continued to teach until her retirement in 1971.

This was a very generous contract for that time. Clemmie entered this position with 3.5 years of experience. The following year, I began my teaching career in Toronto at a starting salary of $1,600.00 per anum. That would be 10 monthly payments of $160.00.

Always dedicated to improving her status, Clemmie took university courses in the evening and the summers starting in 1956 to 1963 to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Her convocation was in November of 1963.

Clementina Sauro B.A

1963

Toronto Telegram, November 1963

GRANDMA’S FRENCH CLASS

Back row – Pam, Cindy, Lorene, Carolle with Loretta, Janet,

Clemmie,

Sandy, Valerie, Brenda, Calvin, Donna,

Cheryl, Paul, Frank, Kathy, Linda with Monica

1924, the year that Clemmie started her teaching career, coincided with the death of Nicolina Fasciano Sauro, Libero Sauro’s first wife. At 20 years of age she was teaching in Larchwood, near Sault Ste Marie at the time. Since they were already acquainted, she would have been in touch with Libero at least to express her sympathy. By 1925, they were exchanging love letters. Four of these written by Libero have survived not counting the note on birch bark from Hilton Lake on St Joseph’s Island, Sault Ste Marie dated July 26, 1925.

The first letter is dated August 15, 1925 and is written in Italian. He has just received 2 letters from Clementina and he is in raptures about his joy at her words and her affection that has lifted him from his suffering with no mention of the cause of that suffering. He will visit Mrs. McLean, who is like a mother to him to tell her that he has regained his happiness and energy because of her. He asks after Clementina’s sister Nicoletta, hoping for her happiness and contentment. The letter contains no news except that he is busy with Sunday school. He closes by saying that he will write her a long letter tomorrow and that he will also write to Nicoletta.

The second letter is dated 26 August 1925, 10:05 P.M. It is written entirely in Italian also. He has just put 12 quarts of beans in jars and they are being sterilized as he writes. He muses that if they were together, they could put up plumbs, peaches, pears, pickles and many other things. He has been up since 5:30 in the morning. He had duties at the Vacation Bible School and then preparation for tomorrow at the school. After his domestic duties he is ready for bed at 12:10. He resumes writing the next day at 11:55 after receiving a letter from Clementina that has disturbed and upset him. She has apparently written that she has found out that he was alleged to have made moves on her sister Angela which he vehemently denies. He tries to seek solace in prayer without success. Her words weigh so heavy on his heart that he is moved to tears of sorrow. He goes on to try to convince her that he loves her as no one else has ever been loved and he begs her never to revisit this terrible notion.

He also chastises her at great length for attending an Episcopalian church at the instigation of Nicoletta equating it with Anglican and therefore almost Roman Catholic and definitely out of bounds. She must not forsake the Presbyterian or Methodist churches after the struggles especially the Italians had to establish those congregations. He tells her that her father would be extremely disappointed in her. He closes with endearments, hugs and kisses.

These 2 letters seem to indicate that the romance was a little stormy. There are no surviving envelopes so it is unknown exactly where Clementina was at this time but the proximity to Nicoletta and Angela and the mention of the Episcopalian church indicates that she must have been in Buffalo with her family.

In 1926, they see each other in Larchwood where Clementina has been teaching.

Clementina and Libero in Larchwood, 1926

The next 2 letters were written in 1927 to Clementina in Welland. Libero’s return address is 636 Queen West, Sault Ste Marie. On March 11, he is impatiently waiting for Clementina’s letter in which she will return his paper, which he has asked her to correct. He writes about having participated in the church bazaar where he served ice cream. He has a bad headache because he has been up since 5:30 to set up the bazaar. He has returned home for a supper of fried tinned peas, 4 boiled eggs, an orange salad and a cup of tea after which he had to attend Italian Class. Then at 9 o’clock he returned to the church to help clean things up. He tells her that he spent nothing at the bazaar but if she wants anything at all she need only ask. He doesn’t need a bazaar to buy her a gift. He also bemoans the fact that he didn’t arrange for Rindo and Italo to attend the bazaar. They never have a chance to go anywhere or spend any money and he regrets that he didn’t give them that little pleasure. Whenever the boys have any money he makes them put it in a piggy bank. He continues to justify his insistence on this in English saying that he thinks he is right in this because they always eat their meals willingly. If they had spent money on candy he would have difficulty getting them to eat their meals regularly.

