Welcome to the Casa Lungo il Corso, located on Corso Umberto I. My history is very old, with a construction dating back more than 400 years. What I am particularly proud of is my entrance, characterised by a magnificent ancient arch.
A Time of Play and Community
Passing through the archway, you enter my courtyard, once enlivened by the laughter of children as mothers, grandmothers and the young people of the village chatted among themselves. Beyond the courtyard, one descends into the underground rooms that were once used as stables and chicken coops. I still remember Giovanni Mastrogiovanni bringing back his 100 turkeys every day after letting them scratch around in the open.
My Scholastic Past
In the past, I was the village school. My walls still resound with the laughter and voices of children, who are now grandparents and great-grandparents. At that time, there was only one class comprising children and young people of different ages, all under the guidance of one teacher. When I was a school, the top floor was forbidden because it was dangerous, and to keep them away, the teacher invented the story of ”o Monaciello”, a dark and scary monk similar to the ‘bogeyman’ in the collective imagination.
The De Vita Family
With the arrival of the De Vita family, I was renovated. During the work, old school vouchers dating back to the 1950s and a glazed ceramic vase were found, evidence of the families who lived there after the school was moved. Today, they are home to Matteo and his little brother Marco, together with their mother Lacry, father Riccardo, great-grandparents Michele and Concetta, and grandparents Modesto and Giuseppina.
A Future of Harmony and Love
Today, as then, the harmony and love that reign in my walls, together with the joyfulness of the little brothers, make me alive. In the future, I hope to hear the joyful voices again in my court and to welcome and cherish future generations of the De Vita family.
Author of the drawing: Matteo De Vita, 9 years old.
Project coordinators: Domenica and Ornella Mastrogiovanni, Adele Missano.