The Italians of Cleveland

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The
Italians of Cleveland
By
CHARLES W. COULTER
Department of Sociology
Western Reserve University
COPYRIGHT 1919
PRICE 10 CENTS
Under the Direction of the
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Cleveland Americanization Committee
Mayor's Advisory War Committee
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Other Publications of the Committee
Americanization of Cleveland
Report of Work of the Cleveland Americanization
Committee, of 1917-1918
The Slovaks of Cleveland
Lessons on American Citizenship
The J ugoslavs of Cleveland
The Magyars of Cleveland
Address:
Cleveland Americanization Committee
Room 226, City Hall, Cleveland

The
Italians of Clevel nd
By
CHARLES W. COULTER
Department of Sociology
Western Reserve University
COPYRIGHT 1919
PRICE 10 CENTS
Under the Direction of the
Cleveland Americanization Committee
Mayor's Advisory War Committee

FOREWORD
This description of the Italians of Cleveland is the fourth of a series
prepared and pul lished by the Cleveland Americanization Committee.
The preceding publications in this series de cribed the Slovaks, J ugoslavs
and Magyars of this city. The next will deal with the Poles while
studies of other nationalities will appear later.
The presentation in this manner to the English speaking population
of Cleveland of the cultural and industrial contributions of the foreign
born groups of the city is most directly in furtherance of the policy of
the Committee. In our opinion Americanization means much more than
the teaching of American customs to the new citizens. It means the
education of American as well. American life would be impoverished
indeed, if it refused to welcome new and even strange element of custom
and culture. The political institutions and social customs which we have
now are too clearly the products of older civilizations beyond the seas
to give us the feeling that America can be entirely self sufficient.
Americans them elves are too closely related to alienage to look with
any feeling of restraint or question upon the new comer:. It is a thought
provoking fact that the President of the United States is the son of an
immigrant.
This description of the Italians who have found homes in Cleveland
is a real object I son in the indebtedness of the older American to the
new. It sets forth example after example of fine productive citizenship
among the Italians of Cleveland. It indicates their unquestioned ability
to carry on certain types of business enterprise, their sound and adaptable
political capacity and their almost passionate devotion to the things
of the mind and spirit. The new city of Cleveland from an architectural
and artistic standpoint owes an immeasurable debt to the Italian immigrant.
No public structure has been built in Cleveland within twentyfive
years that is not partly the product of Italian artisans. The most
beautiful portions of some of our public structures are entirely the work
of the Italian born. They have shown America how to interpret in
splendid fashion the beauty of the spirit through the object of every
day utility. Our city is far more beautiful because Italian immigrants
have made it their foster home.
In ability to acquire the best of American customs and to give loyally
to the purposes of American democracy the Italian immigrant has
been second to none. In time of need he gave generously to America
at war. It should not be forgotten that the first American soldier to
give his life in France was an Italian immigrant.
RAYMOND MOLEY,
Chairman of the Cleveland Americanization Committee.
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THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
The Background
THE BACKGROUND
To understand the Italian Clevelander it is necessary to know something
at least of the country from which he comes. To generalize
about the people of Italy as a whole, or of any one province in it, is a
profitless procedure. It has been called the land of contrasts. The
country itself might be described as a desert, broken here and there by
oases of matchless fertility and luxuriance. Its people enjoy refinement
and a love of beauty at the one extreme, and live little better than animals at
the other. They are highly educated and at the same time grossly ignorant
; rampantly rationalistic and crudely superstitious ; with many
churches and unbounded religious indifference. In the north, ultramodern
agricultural illllplements are to be found ; in the south the
wooden plow and the primitive mattock. Great wealth and luxury live
in sight of abject poverty. Her universities are in the forefront of modern
education, while, owing to the backwardness of her primary schools,
more than 45% of her populace can neither read nor write. So that,
to understand the Italian immigrant, it is necessary to know not only
the section from which he comes, but the measure of opportunity permitted
him by his social caste. Mangano's observation that the provinces
are unlike in everything except that they are different, might
have been extended to cover the Italian people and institutions also.
Such a contrast is not surprising when one remembers that for
many years Rome, Venice, Florence and Naples existed a independent
states, and that these provincial differences in the manners and customs
of today are the direct heritage of the Middle Ages. This provincial
disharmony is well recognized, and one of the most stupendous tasks
which Italy now faces is to make her social unity as complete as the
geographic has become.
The very difference in the character of the country in northern and
southern Italy, makes necessary diverse occupations, further augment ..
ing the traditional distinctions. The cities of Venice, Genoa, Florence,
Milan, and Bologna, with their extensive hinterland of rich country
remind one of bustling American cities, full of industry, competition
within and contact with the world outside. These urban peoples are
intellectual, content and progressive. They have an obvious contempt
for the Neapolitan and Sicilian peasant who has been under the rigorous
discipline of the managers for absentee landlords through so many years
that his spirit is broken and his intelligence potential only.
Beyond the provincial stratification, there is a clear cut division on
social grounds as well. Italy has her four distinct classes, each of which
is capable of division into sub classes. The aristocracy (aristocrazia) is
is made up either of the noble families of long standing, having their
wealth chiefly in estates, or of citizens-government officials, bankers,
business and professional men-who, by reason of their wealth, success
or service, frequently receive recognition by the crown. This class has
come to be numerous as the titles are hereditary.. The middle class,
which is confined to Neapolitan and northern Italy, forms the active
professional, and military casts of society. They are almost exclusively
urban. Th'e clergy are in a class by themselves. Some of them are of
noble lineage, men of education and high culture; others come up from
the ranks, winning their way by merit only. The tendency is for the
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CLEVELAND
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Percentage of Latin Americans to
total population

