P.T.A.

The teachers in Florham Park School were good to our children. The children liked their teachers. When my son John was in the eighth grade our youngest, Ann, then four, started kindergarten. All five children were in the same school. They all did well in school. I discovered that the three girls found it easier to do their homework than their two brothers. The boys would be absorbed playing ball with their friends and doing many things out-of-doors. They did not apply themselves to doing homework like their sisters. I helped the boys do their homework whenever I could, to keep them up in school work.

John	Carmela	Tony
Philomena		Ann

When we had P.T.A. meetings the roll call was for every grade. They would ask us to raise our hands if we had anyone in that class. Our hands went up so many times, the people would say, “Are you sure you have that many children? You both look so young.” We had a good laugh over that. I was happy my husband came to P.T.A. with me; most of his friends didn't go. They would say, “It's a woman's place to go.”

One year when the P.T.A. gave a spaghetti dinner for 100 people I was asked to be chairman. I took the job. I called some of the Italian ladies and asked them if they would help; they said they would be happy to help. I gave them each a recipe of how to make the sauce and meatballs. The night of the supper they all brought their sauce and meatballs to school. I mixed it up in large pots so that it would all taste the same. We had a dish of spaghetti, two meatballs, coleslaw, garlic bread, a small glass of wine, coffee, tea or soda, and a dessert. The place was filled to capacity. My husband and a few other men were the waiters. They did their job well. One woman got up and thanked me for doing such a good job. Everyone clapped. I thanked them all.

The next year we had a spaghetti supper for 150 people. All the tickets got sold. It was hard work but we all chipped in and got it done. The next year they wanted to have a spaghetti supper for 200 people. I found that it was hard work; I had done my part before, so someone else got to be chairman.

When Phyl was in the third grade I was class mother for her grade. A new teacher had just started to teach. The children all liked her. The teacher appreciated whatever help I could give her. On Valentine's Day we gave the class a party with soda, ice cream cups, and cookies. The children all had a good time.

That year the third grade had an essay contest. The subject was “Why I am Happy to Be an American.” There was a small program on the stage and Phyl was awarded ten dollars for winning first prize.

I was class mother for the fourth grade the next year. I enjoyed being class mother. The children all got to know me. When they saw me in the halls, they would all say, “Hello, Mrs. Lupardi.” That year there was another contest. The essay was “Why We Celebrate Fourth of July.” My daughter Phyl entered and she won the first prize of ten dollars again. She was thrilled and we were happy for her. Phyl was a very bright child; she was not happy unless she was ‘tops’ in her class. She studied very hard.

We had to talk to Phyl and make her understand that even if she wasn't ‘tops’ in her class she was still a smart girl. She said she wanted me and her father to be proud of her. My husband loved her. She was named after his mother and she was a lot like her grandmother Lupardi.

Our son John, the oldest, was going to graduate from the eighth grade in the month of June. We gave him a big graduation party. A few days before John's graduation his brother Tony got an ear infection. He had to go to the hospital, so Tony couldn't be at his brother's graduation. We all felt bad for him. My husband and I went to see Tony in the hospital in the afternoon.