The Italians of Cleveland

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.
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