Angelo's Saturdays
High School: Grades 9–12
Story
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In comparison to the rundown and over-crowded buildings they had just passed, the buildings that comprised Hull House were all brick, mostly new and stately in appearance. Angelo loved to get to Hull House early to work his way through the corridors and rooms that led back to the Boys' Building. He would peek his head in and out of rooms to see the activities taking place.
There was a science lecture in one room, singing classes in another, children listening to a story, boys hurdling over a horse in the gymnasium, and in the day-nursery babies were being fed, washed, and bounced on someone's knee while their mothers were at work. Angelo liked to tiptoe into the nursery and see the copies of paintings of Madonnas by della Robbia and Raphael—artists, his Hull House teacher told him, who had lived and painted in Italy hundreds of years ago. 4
At the door of the Boys' Building, Angelo and Vito noticed a woman and a man standing in the main hallway. The boys knew immediately to be quiet and to stand at attention. As still as they tried to stand, however, their faces couldn't hide how honored they were to be in this woman's presence. They looked upon her with awe. For this was Jane Addams, the woman, their parents had informed them, who had opened her doors to their countrymen in an otherwise inhospitable city. Miss Addams walked slowly toward them with the man beside her. As she pointed to different parts of the building, Angelo could tell that she was giving the man a tour of the Boys' Building. It seemed that many people got tours of Hull House and that fact made him only more proud to be there.
Upon reaching the boys, she looked down at them and smiled. Angelo noticed that the man had a pen and was taking notes. She asked the boys a question, and Angelo looked at Vito. He translated for Angelo, "Che cosa fa sta oggi?" or "What are you going to do today?" Vito told them that they were going to the children's painting and pottery class.
Angelo felt very self-conscious, and even though he worried that it might be rude, his shyness caused him to look down at the floor. Then suddenly, he took a deep breath, stood tall, looked Jane Addams right in the eyes, and softly said "Aaaaallo." Vito was so surprised at Angelo's boldness that his eyes almost popped out of his head. As Jane Addams stared back, Angelo thought he might die of embarrassment.
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Then a slight turn of her lips grew into a broad, warm smile. "Hello!" she exclaimed back. "What is your name?" Vito started to translate but Angelo put his hand up to stop him. Angelo recognized the word "name" and could figure out what would be the next logical question.
"Angelo. Angelo Blandino," he said smiling back.
"Well, Angelo. I am so glad to see you here. Are you in school?"
"Scuola?" Angelo responded.
"Si, scuola," Vito interjected smiling at Miss Addams.
"No," Angelo responded.
"Next Saturday, Angelo, we are starting a new English class. I will make sure there is room in it for a Signore Blandino," Miss Addams said matter-of-factly. Vito explained for Angelo, but somehow Angelo had already understood. He nodded and smiled at Miss Addams. She turned toward her companion and they continued to walk slowly and talk, "So, as I was saying, I think that John Dewey and I do have a lot in common, even though he is using schools as his agent of change, and I am concentrating on the neighborhood and its community."
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