GRANDCHILDREN

On Saturday morning, November 16, 1946, I arose very early in the morning because I was participating in the annual Eaton’s Santa Clause parade. I was one of the many children that lived in a shoe and I had to arrive early to get into my costume. It was unusual for the telephone to ring that early in the morning but when it did, I was on hand to answer Henry’s call announcing the birth of William Henry Harvard Sauro, the first grandchild in the family.

Anna and Hank with Billy in 1947 in the backyard at 104 Millwood Road.

On March 14, 1947 Italo and Wanda’s first child Leslie was born and so began the grand production of 34 grandchildren for our parents.

In about 1947, Lindo married Dorothy Hines before finishing his Bachelor of Commerce degree. They moved into the third floor of a house in the High Park area. They had to go down to the second floor for the bathroom and also to get any water they might need for kitchen use. A married veteran going to university received an allowance of $65.00 a month. Dorothy was working to help with the expenses.

Rindo married Elda Giovanetti on Labour Day weekend, 1948 after his graduation. They lived with us for a time before they were able to find their own place. Livio was also living at home.

During the war, us younger ones were still going to school. Silvio went through a rebellious period and quit school. I was not doing very well in high school. I was struggling with some of my high school subjects. Silvio finished high school and went on to Normal School in 1948. After earning sufficient high school credits, I followed in 1949. Elvino was in Grade 11 that year when Libero suffered a series of Gran Mal seizures, which resulted in damage to his brain. This affected his memory and his ability to express himself. He was never to work again. Although the Church continued his salary for a year, Clemmie immediately began to do supply teaching and subsequently earned a permanent position in North York. Because of our father’s bleak future, Cinna was encouraged to take secretarial training and started her courses at Northern Vocational School. We were able to stay at 104 Millwood while I finished Normal School and Elvino and Cinna continued at their schools.

By the spring of 1950, our mother was able to scrape together $1,000.00 which she used to put a down payment on a $10,000.00 new house at 262 Senlac Road in North York which was a suburb of Toronto, a long bus ride and walk from the end of the city. Livio, Silvio, Elvino, Cinna and I moved into this house with our parents that summer and all the working children paid a little money towards the household expenses. Elvino completed high school and attended Ryerson Institute of Technology, as it was known then before it attained University status. His studies were in film and photography. He eventually returned to Ryerson to teach in that same department where, in due course, one of his students was his nephew Paul Lowry. Elvino undertook further studies in England.

Cinna transferred to Earl Haig Collegiate to complete her courses and by the age of 16, she graduated and entered the work force.

My life was in the city. Teaching during the day and singing in the evenings made living in North York too difficult to continue. In 1951, I moved to the city and lived with a friend in rented rooms.

On December 20, 1952, Silvio and Jeannie Solofsky were married in the chapel at Emmanuel College. Our father assisted at the ceremony.

Jean Macie, Sylvia, Jeannie, Silvio, Doug Sparks, Jim Stewart.

Only Cinna and Livio were left at home to help with the expenses. Elvino was still in school. While our father had a very tiny pension, money was very tight for our mother whose salary was not large. Her mortgage and household expenses strained what she had. She made an apartment in the basement and in this way she was able to increase her income a little.

In the summer of 1952 I was singing in the bandshell at the Exhibition. I knew that Hank had a booth showcasing his Minibricks so I looked him up. He invited me to a little party he was having at his house in Oshawa. Anna’s sister Dora would be there and a banker and an artist coming as well. Obviously he needed another woman to even out the guests. It was here that I was introduced to Jack Lowry – the artist, which culminated in our marriage on July 11, 1953.

Back row from left -Italo, Wanda, Lindo, Dorothy, Elvino, Rindo, Elda, Jeannie

Next row – Livio, Libero, Sylvia, Jack, Cinna, Clementina, Silvio,

Children – Michael, Janet, Tony, Leslie

In the Fall of 1953, Livio married Bernice New.

In 1958 Cinna married John Faveri.

Libero, Clemmie, Cinna, John, Mary and Mario Faveri

In 1970, Elvino married Linda Ross

Linda, Libero, Clemmie, Elvino

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