Tutored in English by Benita (nee Leanza)
Duncan but had to complete high school credits before
beginning University; he worked as a janitor until 1961;
at age 25 was studying English at St. Mary's High
School; he also took evening classes in English at
Sacred Heart School taught by Frank O'Dwyer
Dean Coutts, Faculty of Education,
University of Alberta, advised him on classes to take;
took English 230 from Robin Matthews, who would meet
with him every Friday to grade assignments at a local
beer parlour
In his second year of the B.Ed Program
at the University of Alberta, he signed a contract with
the Northlands School Division and they subsidized his
fees with the understanding that he would work for them;
1963-64 he worked on the Janvier Reserve where he was
expected to be the
"doctor/spy/postmaster/banker/administrator"; 1964-65
employed by the Edmonton Catholic Board to teach
"trainable retarded" children (13-17 years) at Father
Lacombe School; in 1965 moved to Sacred Heart School to
do this; also taught at St. Cecilia but then returned to
Sacred Heart until 1975 and then O'Leary to 1999, his
retirement year
Talking about the immigration
experience: men came alone; lived in the 97th Street
area of Edmonton; camaraderie, hunted and cooked
together; all came with the intention to work hard, make
sacrifices, buy land in Italy and return; his
Grandfather on his Father's side was in Brazil at the
end of the 19th century-made money and retired in the
late 1940s to Italy; some away from their families for
nearly 30 years; the men created a community; first
generation of immigrants were nostalgic for Italy and
Italian products; second generation of immigrants-their
children adapted fast-became quickly assimilated (both
non-professionals and professionals); third generation:
high rate of inter-marriage
In 1962, he assisted Allan Powell, who
was doing a Masters' thesis on drinking behaviour among
immigrants; 110 interviews of which Tony did the ones
with the Italian community
When he goes to Italy, he finds himself more Canadian than Italian
Dante Alighieri Society and School: met Sab Roncucci in 1960-61; became
member of the Society and, in 1962, decided to establish the Italian School; taught in the old Santa Maria Goretti Parish Hall; sheet of plywood painted black was the blackboard; 11/12 students in the first year; next year moved to Sacred Heart School, which provided free space; two classes; paid an honorarium $2.50 per lesson; teachers were himself, Tony Caria and Liana Meller; Tony Petrone joined them in 1972; left the School in 1975-76 because of pressures of teaching career and family