Biography William Vitarelli




1 biography

1.1 life
1.2 vitarelli v. seaton
1.3 trust territory employee
1.4 retirement





biography
early life

vitarelli born on october 21, 1910 in new york city s greenwich village parents of italian ancestry. gained interest in woodworking; attending 4 years of college earn certification teach high school shop. during college years, attended newark teachers college, columbia university, temple university, , university of pennsylvania (1938–44). attended columbia university teachers college , studied community development , architecture, earning doctoral degree in 1953.


vitarelli v. seaton

vitarelli joined trust territory of pacific islands (ttpi) , employed teacher on koror. fired in 1954 during mccarthy era on loyalty-security grounds. accused of associating alleged supporters of communist party usa, reading communist publications, , being member of socialist american labor party. took before u.s. supreme court in case vitarelli v. seaton. vitarelli won case after two-year battle , returned micronesia in previous position @ ttpi.


trust territory employee

in 1948, ttpi assigned vitarelli island of palau community development , education specialist. arrived on palau in november 1949 , helped roman tmetuchl organize workers strike raise locals wages. 1951 1954, vitarelli worked on various community projects. established palau s first saw mill , first food markets; initiated boat building project , built small furniture factory; , started island s first community fair , dance festival.


vitarelli s personal views put him @ odds government. wanted palauans become self-sufficient, ttpi wanted focus on improving micronesia–united states relations. nevertheless, established community schools replaced japanese 3 rs educational model deweyism. in 1962, ttpi assigned vitarelli architect , project coordinator in accelerated elementary school program (aesp), project costing on 1 million dollars. wanted have local palauans build schools , houses under program. ttpi rejected these plans, insisting locals not meet project s physical specifications. result of conflict, ttpi transferred vitarelli headquarters in saipan. while on saipan, vitarelli used local bayogo seeds create bo jo bo wishing doll upcoming arts festival. these traditional-style dolls still sold on saipan today.


vitarelli worked 2 years in late 1960s ttpi s district administrator representative on ebeye island. organized development projects including school programs, youth corps, , community garden. talked reporters life magazine banned ebeye, angered island s officials. vitarelli warned island s commander future outbreak of gastroenteritis. when outbreak occurred, tried assist in getting islanders hospital care. in 1968, spoke out against saw u.s. military s indifference marshallese workers.


retirement

vitarelli retired ttpi in 1970. became vice president research , development @ university of guam. in 1974, tried working modekngei leaders build religious high school. however, disagreed these leaders after accepted financial endowment californian foundation.


vitarelli , family moved hawaiian island maui in 1976 , lived in haiku. devoted time designing , building homes, farming, , writing. died on january 19, 2010 , buried @ sea off of maliko bay boat ramp. johnson toribiong, president of palau @ time, called five-day period of mourning , remembrance rubak vitarelli.








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