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
clergy to stratify into ecclesiastics, orthodox servants of the church, and
free thinkers. To these should be added the peasantry (contadini), exploited
and forgotten workers of the soil who form the base of the
pyramid of Italian society, and support the whole superstructure. In
the North they own the land, live comfortably, take an interest in education,
and participate actively in political life, so that their lot is not
intolerable. In the South, however, the peasant's life is quite the reverse.
He seldom owns the land. He labors hard, until within the last two
decades for 15 or 20c a day, since which time the wage has risen to
65 or 70c. He lives abstemiously and is measurably content. Meat is
an article of diet with him only on New Years or other holidays ; bread
of chestnut or rye flour and vegetables with light wine when procurable
comprise his daily fare. He is honest, patient, thrifty, pious to the point
of superstition, and generally light hearted despite his poverty. It is
from this latter stratum of Italy's life we are now receiving four-fifths
of our Italian immigrants.
The Economic Burden
In the Wars of Independence before 1861 when the kingdom was
proclaimed, an enormous public debt had been contracted. This burden
was multiplied when the new State found itself under the necessity of
quickly building up and equipping an army and navy, schools, ports and
f:l.ilwayi', in order to approximate the level of other European nations.
This poor but plucky little state, 1l1II1st have built on a sound financial
bc,sis, for, at the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, besides her splendidly
modern army and navy, she had an annual revenue of $15,000,000
beyond her last national expenditure. This has required, however, a
heavy burden of taxation, which, added to the increasing expense of the
leisure cIa ses, has produced a growing di content among the Southern
Italian peasants. And thi , more than any other one thing, has been
responsible for their American exodus.
The causes of the immigration might then be summarized as oppression,
by taxation, which fell hardest on the agriculturalists of Southern
Italy, as over against the abundant and remunerative labor offered
by America. The over-population of the Iberian peninsula, for its births
have exceeded its deaths by 400,000 yearly, and the stimulation of the
Steamship Companies, added to the glowing reports of returning Italians
who have "done well in America, and are not loathe to tell their less
fortunate countrymen about it.
The Immigration Stream
The few who came to America before 1871 need not concern us
here. They were from Northern Italy, mo tly refugees, business men,
students and adventurer . Garibaldi was a refugee in America for two
years. Caesare Botta was here when he wrote his splendid History of
The American Revolution. Such cases were few as the American Immigrants
to Italy. In 1871 the Southern Italian began to come. By 1880
when the tales of American opportunity had been carried home, America
was receiving 5000 every year. This stream has gradually grown in
volume until between 1906 and 1916 more than 2,000.000 arrivals are
recorded. of whom 1,700,000 have remained. In that decade one-quarter
of our immigrants from all countries were Italians. They have distributed
themselves throughout our various states in the following
manner:
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THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
New York .......... ... . 470,000
Pennsylvania . . ...... ... 190,000
New Jersey . ..... ....... 115,000
Massachusetts . ....... .. 90,000
Illinois . ... .. .. .. ..... .. 75,000
California . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 60,000
Connecticut . ............ 55,000
Ohio . .... .. ..... ....... 40,000
Rhode Island ...... ..... 30,000
Louisisana . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 25,000
West Virginia . . . . . . . . . .. 25,000
Michigan . ..... ......... 25,000
Colorado . . .. .. :. ... .... 20,000
Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,000
Mississippi . . .. ........ " 20,000
Minnesota . . ......... ... 15,000
Wisconsin .... .. ........ 15,000
Texas . . ................ 10,000
Maryland . ........... ... 10,000
Indiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10,000
Montana . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. 5,000
Iowa . ................ .. 5,000
Oregon . ..... " . . . . . . . . . 5,000
In these states they tend to congregate in the capitals and large
cities.
3/7 of the Italian population in Maryland is found in Baltimore
5/6 of the Italian population in Delaware is found in Wilmington
3/8 of the Italian population in Illinois is found. in Chicago
2/3 of the Italian population in Nebraska is found in Omaha
3/5 of the Italian population in Missouri is found in St. Louis
1/2 of the Italian population in Oregon is found in Portland
2/5 of the Italian population in Louisiana is found in New Orleans
1/3 of the I,talian population in Michigan is found in Detroit
1/2 of the Italian population in Ohio is found in Cleveland.
New York is next to Naples, the largest Italian city in the world ; in
fact, 78.1 % live in the large urban centres, and 21.9% only in the rural
communities, a fact which may indicate the unwi\1ingness of these immigrants
from rural Italy, accustomed by tradition and training to agriculture,
to pursue their agricultural occupation here. America seems to
mean for them the deliverance from everything connected with the tilling
of the soil.
,Distribution in Cleveland
Cleveland is said to be the centre of Italian life in Ohio. Immigrants
have their first residence here, then branch out into the neighboring
towns. The U. S. Census of 1910 showed 10,839 Italian born within
the city limits. Four years later the City Police Census of 1914, a discriminating
piece of work, placed the number at 13,570, while Mr. E. M.
Avery (History of Cleveland published in 1918) baldly states "there are
23,000 Italians in the city." 23,000, in view of the war restriction of
immigration, strikes one as an estimate entirely too high, but after comparing
the increase in the number of children attending the public
school, together with the figures of the naturalization bureau and the
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THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
Present Distribution of ltalian, in Cleveland
estimate of the Italian Consul, he is led to the conelu ion that the latter
figure approximates the fact. This figure, however, far from indicates
their influence, trength, and civic importance.
wing to the convergence of this pOI ulation into r tricted area
from which other nati nalitie are sub tantially exelucl d, the econd
generation, natiye born of foreign parents, are reared in what is practically
an Italian colony, where the mother tongue is poken, Italian
tradition, ideal , and custom are perpetuated and a national solidarity
is maintained. In the e Italian blocks the children are bilingual, the
parochial and even the public chool are almost exclusively of Italian
composition.
The Italians are located in two principal group , "Little Italy" from
East Il9th to East 125th treets on Iurray Hill and "1ayfield Road ,
in the midst of which Alta House stands, and "Big Italy," formerly confined
to the Broadway, Orange and Ontario district, now by reason of
the interurban inva ion, scattered eastward along Woodland to E. 40th
Str et. Jutside of these are six smaller colonie with from a dozen to
two dozen families in each.
(a) In the vicinity of vVe t 33rd and Fulton.
(b) West 65th to 69th Streets, between Detroit and the lake.
(c) orth of Miles off Broadway.
(d) Elizabeth above East 93rd.
( e) Cannon treet and Ea t 86th.
(f) St. Clair and 152nd, sometimes called the "Collinwood settlement."
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THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
The consistency of the first two named ,districts has not con iderably
changed since 191 1, when the U. S. Immigration Commi ion reported
the householders of the Mayfield Road District as being 96% Italian
born, 2% of Italian parent , and 2% other nati nalitie .
The earliest settlers in the district were for the mo t part from
Central and outh Central Italy. More recently, however, an increasing
number have come from icily, and this colony is mother of the "\Vood:
hill and Collinwood ettlements.
In the Ontario treet District, on the other hanel, acc rding to the
same tables, 9370 are outh Italian and 7% of other nationaliti s.
Typical Street Scenes in the Mayfield and Collinwood Districts
11

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
The residents here are almost ' entirely from Sicily with the infusion
of a few from the campobasso region. It is mother to the Miles Ave.
and West Side settlements, whose social and religious activities are
still closely bound up with it. The reason for this stratification is set
forth in the homely statement of one of them. "We Italians like to live
with people from our own province who speak our own dialect and will
help us if we get into trouble."
Industry
It is interesting to notice that the Italian immigration stream has
its source in the agricultural provinces of Italy. Industrial sections like
Venice have sent few to America. In fact 75% of the Italians who come
here are men who in ,their own country live a healthful outdoor life,
tilling the ground, or caring for vineyards and orchards. Less than 20%
of these find such employment here. A few enter our shops and factories.
Some are found in our mines, quarries, refineries, glue and paint works.
They help to construct our sewers, subways, railways and canals. In
many ot our eastern cities the shoemaking and tailoring trades are almost
exclusively in their hands. In California only are they found in any
large way employed in healthful outdoor pursuits for which the home
training has fitted them.
The Italian does not need to be taught thrift and carefulness. He
comes from the land where modern banking was born. Economy and
self-denial are inherent in him. For centuries he has lived in a territory
which has been exhausted by over-cultivation, and he has succeeded in
spite of hampering conditions and social restraints. Thus after hi.
arrival in America he has less disposition than other Europeans to
waste 011r natural resources. However well-to-do he becomes, he never
ceases to be thrifty. If he is innoculated by American megalomania the
element of waste and exploitation is at a minimum. This is not to say
that he shuns pomp and grandeur. Quite the opposite i true. 0 one
delights more to comport himself in a princely manner than the N eapolitan,
being "Spagnolismo," he calls it. But even here wantonness is
con picuously absent.
The Cleveland colonies are distinct in their occupation. The people
of the Orange and Ontario ection who come largely from Sicily and
Palermo where fruits are grown and exported, find the centre of their
interest in the sale and distribution of fruit products in the city. It i
true here as elsewhere that the immigrant has prevailingly followed the
trade route taken by his export. If, when he reaches Cleveland, he
discover that the fruit trade is overcrowded, he finds what unskilled
work he can. He follows the line f least resistance, which is to labor
with one of the many street construction gangs. Here he finds hard
outdoor work in congenial company, even though his inexperience is
sometimes captalized by "de boss," one of his own countrymen, giving
rise to a petty and inconsequential padrone system,.
Thp. Mayfield section, on the other hand, formerly entirely recruited
from Neapolitan Italy famous for its weaving, lacemaking, embroidery
and needlework, has given itself over to the clothing and garment making
industry, following in the main the old-land interest. The women as
well as the men have found their way in vast numbers into the Printz
Biederma n, Joseph & Feiss, H. Black, M. T. Silver and other clothing
factories of the city, where their hands, long accustomed to the needle,
12

