1937: ST. JOACHIM STUDENTS

Can you imagine the thrill these boys experienced when they and they and John Persi were honored with an audience with Pope Pius XI? Then Premier Mussolini also received the boys. Like the late, great Sacred Heart Grammar School, St. Joachim's turned out many well rounded educations for its students; Mario, Dominick and John were fine examples.

2011: GOD'S EYE VIEW OF ST. JOACHIM'S CHURCH

Here's an interesting Google Earth view of Chambersburg's St. Joachim's Church.on Butler Street. As stated earlier, I am spending a bit of time adding to the already growing "ST. JOACHIM'S" folder and will tie them into a future public presentation.

"LOCAL HISTORY WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH"

The graphic and letter from Mrs. Santucci is self explanatory. Mrs. Santucci's mom was Catherine Ciliento, and unfortunately she cannot be identified in the photo due to the fact that the photo has no identifying index.  I am always very happy when one or more graphics on this website touches a personal chord in a visitor. As long as I am perusing, page by page, years and years of local Trenton news, I will continue to cherry pick certain graphics for inclusion on this website. Incidentally, I have accumulated nearly 100 historic articles and photos on that grand old Chambersburg jewel dating back to 1901. I will be doing an on screen presentation at a future date either at the library or Kuser mansion. Stay tuned.

1903: LAYING THE CORNERSTONE FOR ST. JOACHIM CHURCH

With this week being a week dedicated to the this weekend's Italian American Festival, I am posting an interesting 109 year olf article telling of the cornerstone laying ceremony for the new St. Joachim Church. Other articles I have seen throughout the years tell of the hours local Italian immigrants spent in the construction of the church.

1946: St. Joachim Sectional Champs

How I love thesr e photos of long ago when men and women in their 60's, 70's and 80' were in their prime! Many of these newsphotos have been thrown away or have turned dark as they languished in various scrapbooks. It is refreshing to know that the originals can be digitally restored into pristine condition. There's a Rossi, Landolfi, DeAngelo, and many other old line family names of Italian Chambersburg pioneers. It would be my assumption that "CYC of that era morphed into today's "CYO."

FOLLOWING ARE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM TWO OF MY REGULAR VISITORS WHO ALONG WITH ME, ARE CARD-CARRYING MEMBERS OF "WRINKLE CITY," AND THUS HAVE VALUABLE ADDITIONS TO MANY OF MY POSTS. I FELT THAT THESE COMMENTS WOULD LANGUISH UN-READ IN MY "COMMENTS" SECTION INSTEAD OF BEING ADDED TO THE BLOG TO WHICH THEY ADD HISTORIC INFORMATION.

THIS RECEIVED FROM RALPH LUCARELLO:

Hi Tom: I was in service during that time but I know almost all in that photo, especially Joe Reno. I believe he lived on Washington St.when I did as a young kid. I remember thinking what a great fighter he was at that time. We had many playground leagues that the Coopers supervised for the city of Trenton. They helped me a great deal with our teams of younger kids. Regards, Ralph (Lucarello)

THIS RECEIVED FROM SJ BILL:

God bless Coach Joe "Reno" Lanzi. He was still at THS in my day (1961-1964) and was a great guy - very soft spoken and polite.
His record wasn't so great, but hey, he was from the Burg!
http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=52341&cat=boxer

1933: The Blue Dragonettes Girls' Club

That has to be a relative of Larry Penardi in this bevy of daughters from the American-Italian community. I would guess that there will be a number of sons and daughters of Italia who are visitors to this site who will recognize many of the other names of the "Dragonette" ladies in the photo.

Larry Penardi was very close to the DiNatale family. I remember Larry when I was a boy hanging around Rocky DiNatale's garage on Edwin Avenue in Hamilton. I would meet up with him again some 25 years later working together in our St. Anthony annual Spaghetti dinners. Larry was a class act.

1946: From the "ST JOACHIM'S" folder

Young Mario has joined another file from the St. Joachim's Catholic Youth Club. I had already posted a group photo of some of the members of that club from another year.

ST. JOACHIM'S TRENTON PARISH PRIESTS

Lawrence Historian Bob Immordino and I have been working on a very comprehensive multimedia presentation on the history of Chambersburg from the early rural years when it was orchards and cornfields, up to the many years when the American-Italian community made the neighborhood locally famous. This is one of the graphics which are included in the presentation.

1947: ST. JOACHIM CATHOLIC YOUTH CLUB

IN THE 60's, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF A ST. ANTHONY-ST. JOACHIM PTA GROUP, "KAY'S FOLLIES,:" UNDER THE ABLE DIRECTION OF "KAY" CHIORELLO. WE DID MANY PERFORMANCES IN THE DELIGHTFULLY VINTAGE ST. JOACHIM AUDITORIUM. IT WAS AT THESE VISITS THAT I DEVELOPED A STRANGE FASCIANTION WITH THE ANTIQUITY OF THE OLD EDIFICE. HERE IS A PHOTO OF THE ST. JOACHIM CATHOLIC YOUTH CLUB.

