Western Springs' 20-year-old First Grade Student

Born in Italy in 1872, Francesco Ventresca came to America in 1891, along with a group of his fellow countrymen. Their goal was simply to find work, which led them to Chicago and, eventually, Western Springs.

While the village’s Water Tower and water mains had already been completed, he arrived in time to help install sewers down Hillgrove Avenue in Field Park. According to his autobiography, he was hired as a laborer digging ditches 10 to 15 feet deep, for which he earned $1.75 per day. He also was hired by the Village Engineer to connect water service to homes, did various odd jobs for residents, and worked for the Burlington railroad.

While he continued doing manual labor, in 1893 Francesco asked permission to enroll at Grand Avenue School. Although it took the chairman of the School Board to approve the request, he was assigned a chair in the First Grade (there were no desks large enough for him). And, since he had only a limited grasp of the English language, he used a dictionary to look up every word to prepare his homework. A fast learner, he was soon transferred to the third grade.

By 1896, he had progressed through the eighth grade and began planning the next stage of his life. While you might assume that he would attend Lyons Township High School, you would be wrong. Instead, Francesco applied for admission to Valparaiso University. There, he not only earned two degrees, he also taught foreign language courses.

After college and extensive travels in Europe, Francesco returned to Western Springs and began studying at the University of Chicago, from which he earned a Masters degree. He also studied for three years at the University of Freiberg, Germany. And, for four years, Francesco taught at the State College of Washington, during which time he traveled extensively throughout the western United States.

Prior to the outset of World War I, Francesco took the U.S. Civil Service test and achieved the highest score nationwide. He was then hired as a research translator and foreign statistician by the U.S. Navy, the War Department, and the Treasury Department. In these positions, he used his expertise in 12 different languages.

Returning from Washington to Western Springs in 1920, Ventresca began teaching foreign languages at Tuley, Lane, and Harrison high schools in Chicago. And, in his spare time, he even gave foreign language lessons to local residents. See second photo.

Francesco eventually married and raised two children here in Western Springs at 4313 Prospect Avenue. During this time, he wrote an autobiography entitled, “Personal Reminiscences”. Later, he moved to 4098 Western Avenue where, in 1954, he passed away at the age of 81.

Despite having achieved so much, Francesco never forgot Grand Avenue School. He once described it as “… the beautiful stone schoolhouse standing at the corner of Grand Avenue and Chestnut Street. It is the same school which my (future) wife attended a few years later as a first grader. It is the same school my daughter and my son have attended during the last decade. I love the place. It has played a major role in my life. It is the birthplace of my renaissance.”

Each week, the Western Springs Historical Society presents a “Blast from the Past”. To view prior stories, visit us at www.westernspringshistory.org or just click on the author’s name shown above.