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
find at least a semblance of familiarity. Few of the girls or women are
engaged as maids or in other occupations than those connected with the
garment workers, trades. The organizer of the Cleveland Ladies' Garment
Workers Union, numbering over 700 members, recently explained
that the night meeting of her local was always small, due to the absence
of the Italian girls who composed the bulk of it.. She explained that,
though they participated actively in any meeting held during the day,
they were never present in the evening. This indicated not only the
large number of Italian girls in the clothing trades, bt\t was an incidental
tribute to the rigidity of family discipline, especially where the girls
and women were concerned.
How rigid is this occupational conservatism may be seen in the fact
that even where they are employed in large department stores, it is not
in the s:!les departments but on embroidery and mending worl.< where
the neeclle can be used. Until 1917, when the wage scale rose high
enough to render it unnecessary, much of the garment work wa carried
on at the home in the colony. The men to a larger degree have broken
away from these industrial traditions and preferences, and are now found
in increasing numbers in the F. B. Stearns, ela Park and The Metal
Products factories.
While this is true in general of their industrial pur uits, we find the
native born Italian in almo t every business and profession. Cleveland
affords conspicuous examples of the native ability and business acumen
of. this versatile and genial people.
Business
Of wholesale grocers, importers of fruits and oils, not to mention
the commission merchants, there is an imposing list of those born in
Italy.
Th wholesale house of Frank Catalano, on vVoodland Avenue, is
the oldest fruit bu iness in this section. It was established in 1880 by
its present owner, one of the earliest arrivals from Northern Sicily, who
made a business of importing oranges. It has ince expanded to handling
other fruits and olive oil, doing an annual business of more than
$150,000.00.
Then came G. V. Vittorio, 746 Woodland, importing from Italy for
the city trade vast quantities of ol ive oil, carloads of macaroni every
month, dried and canned fish, mushrooms, nuts of all kinds, figs, beans,
rice, anchovies and garlic. Cleveland is the distributing centre for these
products to all the smaller towns and cities in the di trict. The Vittorio
Brothers came to Clevdand 17 year ago CIirectly from Termini Imerese.
their birth place in Sicily, and their business has been built up out of
their'native energy.
The Schiappacassi Brothers, John and Charles, have conducted a
splendid wholesale business in domestic fruit and vegetables through
the last 25 years of their residence in Cleveland ..
The Corso Brother , Casper and Salvador, on Broadway, who too,
were born in Termini Imerese, Sicily, now have a large wholesale and
commission merchant business in fruits, nuts and vegetables. This trade
has had a steady growth since its establishment in 1890. It has an
annual business of well over $150,000, and has become a distributing
centre for bananas and other fruits throughout the state. Such a list
might be almost indefinitely extended. The names of John, Martin and
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THE I TAL, A N. S O F CLEVELAND
'Thomas Rini, the Geraci Bros., Salemi and Trentanelli, large fruit dealers
on "Woodland, that of Dicicco and Ranallo, the largest Italian dry goods
merchants in the city, the Messrs. Gatto, of the Mayfield Builders Supply
Co., Tony Martese, 'the plasterer, D. Costanzo on East 38th, and P.
Piscopo, the builder on Murray Hill, are w II known to Americans as
well as to the Italians' of the· city. Such a list is imposing, e pecially
when one remembers that these firms have risen on a foundation of
capital accumulated -little by little through sheer thrift, enterprise and
self-renuncia tion.
Charles Ranallo
Banking
Nor hould one neglect to mention
the bankers in these colonies, combining
as they do the office of real
estate dealers, loan makers, steamship
and transportation agents and
foreign exchange places. Most of
them operate in conjunction with
( some large American bank, and they
perform no small service to the community,
bridging over economic
crises and rendering liquid the financial
resources of these settlements.
There are many houses doing
this business whose managers have
O'iven the majority of their time
throughout the past three years to
the financing of our Liberty Loans
and VV. S. S. issues among their
countrymen.
Banking House of Vincent Campanella
14

THE ITALIANS O F
as well as accumulating thousands of dollars for the flotation of the
loans of their own country in her r for liberty. Guiseppe ZitieIIo
on West 69th and the Gugliotta Brothers on Woodland Avenue are
typical of this class of bankers. The latter house, founded in 1904 with
steamship office; real estate, postal telegraph and cable departments, is
the largest of the kind in the city and handles the bulk of the Italian
trade. Both brothers pursue as avocations ,their musical profession,
Nicola as expert cornetist and bnd director, and Salvatore as trombone
specialist, are to be heard at all the Italian band meets in the city.
In "Little Italy" Vincent CampaneIIa has also been conducting a
banking business since 1905. Mr. CampaneIIa is a striking example of
business success built out of pluck, persistence, pains, and patience.
Born in Abbruzzi in the fishing viII age of FrancaviIIa, he migrated to
America in 1890, labored in the Pittsburgh coal mines, with R. R. construction
groups, dug in our Cleveland sewers until he had accumulated
a sufficient surplus to make his venture as a banker. He enjoys the
confidence of the colony and conducts an increasing business. This man
of whom it is said "he spent 75% of his time and energy in furthering
the financial interests of Uncle Sam among his people since the war began,"
teIIs us "America has treated me weII .... she has paid me 10c
a day . . . and she has paid me $5000.00 a day." Such cases are typical
of many. They are not the exception, but the rule. These unassuming
'and potential business men who have come to our shores and from sheer
labor and purpose have constructed creditable businesses and won their
way into America's confidence, her economic and social life.
Manufacturing
In manufacturing also Italians have interested themselves to some
purpose. Among the more characteristic and representative are The
Ohio Macaroni Company, ScoviII and 28th Street. This is the largest
macaroni manufacturing concern in the state. Established in 1910 under
the management of Joseph Russo and Sons, it is said to have been the
first plant in the country to perfect the Semolina process for drying the
wheat product so as to retain the full food value of the cereal. More
recently still these enterprising Sicilians have begun the manufacture of
gluten macaroni for the hospital dietetic trade where starchless foods
are required, which, with an incidental jobbing flour trade of no small
proportion has brought an annual turnover of $300,000.
The Roma Cigar Mfg. Co. is thoroughly characteristic. Since it
was started in 1913 Albert Pucciani has been its manager and has increased
its output of medium and high priced ciO"ars to 20,000 weekly.
It manufactures for the domestic trade only, and has 19 employees.
The Forest City Macaroni Co. on Orange Avenue, The Foreign
Products Co. of East Cleveland, the· Giuseppe Botta Frozen Desserts
Mfg. Co. on Woodland Avenue, established in 1890, the Grasselli Chemical
Company and the Pucciani Candy Mfg. Co. on Cedar Avenue, owe
their inception to Italian enterprise and capital.
Art
Especially is the Italian happy and successful when his business is
combined with art. "Business," he exclaims, "is a way to make a livelihood.
Art is to live." In the artistic industry he is at his best. He can
never forget that his is of the race of Michael Angelo, Raphael, and Leonardo.
?o it is not surprising that Cleveland's monumental mosaic, and
15

