The Italians of Cleveland

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
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