The Gondola

The Gondola is the name of the souvenir graduation program from PS 83 June 1942. Since this is graduation season, I was looking through it out of curiosity and noticed some things I thought you would find interesting. 

This program cover has your mother's name in the upper right hand corner, written in her hand.  The graphic is obviously hand drawn.  The signature of the artist indicates she was one of your mother's classmates.  Your parents were about 14 at the time, so I'm presuming this is an 8th grade graduation program.  The first thing I noticed with interest was that the agenda for the event seemed to have a strong ethnic flavor.    Perhaps there was a South American/Hispanic theme?

What a sweet thought that the President of the Mother's Club presents the medals and awards!  Somehow I find that comforting.  There is an extended list of patrons and patronesses (I'm guessing this program was some kind of fund raising effort).  That list contained several familiar surnames including Dalpiaz, Coffarelli, Manzelli, Sapienza,  Miglietta, Petro, Restivo, Jozwicki--Must have been every single grandparent, aunt, uncle and parent of each graduate considering how many there are on that list!

It appears great effort was made to include everyone in the contents of the program.  I find that very similar to today's efforts.  Also in line with today, I noted there seem to be a small number of "over-achievers" --those whose names you see on every other page in the yearbook.  You remember those people from your own yearbook, right?  Anyhow, when I realized that I might find familiar names, the search was on. 

 The program opens with a poem that appears to include all graduates:  As Others See Us.  Lucky for me these were alphabetical. 

Finding Mary Sapienza's (Aunt Mary's) contribution was a big bonus!  I'm not sure why she's in some of these lists and not in the others but perhaps Angela can shed some light on that one of these days. 

Your mother apparently enjoyed the Drama Club writing and portraying Mother Csorba (?!)

and your father the Shop Club (surprise!)

Regina and Mary find themselves commended for school spirit (along with a number of those afore-mentioned over-achievers)

Robert, Regina and Mary were "On the Alert for Defense"--written in a very patriotic tone:

You'll note that someone marked your mother in the picture with a plus sign!

Not surprisingly, the patriotic tone is heavy.  This is only a few months following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  Many of the students had obviously been affected by the war. 

You've probably seen this picture of the graduates--this is not too far from the size of our own high school graduating class this year.

Aren't they cute?  Then they enter high school..........