Re: Roseto
Not quite the same, but the social aspects and warmth. I have strong recall of ages 3 to 15... 1940-1954, living in a Roseto type neighborhood. A textile town, where most worked in mills at one time or another.
I believe that I/we knew just about everyone with a 3/4 mile radius. Mixed Protestant, Catholic,Scotch, English, Irish, French, German. Single homes, and tenements mixed.
No self identification of rich, poor, or any thought of a social ladder. Hard working, many children and a general sense of community whereby, for kids anyway, every adult male or female was a mother or father for each and every kid. (Do something wrong and expect to be spanked by someone else's mother...plus the spanking waiting when you got home.)
The old, sick and senile were kept at home.
Comfortable, safe, non competitive and above all nurturing. A neighborhood in the very best sense of the word.
Any "downs" suffered by any family were lifted by the community as a whole... Loss of job, serious illness, or financial problems met by friends and neighbors.
The local "pubs" played a big part for the men of the community. A few beers after work was the norm. Made for a healthy relaxed friendship among the males in the community.
We (bride an self were childhood sweethearts) have stayed in touch with many childhood friends, and we all agree that it is not just looking through rose colored glasses, but a very close feeling of warm friendship.
Can't speak to the health aspects, but a neighborhood that encouraged community, self worth, and companionship. Part of the coming together may have been the sense of patriotism brought on by the shadow cast by WWII. Every person was aware of the "boys" "over there".