He mentions that he spoke to Miss Pratt who informed him that Italo had a very beautiful voice. This, he said, he was aware of and goes on to say that he heard Italo humming a melody from the opera Orpheus and Euridice in perfect pitch and accurately. Libero had played this record only 2 or 3 times. He tells her that he thinks musical education is very important for children and that the phonograph is the best teacher. He hoped that Italo would become a singer. The letter continues on March 12 after he has received Clementina’s letter with his paper. He complains that he still has a bad headache in spite of the fact that he rested in bed for a bit in the morning but he had to get up to go to the courthouse for citizenship hearings, presumably to act as translator if necessary. It has rained heavily all day helping to melt the snow. In English he does go on about her wish to cut her hair. On March 13, he continues with a report about a very busy day with church activities. He tells Clementina he must present his paper to a Mr. Lawrence who came to receive it from Toronto. He then goes on to criticize her corrections of his text accusing her of altering his meaning with her changes and even chastises her by giving her a lesson in grammar. He says that her changes have altered the flow and rhythm of his language. I gather from some of the references in the letter that the paper was about the rise of Fascism in Italy. He finishes the letter in English.

The last surviving letter was written just 2 months before their wedding. The Italian section deals with a query that must have come from Clemmie concerning a child with Angina Pectoris. Libero looked it up in the encyclopedia and verified his findings with Dr. Sabetta. His explanation is very clinical and thorough.

Both Libero and Clementina had their religious roots in Canada in the Presbyterian Church. The United Church was inaugurated on June 10, 1925 in Toronto, Ontario, when the Methodist Church, Canada, the Congregational Union of Canada, and 70 per cent of the Presbyterian Churches in Canada entered into an organic union. Joining as well was the small General Council of Union Churches, centred largely in Western Canada. It was the first union of churches in the world to cross historical denominational lines and hence received international acclaim. Impetus for the union arose out of the concerns for serving the vast Canadian northwest and in the desire for better overseas missions. Each of the uniting churches, however, had a long history prior to 1925. By 1927, when Libero entered his final year of study for the ministry it was to Emanuel College, the training school for the newly formed United Church of Canada that he went. Clementina was very involved in Libero’s aim to become an ordained minister. She even helped to finance his year of study in Toronto. The picture of the graduating class shows Libero in the upper right hand corner. Mr. Binning, who will be referred to later on is 3^rd from the left in the 3^rd row up from the bottom.

Shortly after graduation, Libero and Clementina were married in Toronto by the minister of the Italian congregation, Rev. D. R. Gualtieri. Mrs. McLean from Libero’s Sault Ste Marie days had a son Earl who was married to Mary. They lived in Toronto and were witnesses at the marriage.

This marked the end of Clementina’s career as a schoolteacher. Married women were not allowed to teach in Ontario in those days. It is unlikely that Clementina could have continued teaching even if it had been allowed. With her marriage, she became an instant mother to five sons; Alberindo, 12 years old, Italo, 10, Henry, 8, Olindo, 6 and Livio was 4 years old. This photograph was taken in Montreal in 1928.

The new family moved to Niagara Falls where Libero ministered to churches in Thorold, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. These were all churches with Italian speaking members. While living in Niagara Falls, they added to their family with Clementina’s first child. Silvio was born on March 17, 1929.

Silvio, November 6, 1929, Niagara Falls

two days after his first tooth appeared

Silvio, 1930

Sauro boys, 1930

Sylvia was born on April 16, 1931.

Sylvia, August, 1931

This is our house on Robinson Street in Niagara Falls where Sylvia was born. If you look closely, you can see Clementina holding her in her arms with Silvio sitting beside her.

Sylvia, 1932

Elvino was born on October 2, 1932.

Elvino, 1933

Silvio. Elvino, Sylvia, 1933

The family from oldest to youngest

Alberindo, Italo, Henry with his finger in Olindo’s ear (always the joker), Livio, Silvio, Sylvia, Elvino, Clementina, 1933

That summer, Olindo, Henry and Livio had their heads shaved (coch melón – melon head) to the delight of Elvino.

Even with her large family to care for, Clementina found time to devote to her singing. She contributed her talents to the church and other community meetings in town. She performed regularly on the radio in Niagara Falls. She enjoyed a very favourable reputation for her talent.

In 1934, Libero was moved to Toronto to become the minister of St. Paul’s Italian United Church.

This was the congregation, led by Libero, in front of the church in 1935. It was a large and thriving community. None of the Sauro family appears in this photograph.

The church provided a big house at 104 Millwood Road, which was located in the north end of the city. This was far from the downtown Italian community and the church which was eventually located at 410 College Street. This meant that we lived among the dominant Anglo Saxon community. There were only 3 or 4 other Italian families in the area.

Next: Life at 104 Millwood Road