Mama Mia!

 Can it possibly be true? The Hazleton Area
School Board is planning to phase out its
Italian language classes! According to a
published report the district will eliminate
First year Italian in the 2011-2012 curriculum.
  Hazleton, for those who don't already
know, was my home town. My family, like
nearly one quarter of the population, has
Italian roots.
  My grandmother, who passed away when
I was only three, spoke only Italian.
  Somebody, perhaps family, maybe a principal,
talked me into taking Italian when I got to
High School. I firmly believe the teacher
would have had a few choice Italian
words to say to that individual after having
me in class for a few days!
 Ironically ...( and by the way the word 'irony'
comes from Latin..which was used in Rome..
which we all know is in Italy)....ironically
my teacher was Mr. Persico. Years later
I would find myself working with his brother,
John Perry, at  WDAU TV. In fact we remain
close friends to this day.
  I'm guess Mr. Persico didn't tell John much
about my 'abilities' in his class.
  In fact had the success of the Italian language
program been based on my success it probably
would have been dropped in 1957!
  Understand that everybody I knew in
Hazleton back then knew at least a few
Italian words. Most of those you were
allowed to use had to do with eating.
  You never left an aunt's house before being
dragged before a table loaded with food then
hearing the words "Mangia, mangia!"
("Eat, eat!)
  But knowing how to say a few words and
spelling them or conjugating verbs are very
different things!
  I don't know if it was for his benefit or
mine. But Mr. Persico put me in the first
seat in the first row nearest the door so I
could leave quickly when the bell rang.
   The School District will continue
advanced Italian classes for a few years
so those who have taken First year can
complete their studies. Some of those,
however, will probably be on line
courses.
  I took a few 'advances Italian courses'
too. I went to see 'Scarface' and 'The
Untouchables.'
  Then I saw all three chapters of  'The
Godfather' which should be good
enough for a  'Master's Degree!'
  Taking Italian out of Hazleton High
School seems like taking the cheese
off the pizza!  Mama Mia!
  Maybe the School Board members
will stop.....smell the pepperoni.....
and reverse their decision for the
sake of local history.
  Maybe somebody can make them
an offer they can't refuse?
  But, if it must go, I wish all who have
studied far better than I....."Buona
Fortuna." (Good luck)
  Arrivederci! And may all of your
NEWS be good!