Final Script

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BORROW/USE FROM CLAIRE'S COLLECTION

- images:

- 6th annual banquet photo of St. Isabel

- Salvation Army ladies

- San Antonio dinner photo (date?)

- clips from SKFPR talking about Sheldon Street Church (will post list Tuesday afternoon)

- objects:

- St. Isabel gavel and bell

- San Antonio banner and flag (after the procession)

- San Antonio membership certificate

- San Antonio correspondence/thank you notes

THINGS TO PURCHASE

- objects:

- Portuguese flag

- Cape Verde flag

OPENING - GREAT DEPRESSION

- text (Tam):

The Great Depression affected the majority of Americans, and the Cape Verdean community of Fox Point was no exception. The economic downturn began on "Black Tuesday" with the Wall Street crash in October of 1929. This marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, deflation, and lost opportunities for economic growth. To face this economic challenge, Cape Verdeans developed mutual aid societies, and churches began to play a big role in keeping the community together. Because of these community centers in Fox Point, Cape Verdeans survived through the Great Depression until the winter of 1932-33 when the United States economy began to recover.

- image: storefront (source=http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxpoint/2655391149/)

EARLY ORGANIZATIONS - HOLY NAME, SOCIEDADE SANTIAGO

- text (Amy):

In response to the challenges new Cape Verdean immigrants faced upon their arrival, mutual aid organizations were established to support the community and share the scare resources available to them. The Holy Name Society and the Sociedade Santiago were two Catholic voluntary associations in Providence. Founded in 1923, the Holy Name Society claimed more than 900 Cape Verdean members along the East Coast. A procession through Fox Point on the Sunday before Labor Day celebrating Cape Verdean ethnicity brought members from all eight chapters to Providence. The Sociedade Santiago was established in 1926 and provided sick benefits and mortuary expenses of its members. More than 450 Cape Verdeans participated in the Sociedade Santiago's annual dance and banquet.

SAN ANTONIO SOCIETY

- text (Claire): main label for the SAS, commemorating the 75th anniversary

- object: San Antonio Society banner

- object: American flag

- object: Portuguese flag

- object: Cape Verde flag

- text (Claire):

- image: A San Antonio Society dinner (date?)

- object: thank you notes to Society from members

- text (Amy):

Among its many activities, the San Antonio Society provided sickness and death benefits to its members. According to its bylaws the association aimed "to bolster the spiritual side of life, in such activities as annual masses, visiting the sick, comforting and giving solace to the bereaved, and in various ways promoting the virtues of understanding to its fullest extent." This sampling of correspondence sent to the San Antonio Society illustrate the very important role the association played in the lives of its members, particularly in times of sickness and mourning.

HOLY ROSARY CHURCH

- text (Daniel):

The vast majority of Cape Verdeans attended Holy Rosary Catholic Church, which served as a center for community and spiritual life. [I think this opening line may need some revision. We want to make sure we fact check before we make this very definite statement.] Although the Azorean population outnumbered the Cape Verdeans in the parish, the Cape Verdean congregation actively partcipated in the Catholic community by marching in processions, participating in religious festivals and holy day activities, and attending Sunday Mass and Catechism classes.

PROCESSIONS:

- text (Amy):

- image: procession photo (source=http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxpoint/2414376931/)

- image: procession, date unknown (source=Lou Costa)

- image: Procession on Wickenden Street, 1950 (source=Lou Costa)

- image: Procession at Holy Rosary, February 1950 (source=Lou Costa)

FIRST COMMUNION:

- text (Amy):

- image: First Communion at Holy Rosary (source=Lou Costa)

- image: First Communion at Holy Rosary, 1936 (source=Lou Costa)

- image: First Communion, Anna Duarte Cruz and Joe Cruz, date unknown (source=Lou Costa)

- image: First Communion at Holy Rosary, date unknown (source=Lou Costa)

- image: First Communion at Holy Rosary, John Britto, date unknown (source=Lou Costa)

NUNS/CONVENT:

- text (Amy):

Holy Rosary housed the convent of the Sisters of Saint Dorothy. The Sisters ran the Catholic Catechism classes Catholic youth in the Cape Verdean community attended. Fox Point resident Joe Cruz recalled going to the classes at the Church: “You had to go; you didn’t have a choice. There was no, ‘No, I’m not going to catechism or whatever.’ You went, and that was it. And them nuns didn’t take any junk either.”

- image: Holy Rosary nuns at convent, February 1950 (source=Lou Costa)

- image: Polly Teixeira as a novice, 1947 (source=Lou Costa)

- image: Holy Rosary nun, March 1950 (source=Lou Costa)

WEDDINGS:

- text (Amy):

- image: John Enos and Vicki Viera Wedding, September 1949 (source=Lou Costa)

- image: Anna Duarte and Joe Cruz Wedding, date unknown (source=Lou Costa)

- objects: make list of potential objects

SHELDON STREET CHURCH

- text (Tam):

- image: Sheldon Street Varsity Basketball Team, 1933 (source=Lou Costa)

- image: Sunday School (source=Congregational Church)

- image: Boy Scout Troop (source=Congregational Church)

- image: look for Flickr photos of Sheldon Street and post links here:

- contact: contact Johnny Costa about Sheldon Street Church (ask about images?)

ST. ISABEL'S SOCIETY

- text (Daniel):

Seven years after the establishment of the San Antonio Society, a group of Cape Verdean women founded the St. Isabel’s Society in 1941. Originally conceived as a social club, the St. Isabel Society organized dinners and events that fostered a sense of community amongst the residents of Fox Point. These events gave Cape Verdeans the opportunity to socialize with their neighbors, promoting and preserving their ethnic identity. In addition to these social functions, during the holidays the Society collected canned goods for needy Cape Verdean families. The St. Isabel's Society illustrated the important role of women in caring for the residents and culture of the Cape Verdean Fox Point community.

- image: the one-year anniversary (source=http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxpoint/3256702924/)

- image: the one-year anniversary (source=http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxpoint/3256702636/)

- image: the 6th annual banquet (source=Claire)

- image: two additional images from Annie Valk - too large for scanner (will need to take to Brown printing services to be scanned)

- objects: St. Isabel's gavel and bell

SALVATION ARMY

- text (Amy):

Formerly located on Transit Street, the Salvation Army Settlement and Day Nursery provided daytime care for pre-school and elementary school children in cases of family stress or need. When the challenges of inadequate housing, extended illness, poverty, or personal problems became too much for a family to handle, the Salvation Army was there to help. Regardless of race or religious affiliation, families in need turned to the Salvation Army's corp of teachers, social workers and family counselors for support, guidance, and understanding. In addition to providing child care for families in need, the Salvation Army ran Vacation Bible School and other youth events in the summer.

- image: SA ladies (source=Claire)

- image: playground (source=SA) - see attachments - Children play in the yard behind the Salvation Army Settlement and Day Nursery on Transit Street.

- image: Vacation Bible School (source=SA) - Salvation Army staff pose with the proud graduates of the Summer Bible School Class of 1948.

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