This article was written for the Auburn Citizen Newspaper on 17 September 2007 by Carmelo Signorelli (1921-2012), first cousin twice removed of Carla Ann Cappiello Golden.
Writing again, with thoughts of childhood By Carmelo Signorelli Sep 17, 2007
Hi folks. Surprise! I’m back. I’ve had to quit writing my column for a while because of a health problem. I do hope to get back to my regular four-week schedule – at least I’m going to give it a good try. Advanced age sure does pose problems, as I’ve learned only too well.
Today’s column is going to be somewhat different, as it will cover my early childhood years. It might ring a bell with some of you seniors.
I was born in a large house on Hulburt Street when it was a residential area. The house was originally the convent for the nuns of St. Mary’s Church, most of whom were teachers at St. Mary’s School. The school was on Clark Street, next to the rectory.
An uncle of mine, Joseph Carnicelli (1874-1952), bought the house when a new convent was built on the corner of Clark and James streets. Many is the time I saw the nuns walking to or from the convent, always in twos.
My uncle converted the old convent into apartments which he rented to his in-laws. Five siblings lived in the house, including my father (Luciano Louis Signorelli 1889-1977), who was the only one who was not yet married. He lived with his parents. When he did marry, he continued with them in the apartment and there is where I was born.
My uncle Joseph moved to Rochester and opened up a grocery store. I remember that we used to buy some of our groceries from him and they would be shipped to us in a barrel.
After several years, he decided to move back to Auburn so my parents gave up their apartment and moved into one on Green Avenue, a short street behind Hulbert Street.
There were quite a few Italian families in that neighborhood, but it was not primarily Italian as were some of those in the western part of the city. In addition to Hulbert Street, the area included McMaster Street, Pine Street, Church Street, Green Street, Green Avenue and about a block of Clark Street.
An uncle of mine by marriage was Salvatore Cappiello (1884-1975) who, with his brother Angelo (1888-1946), ran an Italian bakery. They had emigrated to America from a town in Italy called Biccari. Their bakery was originally located on Garden Street but later they had a masonry building erected behind Angelo’s on Hulbert Street. It was a two-story building with the bakery on the first floor and a multi-purpose hall on the second floor, which was rented out for various reasons.
The Cappiello Bakery produced an excellent variety of Italian bread that you can’t buy anymore. The bakery had a panel truck with which bread was delivered to the many family-owned Italian grocery stores in Auburn at the time. My uncle Salvatore would also fill a large basket with bread every day and make deliveries to the relatives in the area. I remember that my mother would purchase two loaves a day.
The Cappiello Bakery was across the street from where we lived on Hulbert Street and, occasionally, as a young child, I would go to the bakery and watch bread being made. I guess it was something to do.
I also attended social functions, such as wedding receptions, in the upstairs hall with my parents. I enjoyed the food that was served and had fun watching the dancing, which included the tarantella and other Italian dances. People in those days certainly knew how to have a good time.
The Italian Band of Auburn rehearsed in Cappiello Hall during its early years when nearly all of the members were Italian immigrants. My father was a member and played the clarinet. I remember that we had a large photograph of the band in their uniforms marching in formation on Hulbert Street.
The Iacovino Grocery was on Clark Street, near the Hulbert Street intersection. Many of the Italian immigrants in the area shopped at Iacovino’s because the proprietor could speak Italian. My mother bought groceries there, but it wasn’t long before she did most of her grocery shopping at the downtown stores because of their lower prices. Those stores were the forerunners of today’s supermarkets.
(Maria Cappiello 1874-1930, sister of Salvatore Cappiello, married John B. Iacovino 1867-1953.)
Hulbert Street was only a block from downtown and very handy as most people in our neighborhood didn’t have cars. Occasionally my father would take the family to Drake’s Confectionery on Genesee Street for a treat, usually sundaes. Drake’s was located where the Boyle Center is today, and was just a short walk from where we lived.
I started going to school at the age of five and went to James Street School, which was just two blocks away. On my first day of school, I was taken there by one of my older girl cousins, who also attended James Street School. She took me to the kindergarten teacher, who asked in a very friendly manner, “Is this the new boy?”
Going to James Street School was a great educational and social experience and I truly enjoyed it. The teachers were not only very competent, but also had pleasant dispositions and treated us as if we were their own children. How fortunate I was to be able to spend my first seven school years there.
Well, I guess I’ve rambled on long enough. I plan to be back next time right on schedule, the good Lord willing.
Arrivederci.
Carmelo Signorelli is an Auburn resident who enjoys reminiscing about the good ol’ days.