1919: EMILIO CARDELIA 8TH GRADE CLASS AT ST. JOACHIM

THE PHOTO DOESN'T IDENTIFY THE CLASS OF 1919 FROM ST. JOACHIM GRAMMAR SCHOOL, BUT I WOULD BET THAT THE YOUNG MAN ON THE FAR RIGHT IS THE LATE MSGR. CARDELIA. SORRY TO SAY THAT THE PHOTO OF THE YOUNG MAN IN THE FAR RIGHT, BACK ROW, HAS BEEN COMPLETELY OBLITERATED. IT WAS PUBLISHED THIS WAY, AND NOT DUE TO DETERIORATION.

1947: ST.JOACHIM'S CATHOLIC YOUTH CLUB

POST WAR AMERICA SAW AN ALARMING INCREASE IN WHAT WAS THEN TERMED, "JUVENILE DELINQUENCY." THE OFFICERS OF ST. JOACHIM PARISH'S CATHOLIC YOUTH CLUB WERE IN THE FOREFRONT OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AIMED AT GIVING AREA CHAMBERSBURG YOUTH WHOLESOME ACTIVITIES.

1930: Rev. Alphonse Palombi

This reverend gentleman was an institution at Trenton's St. Joachim Church. Father Palombi came from a family that was and is very prominent in the Trenton-Mercer County area. As you read the names of the members of the committee referred to in the article, you will find many familiar surnames from the Chambersburg area.

1945: ST. JOACHIM COMMENCEMENT CLASS OF '45

MANY FAMILAR NAMES IN THIS LISTING OF GRADS FROM THAT OLD SCHOOL APPROACHING A CENTENNIAL IN 1910.

1944: CLOTHES FOR THE HOME COUNTRY

HERE THE LADIES FROM CHAMBERSBURG'S ST. JOACHIM'S CHURCH ARE COLLECTING AND PACKING CLOTHING FOR DESTITUTE ITALIAN CITIZENS IN THEIR MOTHER COUNTRY.

1947: St. Joachim Parish Youth Club

Here are the officers for Youth Club at St. Joachim Parish.

Tony Carabelli, is that a relative of yours in the photo? Renny Funari, is that one of your family members in the photo? There are so many names in the photo who have the surnames of folks I know today......Anybody there you know?

1945: St. Joachim CYO Basketball "Kings"

Here's a photo of the crack St. Joachim CYO Basketball champs. 1945: Sixty one years ago!!
Where has the time gone?

1901: It's Clan against Clan at St.Joachim Parish

One of the more knowledgeable local historians is a colleague of mine, Mr. Robert Immordino, Historian for the Township of Lawrence. Bob and I are going to work on a project that will amplify this magnificent local Italian heritage. On a visit to me this week, we looked over the very substantial file I am accumulating on the American-Italian experience in the "AMERICAN-ITALIAN" folder. I had it listed as "Italian-American," and Bob suggested, and I agreed, that the folder should read, "American-Italian." It has been changed!

1938: St. Joachim's School Program

"...can it be that it was all so simple then, or has time

re-written every line? If we had the chance to do it all again, tell me, would we? Could we?"

Most of those players who participated in "Mary of Magdala" back then are in their mid 80's today. It would be nice if a viewer recognized one or two of these St. Joachim students.

BARBARA CICHETTI PROCELL'S MOTHER WAS IN THE PHOTO, AND HER DAUGHTER, BARBARA WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SEND THIS EMAIL. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ADDED INFORMATION WHICH OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE GONE UNKNOWN TO MANY VIEWERS. THANKS, BARB! And by the way Barb, tell your mom that I don't thing any of those young ladies look "bad." Like the Blessed Mother, Mrs. Cicchetti is pretty, and so are the other beautiful young ladies in the photo.

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Hi Tom,

As I was going through your February blog, I was pleasantly surprised to see my mother in the St. Joachim's picture of the Mary Magdeline play.My mom is Antonette Cicchetti Sesini, and she will be celebrating her 86th birthday this month. She played Mary Magdeline in Italian, and the girl seated next to her played the role in English. She really got a kick out of seeing the picture. She said she looks so bad because they had just finished rehearsing, and the part called for her to cry.I know some of the other ladies pictured. Rose Petrolini (deceased) was my godmother. Fannie (Fay) Bucchi is living in Italy. Mary Procaccino (deceased) was a good friend of my aunt. Thanks so much for the memory. Just finished reading this week's column. I too have fond memories of Kuser School. I taught 2nd grade there from Sept. 1968 to June 1992. I then transferred to Yardville Heights, and retired in December 2002.Keep up the great work. We really appreciate it.

Sincerely,Barbara Procell

1909: St. Joachim Presents an Opera

Citizens of American-Italian descent should be very proud of the musical heritage of Italy. The "broadside" shown in this graphic was originally a small black and white ad in the "Daily State Gazette" of May, 1909. With a bit of touching up, it is transformed into an interesting bit of history. In the early part of the 20th century, St. Joachim's Church on Bayard Street was a refreshing retreat for the newcomers to America. Mass on Sunday, and the spacious auditorium for their many community events.

ST. JOACHIM GRAMMAR SCHOOL