Colonia Alpina San Marco: Historical notes

" In December 1924, Colonia Alpina San Marco was described by Angelo Salvadori in a monthly magazine of the municipality of Venice as "One of our nicest institutions". He also said "its aim is that of sending poor, healthy but frail, children who have had members of their family affected with tuberculosis to alpine areas during the summer and autumn months. They are sent to these areas with the intention of reinforcing their bodies with good climate and to contribute to their physical development and their moral education".

The foundation of the institution dates back to the summer of 1898 thanks to the work of the headmaster Davide Benassi, the lawyer Augusto Fenoglio and the support of the League of teachers who worked to raise funds that would allow 40 children to stay in Feltre for 33 days.

At Feltre the institution continued to operate until the construction of the current headquarters of Norcen, which was completed in 1907. The headquarters of Norcen of Pedavena, located on the hill with the same name, is made up of three buildings. The main building facing southwest, which receives sun from dawn to sunset and which has a yard with trees, suitable for the children to play in, exercise and relax. In a document dated 1924, it is shown that "Special care was used in the construction away from the water and waste materials in order to fully guarantee the wholesomeness of the buildings". The Colony suspended its activity during the First World War. The buildings were in fact used as a military hospital. The Institution however assured that a good number of needy children could stay in health resorts of Florence and Modena. In 1919 the gates of the Colony reopened and 50 children were admitted that summer. Colonia Alpina "San Marco" enjoyed the patronage of the Queen Mother Margherita of Savoy and was awarded a silver medal at the World's fair and the Brussels International fair in 1910 with a Diploma of Honour at the International Social-Hygiene fair in Rome in 1912. Already in 1924, there was support of the idea that an asylum be established for "children who were more susceptible to sickness in Venice for reasons stemming from poverty and who lived in a precarious situation from a health, hygiene and nutrition point of view" and that this asylum be active all year-round, in order to bring up fragile Venetian children in a state of attention and care that separated them from the danger of contagion. The primary school started in the early thirties: almost all of the poor students from the municipal schools of Venice who applied for schooling in this institute were chosen. The stay at the Colony was adjusted so that the children could get the most benefit. The Venetian population appreciated summer and school activities and there are many testimonies. The benefits of natural air therapy with scalable walks to accustom the body to the development of new energy were supplemented by exercise, breathing exercises and outdoor rest on the lawn. Definitely interesting is the practice of recording the weight of children at their arrival and their departure. Seen from the documentation that is still available today, the summer stay that was on average a month per stay, lead to an average growth of two kilograms in the children of 11-12 years of age with peaks of up to five pounds. The diet of the children was studied in order to meet the body's physiological need of the children. The food, based on a large dose of milk (about a quart for every child every 24 hours) and on an almost daily ration of meat complemented by vegetables, jams, flour products and bread in abundance: this was considered overeating for almost all the children. Naturally, even during the summer months, education and reading was encouraged. A small but very interesting library was formed, and it is still preserved today. "The children wear a nice uniform of simple material that is washable. They institute gives the children this uniform before they leave Venice. When they return to the city there faces bear the obvious signs of vigour and well being that they acquired in the healthy air of our Alps". The school activities did not stop after the Second World War and continued until the mid-seventies. Thereafter, the institution was used for summer holidays. Since 1985, attention is also paid to the elderly of the city. Summer holidays for the elderly were organized until 2007.