But while we believe it is important to look back at what we have done, we also believe, like Janus, that it is equally important to look ahead and plan for the future. 
The January meeting will include a brief ceremony to install our new Officers and Director and to vote on new member applications.  We will then proceed to the reports by various Board Members on the Club’s financial 2002 performance and status, membership, member survey results, programs and activities, the Club’s involvement with the Federation of Italian American Organizations (FIAO) and discussion on any and all issues that members believe are of importance to our Club. 

   But Kohn’s Italian Club presentation was not limited to showing and describing his paintings of the Duomo of Florence; his program was much more complex and comprehensive.  The heart of the presentation was a multi-media retrospective sampling of Kohn’s entire artistic career.  Included in the presentation were samples of other works currently being shown in another exhibition entitled Places of Power.  Bill Kohn: A Forty-Year Retrospective – 1962 to 2002.  This exhibition, at the Des Lee Gallery, 1627 Washington Avenue through Jan 2, 2003, offers a comprehensive look at Kohn’s life-long artistic career.  Also included in Kohn’s presentation, was a 7-minute selection from a music-video composition called Brunelleschi e noi  that presents sounds and music of Florence combined with interior and exterior views of the cathedral and its great cupola.  

   The Brunelleschi e noi  work is one segment of a new collaborative music-video DVD entitled Locations 1970 – 2002: The Collaborative Works of Bill Kohn,  which provides a comprehensive panorama of Kohn’s evolution as an artist over time and distance.  Created by Kohn in collaboration with composer Rich O’Donnell, photographer Dale Dufer, and filmmaker Debbie Lum, this DVD includes the following segments: Locations (1970); Pilgrimage to the Virgin of Rocio (1986); Rim to River/Bright Angel (1990); Machu Picchu/Sacred Light (1997); Undulations (1997); Places of Power (1999); and Brunelleschi e noi (2002).  The segment, Places of Power: The art of Bill Kohn is of particular interest and in itself worth the price of the limited-edition DVD, because in this segment, filmed primarily in Kohn’s studio, the artist discusses his thinking about his life and his work (…I paint because I don’t know the answers).  

   Bill Kohn has had a long and distinguished career as a painter and teacher.  Born in St. Louis, he grew up in the Central West End and graduated from the Washington University School of Art.  He has been a member of the WU faculty since 1963 and is now an Emeritus Professor of Art.  Much has been written about Bill Kohn and his works.  Most recently, two articles have appeared in the local press: Destination: Inspiration, by Post Dispatch architecture critic Robert Duffy, in the October 27, 2002 issue of the Post; and Everything is Illuminated,  by Timothy Hand, in the Nov 27-Dec 3, 2002 issue of the West End Word.  Kohn’s life-long search for artistic meaning has taken him all over the world – but he is always glad to be back to St. Louis.  Currently busy remodeling his CWE studio and planning his next project – he still finds time and energy, at age 71, to make 10-mile bicycle rides.  
 

   Such are the basic facts describing our 80th anniversary party.  But facts alone fall short of adequately expressing the nature and spirit of what was truly a very different and special evening.  Of course, our Club’s 80th birthday was recognized with the elegance and approbation appropriate for such an important event in our history.  But what made the evening really special was the presence of the popular Garagiola and the out-pouring of warmth, love, affection, and emotion bestowed on him by the many old friends who knew and grew up with him in the “Hill neighborhood” and who came to be with him on this occasion.  The love that Garagiola feels for his Italian heritage, for the Hill, and for his old friends was made eminently clear by his talk which emphasized the importance of culture, neighborhood, and people in the formation of values and character.  His presentation stressed that it was this culture and upbringing that was so important in forming the characters of the sons and daughters of countless Italian immigrants who, despite the prejudice, hardship, and tremendous difficulties which they, and especially their parents, had to endure, were able to succeed and lead exemplary lives of positive contribution to the entire society of the nation.  Clearly, Garagiola was deeply moved by the surprise gift of the statue of the Italian Immigrants made at the conclusion of his remarks.  Interestingly, Torrini’s great work clearly symbolized precisely the values expressed in Garagiola’s presentation. 

   Upon being presented the Club’s financial contribution to be given to an organization of his choice, Garagiola handed it back, saying: “I want you to give $1000 of this to the Hill 2000 Sick and Elderly Fund.  Keep the rest to help continue the work of the Italian Club”.  Many thanks, Joe.  And, of course, heartfelt thanks as well to all members, friends, and patrons whose participation and generous support made our 80th anniversary celebration a great success.

