... Instructor Romero Giagnoni is the busiest man
in the little mining village. His school has become so crowded that he must meet
alternate classes on alternate evenings. The night school teaches reading and
writing and simple arithmetic in addition to a rather illustrative course in
American history. That's natural in a village which sent so many of its alien
born sons to fight for their adopted country in 1917.
Wilsonville was
founded in 1917 when Superior Coal Co. Mine No. 4 was sunk there. This is the
most modern mine in the Superior field. At that time, the little settlement
which grew up around the mine was called Wilson, but when it was incorporated
... (rest of sentence is missing.)
A busy village governing body takes
care of its affairs. Heading the executive list which is sponsoring a number of
Works Progress improvements is Mayor Thomas Finnegan. The village clerk is
George Margherio, Barney Oberto, Thomas Pollock, Martin Tira, Joseph Lucca, Opal
Snodgrass and Frank Profiri are members of the village board.
The
backbone of the village in industry, commerce and daily back fence chats is the
mine. Rearing its head in the rear of the village proper, it presents a clean
and active appearance -- far, far more imposing than the average mine. It is one
of the largest of the Superior string.
Mine No. 4 employs 500 men at
present. Closed for several years, it was reopened this spring and is running
with full shifts. John H. Johnson is mine manager. Members of the mine committee
affiliated with local number one of the progressive Miners union and handling
the shop employees, are Mike Pomatto, Martin Tira, and Elmer Hayes.
The
village, like the man from it took its name, Woodrow Wilson, is interested in
its school. A large modern school building contains eight grades. A. W. Pirley
is principal, and besides him, there are seven teachers. Members of the school
board are Barney Oberto, president, Frank B. Calovini, Stanley Goshinski, B. L.
Pavey and Cecil Presnel. Graduates attend Gillespie community high school.
Wilsonville's post office is in charge of Postmaster Armand Rossi. There are
nine stores in the village of which a Red and White store served by the
Litchfield unit is owned by Julio Florini. A Tri-county league team representing
the town is managed by James Fenoglio.
The village at present supports
but one church of its own, St. Mary's chapel, served by Rev. George Powell,
pastor of St. Mary's church at Bunker Hill. A community Protestant church,
organized several years ago and served by members of its own congregation, was
abandoned recently.
Contributed by Edna Grosenheider, excerpted from the Litchfield News Herald, 1936.
Note: In 1936, Wilsonville's population was 1,350.
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