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
to some extent its artcraft work is in his hands. In 1880 Joseph Carabelli,
a stone cutter 20 years of age, came to Cleveland from the Italian
province of Como and, seeing the opportunity for monumental work
near Lakeview Cemetery, there establi hed what later developed into
the marble and granite works, now operated by his sons Joseph and
Charles. Before his death in 1912 he had become an active member of the
Chamber of Commerce and had served as Representative in the Ohio
legislature. The Mayfield settlement owe its inception largely to the
keen foresight, prodigious labor and sterling character of this artistic
Italian pioneer.
In 1870 also came James Broggini from the palmy plains of Lombardy.
After 10 years learning hi artistic craft he established on ,Voodland
Avenue the monumental works which bear his name, since 1916 an
incorporated company employing a score of men and shipping monuments
throughout the northern section of the state. The five statues
adorning the Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church are the work of the
Broggini house, while the Holy "Vater font at t. Anthony's was the
work and gift of the elder Broggini.
No les noteworthy are the later monumental and statuary artists,
Paul and Artiglia Gandola, natives of Bezano in northern Italy, the
former an art graduate of the cademy of Milano. fter a novitiate of
carving and sculpturing in the French Department De Vosges, they
came to America and finally settled on Euclid Avenue, East Cleveland,
where they establi hed their well known tudio.
Of somewhat similar type is the Mazzolini Artcraft Co., on Payne
Avenue. This firm was established by Antonio lIazzolini in 1904 for
the designing of church statuary and altar decorations. Many of the
Roman Catholic churches and parochial schools in the city have statues
or paintings executed by mel1ll ers of the Mazzolini family. Three
cousins, Primo, Alphonzo and Joseph, all from Barga, Italy, now form
the corporation and employ a half score of men. All employees are
from Tuscany, and some are artists trained on the other side. Since
1912 this firm has increasingly pecialized in the original de igning and
manufacture of electric light fixtures with period or original designs,
and fast polychrome colorino-s, for homes, hotels and theatres. Their
trade is wholesale only. Through the large retail stores of Cleveland
and other cities these fixtures have found their way into some of the
most repre entative American homes.
The greater part of our fre coing and mosaic work in the city'
public places a well as in the private houses is accomplished by men of
Italy.
The Italian Fresco and Decorating Co., on ,;Vade Park Avenue,
under the direction of Philip Garbo, has decorated numerous churches
and publ ic building in the city. St. Jo eph's Orthodox Catholic Church
on Scovill and 22nd, the Slavic Greek Catholic diflce on West 14th
and Kenilworth, the Poli h National Independent Catholic building.
the Metropolitan theatre, 1\[00 e Temple, the ew Roma Re taurant,
and the "City of Erie" of th C. & B. line, all bear evidence of his decorative
skill. Mr. Garbo's partner, Mr. Maldarelli, son of the master painter
whose works are on exhibition in the City's Art Museum, and himself
a portrait painter of some skill, has execu1ied the panel work in the e
various institutions. In mo aic also Vincent Romanini, for 9 year manager
of the Venetian rt Mosaic Company, is a most outstanding figure.
17

I .
Typical Mazzolini' . A rt Craft DesiJ ns

THE ITALIANS O F ' CLEVELAND
The floCJr of the Euclid Ave. Penn ylvania tation, of the Wm. Edwards
establishment, the ew Roma Restaurant, several chools and many
business offices have been constructed by him. Vincent Belfi, for year
superintendent of the marble and mosaic section of the orcro s Bros.
works, builder of the floor of the Old Arcade, has pent the larger part
of his life in Cleveland, combining art and bu iness.
More recently still the partnership of Talamini and Bertini, also
Italians. has entered in a large way into this field of applied art.
It is difficult to say where business ceases and art begin . Their
art seems no less the expression of their artistic nature because it i
commercialized by these enterprising people.
Prof. Raffaele Raineri also has a studio on Euclid Avenue, East
Cleveland. He is icilian by birth, an artist trained in Rome and
Pompeii in architecture, modelling, carving and sculpturing. For years
he conducted a studio in Palermo, and in 1899 came to America a
modeller and designer for the famous architect, Stephen White.. After
the latter's death he turned his attention to the carving of piano cases in
the Strich and Zeidler factory, winning a gold medal in original piano
design. A number of his models have found their w,ay into our art
schools and museums, including the well known bust of the late Herman
C. Baehr. Some of his cornice work decorate the Coventry Road and
the Cleveland Heights High Schools, and other public buildings. His
design of the proposed $50,000 Columbus monument, the construction
of which ha been delayed by the war, has received most favorable
consideration.
"Artist Photographer' is sometimes a misnomer for, if the true
application of the e words is understood, one must be both a creator
and a craftsman to deserve the title.
Jerome Chricosta is in truth an artist as well a a photographer. He
loves color and dabbles in paint with as much pleasure and skill as he
develops a photo

•
THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
is an Italian. Beatrice Melaragno, Madam Vellone, Esther Lapick and
Florence Amarose enjoy an enviable reputation for their vocal achievements,
while Misses Bessie Corso and Adeline Cuneo, of Urseline cad-.
emy, have received favorable notice in oil painting and the ceramic art
respectively.
Salvatore Cirlcillo and "The Boy's Band"
20
Giuseppe V. Zottarelli

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
Education
The Motto Brothers
Comparatively few Italian children have finished high school. Only
108 out of a Latin-American population claiming to have reached the
60,000 mark attended our high schools in 1915, and war conditions have
prevented a rapid rise in the percentage since that date. This is partially
due to the disproportionately large amount of illiteracy among the
incoming Sicilians, partially also to a perversion of the parental virtues
of thrift and ambition which require the child after completing the 9th
grade to help contribute to the family income. There are, however,
splendid exceptions to th i rule.
The Italian children are availing themselves in increasing numbers
of the facilities of our technical high schools, and are coming up through
our men's and women's colleges to take their plctces in the city's professional
life. ot a few of Cleveland's public school teachers are proud
of their Italian parentage. Misses Mary, Rose, Minnie ·and Lena
D'Erric , Philomena Vacarriello, Nicolina D'Corpo, Angie Cannavina,
Anne Dipente and many others are products of Cleveland's grade, high
or normal chools, and are passing on American education, traditions
and ideals to the yottnger generation.
The College for Women of Vve tern Re erve University in 1918
graduated its first Italian tudent, Miss Sadie Odelo, daughter of the
late Pietro Oddo, a musical composer of some note. who. as leader of
the Verdi Band, until his death, again and again delighted Cleveland
audiences. Three other Italian student are now regi tered in this same
college.
One young man, a product of "Little Italy." a graduate of :l'Iurray
Hill Public School, Loyola, St. Ignatill and St. Mary's Roman Catholic
21

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
Seminary, plans to be ordained to the prie thood in June of this year :
ianother, -Pasini, the present coach at a e chool of Applied Science,
;son of a medical doctor in the city, is an Italian, and Louis RameneUi
'was well into his cour e in that institution when he left with the Lake­
side unit for duty overseas. Many students in Adelbert College and
',Ve tern Re erve professional schools come from Italian homes-George
and William D'Errico in Adelbert, Dr. Victor Tanno, who has just
completed his course in Reserve M dical, John Gattozzi at the Dental
School, Dominic Lanese and Nicolas Farinacci in Reserve Medical, are
typical products of the city's Italian settlements. These, with the eight
Italian undergraduate students enrolled in the Cleveland Law chool,
make an academic line up which is an evidence of the Italian' thirst for
knowledge and his appreciation of the opportunities for professional
training.
The Professions
It i said that in New York alone there are more than 1500 lawyers
and 500 physicians, the vast majority of whom have been educated in
America, a splendid comment on the observation that the immigrants
are the brawn and muscle and undeveloped brain of Italy, not the riffraff
element.
Cleveland has its full quota of Italian professional men, nearly a
score of doctors and dentists and a larger number in the fraternity of
law. Moreover, many of these men are well known thrOlwhout the
city and in no way confine their practice to their Italian clientelle.
In the medical profession one has only to mention the name of Dr.
Nicola Cerri, for 20 year's Italy's consular representative in Cleveland,a
graduate of the University of Rome, and in 1903 decorated by the
Italian crown. One finds him approachable and philanthropic, a prodigious
worker and delightfully genial representative of Italy in Cleveland.
One medical practitioner from the Mayfield section is particularly
. worthy of mention because of his progressiveness and public spirit,
not to say his phenomenal uccess since he reached Cleveland in 1891-
Dr. G. A. Barricelli, the pulmonary and cardiac specialist, who was for
many years partner of the late Dr. G. Caru 0, whose scientfic writing
he is posthumously publishing. Dr. Barricelli is a graduate of St. Franci
College of New York and in medicine of the University of IlIinoi . He
has gracually won his way to wide recognition in the medical profession,
and is now giving much of his time to social welfare work among the
Italians of the state. Among the many honors which have come to him
since he began to practice in 1903, he has the unique distinction at present
of being the Grand Commander of the Sons of Italy for the State.
Nothing could be more tangible evidence of the continued confidence
of his fellow countrymen.
In the Woodland section a number are worthy of mention, among
whom the following are typical : Dr. Romeo esi, a graduate of the
University of Naples, a general practitioner who has been medical examiner
for the draft board of the 14th district ; Dr. Alphanzo Carfagna, a
graduate of Genoa University who has recently located at 28th Street
and Woodland Avenue; and Dr. Giuseppe Romano, a graduate of the
University of Palermo, who has been practicing successfully in the district
since 1908. The latter has written a number of cientific articles
22