   An Open House/Information/Registration Session will be held on Tuesday evening, January 21, 2003, at the Shaw School.  Refreshments at 6:30 PM.  A presentations about the program will be held between 7:00 and 8:00 PM.  This is a great opportunity to learn abut the various courses, meet the teachers, and discuss your specific language goals with them, as well as to register and, for new students, to purchase text and work books. 

   The Shaw Language Program classes are excellent – with experienced, dedicated, and enthusiastic teachers – and tuition is very reasonable.  For more information contact Gene Mariani at 314-352-5484 or by email at emariani@aol.com.

Alfonso Gatto (Salerno, 1909 – Orbetello 1976) ebbe una giovinezza movimentata e più tardi esercitò la professione di giornalista.  La poesia A mio padre fa parte della raccolta intitolata Il capo sulla neve, che fu poi inserita nel volume di poesie della resistenza.  

Benché di solito sia identificato con la poesia di tipo ermetico, qui il poeta evoca la figura del padre senza ricorrere a questo stile, evocando un’immagine sospesa tra ricordo e fantasia.

Se mi tornassi questa sera accanto
lungo la via dove scende l’ombra
azzurra già che sembra primavera,
per dirti quanto è buio il mondo e come
ai nostri sogni in libertà s’accenda
di speranze di poveri di cielo,
io troverei un pianto da bambino
e gli occhi aperti di sorriso, neri
neri come le rondini del mare.

Mi basterebbe che tu fossi vivo,
un uomo vivo col tuo cuore è un sogno.
Ora alla terra è un’ombra la memoria
della tua voce che diceva ai figli:
“Com’è bella la notte e com’è buona
ad amarci così con l’aria in piena
fin dentro al sonno”.  Tu vedevi il mondo
nel plenilunio sporgere a quel cielo,
gli uomini incamminati verso l’alba.

Marco Aurelio Caro 224-283 (Imperatore 282-283)
M. Aurelio Numeriano 253-284 (Imperatore 283-284)
M. Aurelio Carino 250-285 (Imperatore 283-285)

Alla morte di Probo le legioni acclamarono imperatore M. Aurelio Caro, il prefetto del pretorio.  Caro non si curò neppure di chiedere l’approvazione del Senato, limitandosi semplicemente a notificarlo a elezione avvenuta.  Prima ancora di andare a Roma, Caro si diede da fare per stabilire la sua dinastia e diede il titolo di Cesare ai suoi due figli, Carino e Numeriano. 

Ben presto l'impero vide di nuovo le frontiere assalite dai nemici: i Franchi sul Reno; gli Alemanni, i Quadi e i Sarmati sul Danubio; i Persiani sull'Eufrate.  Insieme al figlio Numeriano, Caro si recò in Oriente, lasciando il comando dell’impero occidentale al figlio Carino, e nel 283 invase la Mesopotamia e sconfisse i Persiani.  A Roma, per celebrare questa vittoria, Carino fu dichiarato imperatore dell’impero d’occidente. 

Approfittando della debolezza dei Persiani, in declino fin dalla morte del loro re Shapur, Caro stava preparandosi a muovere il suo esercito verso l’interno della Persia quando fu trovato morto nella sua tenda a Ctesifonte, forse vittima di un fulmine o forse avvelenato.  Aveva regnato meno di un anno.

Numeriano, proclamato dall’esercito come suo successore, con il consenso dell’esercito decise di tornare a Roma.  Numeriano era più un intellettuale che un guerriero ed aveva anche scritto poesie ben note negli ambienti romani.  Inoltre soffriva di una malattia agli occhi che lo aveva reso quasi cieco, tantoché doveva essere portato in una lettiga. 

Guidava l'esercito Arrio Apro, prefetto del pretorio e suocero di Numeriano.  Apro aveva dato l’ordine di non aprire la lettiga per nessun motivo e ai soldati fu detto che l’imperatore era troppo malato per apparire in pubblico.  Ma nei pressi di Nicomedia i portantini cominciarono a sentire un forte fetore.  La lettiga fu aperta e Numeriano fu trovato morto. 

Apro, che forse sperava di essere acclamato imperatore, venne subito sospettato dalle truppe come l’autore del delitto.  Al suo posto l’esercito elesse imperatore Valerio Diocle, il comandante della guardia del corpo.  In nome dell’esercito romano Diocle accusò Arrio Apro di regicidio e lo trafisse con la spada.  Era il 17 novembre dell' anno 284.

Alla notizia della morte del fratello e della proclamazione di Diocle, Carino mosse il suo esercito contro il rivale.  Nella valle del Margus venne a battaglia con Diocle e pare che stesse per vincere quando all'improvviso cadde pugnalato da uno dei suoi tribuni (a cui pare avesse sedotto la moglie). 

Alla sua morte anche l'esercito di Carino riconobbe Diocle come imperatore.