I'm interested in interviewing Chopin students from the 60s and 70s

Thu, 03/03/2011 - 3:01pm — jamfab1

My name is James Fabris.  I never attended Chopin Elementry, but I am very much interested in talking to people who did. I am currently working on a novel that is set in that community, so I am looking for someone who can give me some historical perspective.

I've done extensive research in the archives of the Chicago Tribune on the topic.  But I feel like that is only giving me a small part of the story.  I would love to be in contact with anyone who could tell me about what it was like to grow up in the Humboldt Park and West Town neighborhoods in the 1960's and 70's.  Although I am writing fiction, it is very important to me to provide the reader with an accurate protrayal of the schools and neighborhoods at that time.

I went to a high school in the Chicago suburbs from 1978 until 1982.  I lived in West Town in the 1990's, and I worked as a substitute teacher at Roberto Clemente, Welles, Andersen and Pritzker and other school.  So I am trying to understand what life was like before I got there.

If you would be interest in helping me, please reply here, or send me an email at jamfab1@hotmail.com.

Thanks,
James Fabris

Comments

Thu, 03/03/2011 - 5:00pm — jandre

  Hi James   I attended

 

Hi James
 
I attended Chopin School from 1966 and graduated in 1972. I lived at 816 N. Levitt and 2508 W. Walton St. At that time, the neighbourhood was a mix of Ukrainian, Poles, Italians and Puerto Ricans. During those years I remember the gang turf wars with Latin Kings, Latin Disciples, and PVP's (Polish gang named after Pulaski Venture streets). After graduation, I was scheduled to attend Roberto Clemente HS, but my family moved to the western suburbs the fall of 72, and I attended Addison Trail HS in Addison Illinois. What a culture shock moving from the city to the suburbs. I have since moved out of the country and now live in Canada. I have fond memories of the old neighbourhood. This past summer, I drove through the neighbourhood with my youngest daughter. She had graduated from a east coast University and I decided to drive in and show her where I grew up. To my surprise, the look and feel of the place has changed dramatically. Many of the immigrant families from my days are gone. It actually felt like an up-scale neighbourhood with young professionals.
 
Please feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss the neighborhood more.
 
Regards
 
Jerry Andre