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     Sam Scrivano:  Oral History Transcript Summary

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Gus & Assunta Dotto
(Emilia Raffin)

 Attilio & Stella Gatto

Gus Lavorato

Giovanni Paron

Louie Protti

Mr. & Mrs. Sartor

Sam Scrivano

Silvio Tona

Paolo Veltri


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A summary of the oral history transcript of Sam Scrivano in which he describes growing up in Italy, and his emigration experience.

  • Sam Scrivano was born in Spezzano Sila, a village of about 40.000 habitants, in 1901.
     
  • The family, 4 brothers and 3 sisters, lived outside the village. The father was taking care of some land, and Sam helped him.
     
  • The family would keep a part of the harvest, but there was not much money.
     
  • It was a very lonely life, they would go to the village once a month to buy what they needed. They did not need to go to church, the priest would come and perform a benediction at a statue near the house.
     
  • All their time was spent working, only at Christmas they would get together with relatives. Another festivity would be the celebrations for S. Francesco da Paola in the village.
     
  • Sam did not go to school, it was in the village, which was too far. He learned on his own to write and read, when he was young at home, and when he was a soldier in Messina and Reggio Calabria. In Canada he went to evening classes.
     
  • Two of his sisters had already emigrated to Edmonton and one of them, Assunta Gaudio, sent for him.
     
  • In 1923, 22 years old, Sam, with another sister and a friend, left for New York on board the ship "Giuseppe Verdi" during the month of January.
     
  • The trip was difficult and long, it took 15 days: they had to help the passengers of another ship that was in trouble.
     
  • Once in New York with other Italians, they left for Edmonton.
    Unfortunately nobody was expecting them at the station. They took a taxi and went to Assunta's house. Assunta had a grocery store.
     

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