Dr. G. A. Barricelli

THE ITALIAN S O F CLEVELAN D
which have received favorable comment. Since coming to this city he
has devoted himself to surgery, although he continues to be official examiner
for the majority of the Italian
societies in the district. Dr. Joseph
D. Mannino, formerly a student at
Western Reserve University, Ohio
Northern and the University of Cincinnati,
after a year of practice in the
Woodland district, is now assisting
Dr. Romano and is a man of promise.
Both of these practitioners are connected
with the city tuberculosis sanitarium
and are laboring in their immediate
community to break down
the swaddling custom by which ignOt·ant
mothers continue to hamper
.the development of their tender
offspring.
Two recent graduates of Vvestern
Reserve Dental School, both Ameri­
can born of Italian parents, are now
practicing in the city ; one, Chas. The Swaddling Custom
Angellotta, on Euclid near Lakeview ; the other, Michael Castrignano,
at 28th and Woodland: Both have built themselves into the life and
confidence of their respective communities in the five years of their
practice.
The pharmacy business also has Italian representatives. The Italian
Drug Company, on the corner of Murray Hill and Mayfield, is the
oldest and largest in the city. Angelo C. Serra, who owns the Italian
Drug Store at 27th and Woodland, has through the past fourteen years
personally conducted that business.
Many of the foremost Italian professional men in the city are in the
fraternity of law. They do not forget that the jurisprudence of the
Western World owes more than a superficial debt to the code of the
Romans, in fact it was in Rome that modern law was born. A catalogue
of Cleveland's prominent lawyers would include more than a few Italian
names. Attorneys Benedetto D. Nicola, Loui Perry, D. J. Lombardo,
Giuseppe V. Zottarelli, Alessandro Chiostergi , B. A. Buonpane, Louis
Lonza would have their places in uch a catalogue, together with Michael
Picciano, Charles Russo, and Joseph Nuccio, recen1t graduates of the
Cleveland Law School, the latter of whom fills the office of Assistant
City Prosecutor. Peter Filocco, for many years the Italian police court
interpreter, is now one of the probation officers in the city.
Throughout the entire field of the professions we find the Italians
of the city giving a creditable account of themselves. T11ese men are
to be commended the more highly for their achievements in that many
of them came to America under onerous handicap , in spite of which
they have made their way and contributed to our civic life.
24

THE
- .
. .... .... .
The Church
ITALIANS
Peter Filocco
O F CLEVELAND
Joseph Nuccio
As they come to us practically an Italians are at least nominally
Roman Catholics. It may be truthfully said, however, that church duties
and relations sit very lightly upon many of the men. Since the consummation
of Italian unity in the homeland, patriotism has been a dominant
trait in the Italian character. Accordingly the widespread opinion
that the Vatican and the Italian Crown are not altogether in harmony
with each other has done a great deal to weaken the claim of the Church
on their allegiance. In fact a considerable number feel that in Italy the
Church is positively unfriendly to popular liberty. The result is that a
large number of the men seldom attend church except on ceremonial
occasions, the congregation on most occasions being made up in large
part of women and children. So loyal are they to our public school that
there is no Italian Parochial school in the city.
25

THE ITALIANS
Holy Rosary
O F CL "EVELAND
The "Holy Rosary" Roman Catholic
Church, situated on 1ayfield
Road in the centre of "Little Italy,"
was established in 1894 soon after
the Mayfield settlement began on
the arrival of Rev. \ntonio Gibelli.
The present structure wa completed
in the pastorate of Rev. G. Militello.
since which time "with praiseworthy
purpose it ha et it elf to the education
of the youth, laying a good
foundation for Christian living. good
citizenship an 1 go d parenthood."
It is now under the able direction of
Father Francis olan, who was
characterized by one of his parishioners
a "Italian in everything but
his place of birth." He has associated
with him two Italian helpers. Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church
The congregation numbers between 16,000 and 20,000, and is almost
exc1u ively Italian from Mayfield, Collinwood and Ingersoll Road. This
parish has sent to the Ursaline Academy six sisters in all : Xavier,
Maxim, Anastachia, Alfonzio, Euphrasia, and Ro ari .
Connected with it are three men's societies, three local and one
national women's organizations, aU of which meet periodically in the
basement of the church or in Alta House. "The St. Joseph" sickness
and death benefit society, a local Roman Catholic organization of 150
members under the presidency of Leone Coppolino, is purely provident.
In case of illness it provides a minimum weekly indemnity of $6, and, in
case of death, each surviving member is assessed $1.50.
The "St. Giovanni in Galdo Club" with a member hip of 200 under
the presidency of Dominic Mastrandrea, and the "St. Nicholas" benefit
association, with a membership of 60, each requires dues of 60c per
month and pay a sick benefit of $6.00 weekly, together with m dical
attendance, and in case of death $100 is paid toward the funeral expenses:
They mcet the first Sunday in the month in Alta House.
A branch of the National Ladies' Catholic Benefit Association, under
the pre!:>idency of Mrs. M. Kelley, holds regular meetings in the basement
of the church. It is a mutual benefit and insurance ociety. The
due and sick benefit vary with the age of acces i n anel incapacitation.
Under its auspices occasional picnics in the summer, anel socials in the
winter are helel.
Th e other three societies are local anel pertain to the care and conduct
of the church itself.
'26

THE . 1 TA L 1 A N S ' O F' CLEVELA ND
Knights of St. Joseph
The Holy Ro ary Society, numbering 175 with Mrs. Martha Dicillo
as president, meets twice a month in the basement of the church, collects
dues, sends adequate floral tributes to the homes of the deceased members
of the parish, and arranges for a monthly ma s in honor of the
souls of the recently dead,
The Sacred Heart, another church society, has a membership of
600. Under the presidency of 1rs. Rosa Sylvestro it supplies the parish
church with the altar appurtenances, towels and embroidered pieces for
both altar and sacristy. It helps the needy, but to a lesser degree, as
other church societies make this their sole concern.
The Saint Fancesco is purely a charity society of 150 members.
Mrs. Louisa Trivesonno is it acting president. These affiliated church
organizations are a vital value and function largely in a social way,
causing the feminine elements of the community to gather about the
church,
27

TH E ITAL IANS O F CL EVELAND
St. Anthony
"St. Anthony Padua," another Roman Catholic Church, i situated
at 1267 Central Avenue at the centre of "Big Italy." It was dedicated
in 1887 by Rev. Mons. Riccardo Gilmond, grew steadily until 1904 when
a new edifice became necessary, the construction of which was due to
the present past r, Father Humbert Rocchi. No one could have the
work of his people more
at heart nor execute it
with a more wholesome
sympathy and \ll1derstanding
than he. B rn
and educated at Rome.
serving his novitiate to
the priesthood in J taly,
for five year a missionary
in Brooklyn, his
wide comprehension of
their needs, I togtether
with his sane perspective
of their place in the
city's life, has won for
him the unbounded confidence
of Italians and
Americans alike.
St. Anthony's parish,
embracing more than
10,000 people of the
Central, Scovill, Woodland
and West Side districts,
u n d e r Father
Rocchi and his assistants,
has become a centre
of social as well as
of religious cuI t u r e.
Here is found a branch
of the above mentioned
Ladies' Catholic Benefit
Association. There
are al 0 a number of
local church societies
Rev. Humbert Rocchi
outside those of a disdnctly
benefit order, of which the "St. _ nna" is typical. Under the
presidency of Mrs. ]. Rini this ladies' organization meets twice monthly,
collects dues arrange re reations, assi ts cases of need and provides
the necessary appurtenance to altar and sacristy.
28

