Series VI: Pietro Schiavi and Shirley Messinger
Scope and Contents note
Series VI contains the letters of a young Italian, Pietro Schiavi, to his Rhode Island penpal, Shirley Messinger. The correspondence of this series is in English, not German. The letters, which date from April 1935 to January 1945, trace Schiavi's trajectory from student to soldier to prisoner of war in Germany. Schivai signs his name first as Pietro, then as Pete and Piero; he also begins to refer to Shirley as Wally. The series contains the various "gifts" that Schiavi sent - a pressed flower, photos, newspaper clippings, and a postcard book. The series also contains memorabilia from Messinger's high school and college (Pembroke) years and a manuscript, "Facts about Pietro Schiavi," which includes an inventory of "Letters Received."
Schiavi, Pietro- April 27, 1935- September 18, 1935, 1935
Box: 7, Folder: 217 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Schiavi, Pietro- February 29, 1936- December 14, 1936, 1936
Box: 7, Folder: 218 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Schiavi, Pietro- January 28, 1937- August 17, 1937, 1937
Box: 7, Folder: 219 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Schiavi, Pietro- September 23, 1937, 1937
Box: 7, Folder: 220 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Schiavi, Pietro- December 18, 1937- April 28, 1939, 1937-1939
Box: 7, Folder: 221 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Schiavi, Pietro- July 9, 1939- November 24, 1939, 1939
Box: 7, Folder: 222 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Schiavi, Pietro- December 6, 1939- January 31, 1945, 1939-1945
Box: 7, Folder: 223 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Schedule for Freshmen and Transfer Students, Pembroke College, Brown University, October 27- November 3, 1943, 1943
Box: 8, Folder: 224 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Miniature Flyer for a production of "A Foul Plot That Failed" by the G.P. Club, 1935
Box: 8, Folder: 225 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Newspaper clipping from a listing of "Society" events, undated
Box: 8, Folder: 226 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
"Facts About Pietro Schiavi," Inventory of "Letters Received," and outline of Mussolini's Life, Manuscript of Shirley Messinger, [1940]
Box: 8, Folder: 227 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Invitation and Materials for induction into the Providence Assembly, NO. 1, Order of the Rainbow for Girls- March 1937, 1937
Box: 8, Folder: 228 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Postcards depicting Abbiatgrasso, Roma, and Ethiopia, annotated by Pietro Schiavi for Shirley Messinger, undated
Box: 8, Folder: 229 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Report Cards of Shirley Messinger, 3rd Grade to High School, 1930-1940
Box: 8, Folder: 230 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Date Book ("Engagements") of Shirley Messiniger for the 1940-1 Academic Year at Pembroke College, 1940-1941
Box: 8, Folder: 231 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Dance Card for East Providence High School's Class of 1938 Senior Prom, 1938
Box: 8, Folder: 232 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
"Roma: Parte IIa," small fold-out picture book of Roman sights with brief histories of each in four languages, 1933
Box: 8, Folder: 233 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
"Algebra Notebook of Rules," handwritten by Shirley Messinger on small, spiral memo pad, undated
Box: 8, Folder: 234 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Badge for East Providence High School, undated
Box: 8, Folder: 235 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Pennant for East Providence High School, undated
Box: 8, Folder: 236 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Charms awarded to Shirley Messinger for "Service" and "Petitions", undated
Box: 8, Folder: 237 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Daily Planners of Shirley Messinger, 1941-1943
Box: 8, Folder: 238 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Remington, Pearl M.T. (Assistant Superintendent for the Department of Public Schools, East Providence, RI)- letter of congratulations on finalist standing in the Good Citizen Pilgrimage competition, 1940
Box: 8, Folder: 239 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
Photo of Pietro Schiavi's brother, "where we go to bathe", undated
Box: 8, Folder: 240 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)