TH E ITAL I ANS O F CL EVELAN D
St. Marion
Knights of St. John
Still another Roman Catholic church, St. Marion, has more recently
been established at -Cedar Avenue and vVoodhill Road, at present in
charge of Rev. Ralph C. Idone.
Protestant
There are four Protestant Italian Missions in the city, all of which
owe their early impetus, if not, indeed, their inception to the untiring
lahors of Rev. Pietro E. Monnet, a Waldensian minister reared in the
Angrugn:l Valley, at the foot of the Alps, who has spent twenty years
working among his people in thi city. His Church, t. John's Beckwith,
now located at Murray Hill Road and Paul Avenue, was originally
a mis ion of the Euclid Avenue Congregational Church, in charge of
Giu eppe Zottarelli, on Euclid Avenue opposite Lakeview cemetery.
Mr. MOl1l1et took charge of the work in 1905, and the next year the
mis ion wa taken vcr by the Second Presbyterian Church and moved
to its pre ent location, where at once was erected the attractive, characteristic
brick church, which bears the name of Mr. terling Beckwith,
an elder of Second Church, out of whose bequest the building was
erected. Here for fifteen year t. John" Church, though with a membership
today of only one hundred and forty-nine, has made itself an
asset t the community of incalculable value, and 11'. Monnet is loved
and sought out by Prote tant and Catholics alike for coun el and help.
The "Church of the avionr," a branch · of t. John's Beckwith, is a
Pre byterian Mis ion occupying a comfortable brick building on Kipling
Avenue at Five Point , Collinwood. It was initiated in 1916 by
::\11'. Monnet, many of who e congregation had moved to this point,
29

THE iTALIANS O F CLEVELAND
attracted by the factory development. The congregation numbers fiftyseven
and is served by Rev. Franci De imone.
The "Church of the Redeemer," 1350 "Vest 69th Street, is also a
Presbyterian Mi sion started by Mr. Monnet' cOl1rrregation in the ummer
of 1911. The Church Extension Committee of Cleveland Presbytery,
which carries on the work both here and at the Church of the Saviour,
has provided an attractive brick building. Rev. Frank Tomich, recently
called to Akron to take charge of the Americaniz:atiol1 program
of the Board of Education, served this mis ion as it pastor for five years.
St. John's Beckwith Presbyterian Church
The Italian Baptist Mission on 33rd Street between Scovill and
Woodland is 10 years old, and in charge of Rev. Pizzi, an Albanian, who
was educated for the Greek Catholic Priesthood and became Protestant
after he came to America. The Mission, which has 37 members and a
property valued at $23,000, besides its regular religious services, from
May to October holds an industrial school, of which there are over 60
members. This school meets one afternoon a week with sewing for the
girls and manual work for the boys.
Th Baptist Christian Home Centre, Wist and Cedar, is conducted
under the same auspices as the Italian Baptist Mission. In its industrial
school there are over 90 members. The auditorium and reading
room are open every night, and there are evening classes for boys with
manual training, girls' sewing and cooking classes, mothers' meetings,
and Americanization classes.
One benefit organization is found in all four missions, viz. : "The
20th September brot!herhood." The members of ,each brotherhood
branch made up of male adherents of the Protestant churches only, pay
an initiation fee of $3.00 and 75c mon,thly dues, and receive if physically
incapacitated $1 per day. Iu case of death $100 is paid toward the funeral
expenses. Mr. Erminio Sipari , the president, arranges a meeting of the
four branches in one of the churches monthly to transact business and
plan its social activities. The organization is about to ask for incorporation,
and to inaugurate an auxiliary for women.
30
, . ..

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
Religious Festivals
Rev. Pietro E. Monnet
A religio-social event In which community interest centres is the
celebration of the fete day of the virgin and the patron saints.
There are three of these religiou festivals, St. Joseph's held the first
Sunday after the 19th of March ; "St. John's," invariably celebrated on
the 24th of June, which is, a holiday throughout the settlemen.t, and "The
Feast of the Assumption of the Bles ed Virgin," held on the 15th of
August. The latter festival lasts three days, brings out the vivid color
of the Italian peasant traditions, and unite the community in one great
family. A preparation is made on the evening of August 14 by an outdoor
concert. Russo's Italian band of 60 pieces renders selections from
Verdi, Otto, and other composers with Italian and American pa.triotic
music. The celebration proper begin with High Mass on the morning
of the saint's. day. Hundreds of little girls dressed in white scatter
flowers befo.re the head of a procession which starts from the church
door. .r\ choir of boys or girls follows singing. Then comes the float
bearing the statue of the honored saint escorted by a guard of young men
31

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
in picturesque costumes, the priest in hi robes, the acolytes in their cossacks,
and the populace in holiday attire. Brass bands, floats representing
sacred or historical episodes, and carriages loaded with flowers give
length and added brilliance to the picture.
The proces ion winds its way through the streets of the colony,
and is frequently stopped by worshippers who desire to make votive
offerings at the shrine of the aint. The end of the route finds the procession
back at the church door.
The religious part of the festival over, the colony ?ettles itself to
three days of feasting, athletic exhibitions, port , national dancing anq
other recreations. This is the one season of the year when the best to
be had is not too good for the poorest families .
..(\n extended band concert is held on the evening of the second day,
and invariably at it a hor e or cow is raffled in further honor of the saint,
The colony then assembles itself en masse with it visitors from the
city sometime to the number of 80,000 in a great natural ampitheatre
before Alta House to witness a competitive display of pyrotechnics. A
ca h prize is awarded the firm making the best display. It is customary
for the mayor of the city, the committee of five having all the festivities
in charge, and some other invited notable to act as judges.
This feast affords the spectacle of an entire community disporting
iself in its characteristic way.
Columbus Day and the Carnivals are celebrated in much the same
manner, but without the religious ceremonies. There is an agitation
among some Italian intellectuals against these unique celebrations on
the ground that they savor too much of the old world.
Settlements
Outside the churches there 'are two main institutions at which the
many fraternal, social, athletic and musical societies regularly meet.
Alta House, in the centre of "Little Italy," 12510 Mayfield Road, deals
with this nationality only. It is the best equipped settlement in the
.:ity, havina swimming pool, a large gymnasium, public library, dispensary,
visiting nurse, and club rooms where several Italian bands as well
as the exclusively Italian societies me t. There are few families in its
neighborhood who have not a representative or more in a group meeting
at this centre.
Alta House
32

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAN D
An Alta House Sewing CIa' s
Garment Products of the Sewing Class.
The making of Artisans at Alta House.
33

THE ITA.LIANS O F CLEVELAND
Hiram House is situated at 2723 Orange Avenue. Here the work has
formerly been carried on among the Jews, but as these have moved further
east th Italians have replaced them, so that at present it is in the
midst of the Italian section.
Fraternal Orders
In addition to these ettlement
house , halls are sometimes hired and
school buildings used for dances, benefits,
and other gatherings of a special
character.
The Italian Social organization
may be divided roughly into four
classes :
(1) The large fraternal organization
, having national affiliations.
(2) The Federated socletles, a
loose but incorporated union of local
benefi t organizations.
(3) The Social Clubs, for the most
part meeting at the Settlement houses,
many of which are made up of women
or permit of mixed membership.
(4) The distinctly athletic aggregation
for boys and men. A Party Costume
All of these fill a very large place in the life of the group, stabilizing
it, augmenting its solidarity, and insuring the individuals within against
becoming public charges. They are the teachers par excellence of practical
social co-operation. It is aid that more than four-fifths of all the
men in the various settlements have membership in one or more of these
societies.
To the first class belongs the tronge t and oldest Italian organization
in the country, "The Sons of Italy," numbering in the United States
more than 135,000 men. There are 26 of these lodges in Ohio, and 9 in
the city of Cleveland :
Duca Degli Abbruzzesi 217.
G. Marconi 147.
G. Mazzini 218.
Margherita of Savoia 262.
Massimo D' Azeglio.
Campobasso.
Vittorio Emmanuele.
S. Michele Del Sannio.
Calabrese.
34

THE · 1 TAL 1 A N S • O: F CL EVELAN D
Products of the Art Class at Alta House
The Supreme Lodge is quartered in ew York City, the Grand
Lodge of Ohio at Euclid Avenue and East 118th Street. Dr. Barricelli,
enjoys the honor of being President of the Grand Lodge of the State.
This is a fitting tribute to the man who initiated the order, christened it,
and nursed it throug the early years of its development.
The organization is a fraternal order, designed for the education,
welfare and safeguard of ts Italian members. It has provident and
insurance features also. In case of death grants of $300 from the Grand
Lodge and $100 from the local organization, besides certain funeral
expenses, are made to the survivors of the deceased. By paying sick
benefit ciues of $1 monthly, a weekly indemnity of $10 including medical
attendance is also given.
There is another society called "The Independent Sons of Italy," a
much smaller national organization constructed on dissimilar lines but
maintaining sick benefit and life insurance features. The local organization
which meets at Alta House, numbers less than 100 members.
The Woodmen of the World and the Oddfellows maintain all-Italian
local branches at 55th and vVoodland, with the benefit unique to those
well-known fraternal organizations. The first of these and each of the
latter two has a women's auxiliary which has full sickness and death
benefits.
Before 1917 there were many local fraternal societies operating
largely in the Orange and Ontario districts.
Fraterna
Operaia
Cristoforo Columbo
Sannitica
Imerese-Beato Agostimo
Imerese-Beato Agostimo
Unione Santagatese
Principe del Piemonte
Palermitana Santa Resalia
Maira S. S. Immacolata
San Cosimo Damiano
3S

THE ITALIANS -O F CLEVELAND
Each had its officers, peculiar aims and social purposes, together with
insurance and benefit features. Some, like the Society of Christopher Columbus,
were mutual associations guaranteeing to his family in case of a
member's death $100 toward defraying funeral expenses and an indemnity
raised by an assessment of $1 on each surviving member of the organization.
Obviously this was a precarious insurance method. To stabilize and
standardize dues, rates, indemnities, and focus their purpo es, all these
local organizations were united and incorporated by the state legislature
in 1917 under the name, "Federated Societies." Each society is represented
in the federation but has nO,t lost its identity, as the by-laws and
rules of the latter body must be ratified by the local order to be coercive.
Officers of the federation are elected annually. Salvatore Russo, connected
with the Ohio Macaroni Co., is at present the presidential incumbent.
In April, 1919, the largest society, "The Fraterna," affiliated with
the "Sc,ns of Italy." Six others have made application to do so. It is
expected that there will be a still further amalgamation of all these
smaller bodies into one great representative organization.
Social Clubs
Of purely social clubs there is no end. Most of those with benefit
features have been attracted into the Federation. But many organizations
made up of persons coming from the same town or district in Italy
remain separate. The "Matrice" and the "Imerse," social clubs, both of
which meet at Alta House, the "Sinagra," a local"mutual life insurance
association numbering 100 and limiting its individual mortuary indemnity
to $300, are open only to those coming from the same Italian cities,
and are constructed with the purpose of obviating the need of Am rican
relief.
Others are charitable or semi-patriotic in character. "The Daughters
of Italy," a ocial organization unconnected with the benefit society
bearing the same name, belongs to this class. It was organized in 1910,
meets in the basement of t. Anthony's church, arranges for Columbu
Day and other parades, was active in our several Liberty Loan campaigns,
as well as in welconling returning members of .the . E. F. This
is the organization which has arranged the Soldiers' reception banquet
and ball in the Winton Hotel for the 17th of May, 1919. The "Aureliu ,"
a less pretentious organization, was responsible for the sale of more than
$300,000 worth of U. S. Liberty Bonds, and $25,000 War Savings tamps.
Still another type is the purely recreational club, meeting for the most
part at Alta and Hiram settlements. A few like the "Jolly Good Fellows,"
an organization made up of 25 men who meet at Alta House for
recreation, to prepare plays and otherwise entertain them elves ; and
the various small Spaghetti clubs which bring their members together
at a restaurant, are unfederated and adaptable to any purpose which is
expedient at the time. They are for men only, and they often have
definite social and political purposes.
The Prentice C1ul, on the other hand, is a purely women's organization.
It was initiated by Misil Belle Sherwin at Alta Hou e for the
young girls in Little Italy, now its membership of 6Q. is wholly of married
women, some of whom are charter members. It affords recreation,
arranges lunches, parties, games and dances for its members. Through
the winter it has engaged in war work, in the summers' taken care of the
sick in the colony and in general promoted facile social relations in the
settlement.
36

THE ITALIANS O F CLE VELAN D
Somewhat similar in purpose is the "Noyes," named after the Alta
House directress, a club for young married mothers, where they may
get away from the irk and monotony of home life. Their tiny babies
form the touch of nature which makes the world akin.
The "Romolo Matrons," the "Young Unmarried Women's Club,"
and the "Romolo Juniors" are women's and girls' organizations serving
a similar purpose and meeting in the same place.
A Federation of these various women's clubs under the name, "Italian
Women's Club," is now in process of organization under the presidency
of Mrs. B. A. Buopane. Its purpose is charitable, social, musical
and philanthropic, more particularly to keep the societies and individuals
in touch with the great movements of the day, a task in which it is
admirably succeeding. A ball is to be held under their auspice at the
Winton Hotel April 29th, 1919, in honor of the returning Italians and
Americans who fought with our expeditionary forces in Italy. This
federation, as the men's organizations, will seek incorporation.
Athletics
The younger men and boys are proud of the past achievements and
present standing of their athletic clubs in the various lines of sport.
There are two baseball leagues, a Senior and a Junior, with eight teams
in each. The names of the former clubs are an interesting contrast to
the latter-J effersons, Marconis, Lincolns, and Garfields, over againsl/:
the Altas, Macks, Cubs, and Elks. These athletic club are organized
and supported by the boys themselves through common dues collected
throughout the year.
Atheletes in Training
Rocco Novario of the Cleveland Athletic Baseball Association has
been manager for the past four years of the Telling's-Stroller's, an "A"
class all-Italian team which won the state championship in 1916, the
city championship in 1917, and which then suspended operations to help
America to "win the war." The "Mohawk," all-Italian football team,
also carried off the city's championship laurels from 1914 to 1918.
In basketball the "Favorite Cones," made up of Italian operatives of
the Favorite Woolen Mills and financed by its manager, the "Mercedes"
and "Red Skins," which carried . the Cleveland and class cham-
37

THE -I TAL I A N _So O · F
.
C LEV E LAN D
pionships respectively until 1917, are the boas
. 9 ':}itI
i , ; Y .I'f\Y'" and
•
I
Alta's training.
In boxing the two profes'sional athletic managers; Cha. ' Marotta
and Sol Laurie, train promising Italian athlet'e and stag1 city amateur
boxing contests. "Johnnie RL1 el," State and Middle Wet: .champion,
now in Europe with the A. E. F., and John Rini, city chamlion in his
division, are also products of these "stables" and are popular with the
Italian populace.
Basket Ball Teams of the Mayfield District
38

Olin do G Melaragno
39

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
The Italian Press
There are 16 Italian newspapers printed in New York City, 6 in
Philadelphia, and 2 in Cleveland. Four from New York :
" n Progresso Italo Americano," I In Bollettino Della Sera," IlL' Aralclo
Italiano" and .. L' Opinione," and one from Philadelphia, " Giornale
D'Italia, " only find current distribution in this city .
"La Voce del Popolo Italiano", at present a weekly which promises
a daily publication this year, is said to be "the first, largest, and
most influential Italian organ of publicity in Ohio." This outspoken
political independent paper was established by its present manager and
editor, Olindo G. Melaragno, in 1903. It now boasts a circulation of
15,000 in the city and 30,000 through the Middle States, has built and
now occupies a modern brick publishing house at the corner of 14th
and Central Avenue, and conducts an important foreign exchange and
money order busines . It has interpreted American law and method,
fearlessly striven to secure to I,talian Americans their economic and
social rights, and insistently emphasized the advantages of citizenship.
It forms the intelligent link between the Italian born and American life
and movements. How widely it i read is evidenced by its many American
business and recreational advertisements.
"La Stampa", a small independent weekly, is published by G. Balzano
at Orange 'Avenue and 14th Street.
Theatres
There are no distinctly Italian theatres in the city. "The Venice",
a movie in the Mayfield settlement, owned and operated by Gabriel
Gullia, hows the same pictures which are shown in the larger picture
house but at a later time, and is filled to capacity nightly. The Venice
Hall is frequently used for political mass meetings.
This is not to say that the Italians are not fond of good music.
Again and again the best operas which come to Cleveland are brought
by Italians. It is said that the San Carlo and Creatore Grand Opera
Company are supported by the majority of the Italians in the city. But
they do not operate their own theatres, as some of Cteveland's other
racial groups.
Restaurants
There are four Italian restaurants in the city, one only of which is
representative, the " ew Roma", situated on Pr spect Avenue. It is
partly owned and entirely manao-ed by Frank Monaco, who took it over
in the 'ummel' of 1918. He has increased it capacity to 500, making
it the largest restaurant in the city, and one of the most attractive in
the State, engaged a creditable orchestra, and arranges banquets for
clubs and parties. It is an institution in the American as well as the
Italian life of Cleveland.
In this connection it ought not to be forgotten that the culinary
art in the city's hotels and restaurants, is in ,the hands of Italians. The
chefs in charge at the Hotel Statler, the Cleveland, and the Shaker
40

THE ITALIANS O F CLEVELAND
Heights Club, Sossi Motta and Ettorezoia re.spect.ively, are Italians,
together with the second chefs at the Hollenden. ilnd Winton. In fact,
it is authoritatively stated that 140 out of the 200 leading cooks in the
city's foremost eating places are Italians.
Saloons
The saloon cannot be overlooked as a place of entertainment and
social recreation. Many of these people who are attracted from the
poorest provinces of their country by the rich economic opportunities
In the United States bring with them little equipment by way of education
or practical training. In few cases can they read or write their
own language. Finding the cost of living here disproportionately high,
they gravitate into the congested districts where housing facilities are
within their means.
During these years they find life necessarily barren of recreation.
"The younger men get it in the pool room, the children in the neighborhood
school or settlement." Their craving for companionship with
their own countrymen leads them to the warm, well-lighted and convenient
saloon, the degenerate cousin of the ins.titution with which they
were familiar in their European home. There are 18 of these institutions
in the Mayfield settlement alone, which is a generous comment
on their patronage. They have become the main recreational centres
for the older men.
Political
Year by year the Italian-American has increased his influence in
the local politics of our great cities. One has only to look over the roll
of city employees at such names as Charles Coralo, Tony Page, John
Corso, to get the significance of this tendency. The Italian-American
who in art is so extrinsic, in his political philosophy i just as practical.
Government itO him stands or falls, not by its ideal theory, but by the
number of concrete benefits, definable in economic and industrial terms.
He forgets no favor and condones no adverse discrimination. So while
the padrone system is at a minimum and political bo sism is not obtrusive,
government is a tacit quid pro quo arrangement and the political
aspirant who can give concrete evidence of influence or power is
not forgotten. Up to the Wilson-Hughes election in 1916 the Italian
colonies were overwhelmingly Republican. In that year a large Democratic
vote was registered.
Americaniza tion
It is true that socialism of a revolutionary type suggestive of violence
i rampant among certain elements of the Italians, but this is an
inheritance from the homeland. The spirit of di content nurtured there
by unfortunate economic conditions ha free scope when aggravated by
harsh inc1 ustrial conditions here. It is true also that the Italians more
than anv other of our ethnic groups come and go back to their native
land, that they are migratory. Far from being a reproach, this should
be a commendation. They have been the barometer of our labor markets
and a safety valve a well, relieving the tenseness of our industrial
crises. Nor is he less an American because of these migratory habits
and the over-estimated financial remittances to Italy. He is not oblivious
to the fact that the first American to die in our expeditionary forces
wa an Italian-American. In the present war no group ha lent its aid
in men and money with greater abandon than Cleveland's Italian sub-
42

TH E ITAL I ANS O F CL EVELAND
jects. Fourteen hundred, from the parish records, which are the ' most
authentic figures yet available, were with our expeditionary forces, besides
the volunteers who went back to join the Italian ranks in the same
cause. They are found in every branch of the service. Dr. Motto has
achieved distinction in the medical corps, his brother Charles, a sculptor,
well known in Italian circles, is with the A. E. F. in France. Eleven
were with the Lakeside Hospital unit.
Men from the Mayfield Settlement with the Lakeside Unit Overseas.
One hundred and six appear on the list of casualties, either killed
or wounded. In view of this it is not surprising that at nearly every
public gathering of Italians through the past two years appeals were
made and opportunity given to financially support America's army
overseas.
Nothing could tie them to America more clo ely than the sacrifice
they have made for her honor, and nothing could better facilitate their
Americanization.
This has been an indirect though no less efficient Americanization
programme. We would not have them exactly as we are. They will
still retain Italian social customs and ideals. Why not ? They will still
feel a kinship with the home people, but they love America no less because
they love Italy so well. There is room for diversity of custom and
viewpoint in American unity. They want and are achieving our language
with surprising facility, and have been more ready than other
ethnic groups to forego the teaching of their language in the public
and parochial schools. They speak with pride and gratitude of those
large-souled Americans who have labored with and for them, and who
have earnestly and sympathetically striven to understand and interpret
them to America and America to them. Cleveland owes her Italian
subjects a larger appreciation, and in the payment of our debt we will
find ourselves the richer by the reciprocation of theirs,

CLEVELAND AMERICANIZATION COMMITTEE
Mr. Raymond Moley-Chairman
Mrs. J. N. Fleming-Vice Chairman
Miss Helen Bacon-Secretary
Mrs. A. L. Bishop
Mr. A. W. Castle
Mr. Harold T. Clark
Mrs. J. J. Babka
Mrs. Willard Beahan
Mrs. W. B. Boyle
Mrs. James M. Bryer
Mr. Edward Bushnell
Mrs. W. P. Chamberlain
Miss Hazel Foster
Mr. Hugh M. Fullerton
Miss Helen Hanchette
Mr . E. L. Harris
Mr. George B. Harris
Mrs. E. ·B . Haserodt
Mrs. Ray A. Hauserman
Mr. David E. Green
Mr. R. J. Hoddinnott
Mrs. Helen Horvath
Mrs. Sarah E. Hyre
Rev. Joel B. Hayden
Mrs. Durward B. Igou
Mrs. Stella Jacoby
Rev. William A. Kane
Miss K. Kennedy
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
GENERAL COMMITTEE
Mrs. E. H. Fishman
Miss Alice P. Gannett
Mr. Ernest Joseph
Judge Manuel Levine
Mr. Carl P. Vitz
Miss Hedwig Kosbab
Mrs. E. C. Kraus
Mrs. E. E. Ledbetter
Mrs. C. W. Webb
Mrs. E. C. McCullough
Mrs. J. L. Mihelich
Miss Margaret Mitchell
Mr. De La Mook
Miss Sarah J. Neuhart
Mrs. P. C. O'Brien
Mrs. Chas. Orr
Miss Mary E. Parker
Mrs. Roger G. Perkins
Mr. John Prucha
Miss Mary Robertson
Judge Joseph F. Sawicki
Mrs. E. M. Spreng
Miss B. Swainhardt
Mrs. Howard S. Thayer
Mrs. E. J. Weigel
Mr. F. Allen Whiting
Miss E. Louise Willmott
Mr. E. R. Wright

Other Publications of the Committee
Americanization of Cleveland
Report of Work of the Cleveland Americanization
Committee, of 1917-1918
The Slovaks of Cleveland
Lessons on American Citizenship
The J ugoslavs of Cleveland
The Magyars of Cleveland
Address:
Cleveland Americanization Committee
Room 226, City Hall, Cleveland