Chosen Families #28: The Story Camille B. (Contello) Cimino: The Power of Education - RETURNED
Hello everyone! Welcome to the The Chosen Families Project, whereby I return photographs and heirlooms to relatives!
Recently, while looking through a Goodwill location local to me in NJ, I was able to find a school autograph book. At first, I saw the small red booklet on one of the glass display cases, and wasn’t sure what it was.
Once viewing the book itself, I found some identifying information. The book is red with gold embossing and the name Camille on the front of it. A zipper goes around the outside of the book outer cover. Inside, it noted who the book belonged to. It belonged to a young woman named Camille Contello, who attended the Memorial School, noting her principal as a Miss Donahue and her graduating teacher as a Mrs. Katimsky. Her graduation date was on the 21 June 1954.
Inside Camille writes of the autograph book:
There are notes of well wishes from her mother as well as many of her classmates and acquaintances. There is a page for photographs of herself and her parents, but no photographs were included unfortunately.
After some research, I was able to identify the young woman as Camille (Contello) Cimino, and was able to contact one of her step-children to send the autograph book back to.
Here is Camille’s story:
Camille Contello was born in 1940 in Passaic, New Jersey to parents Arthur and Mary (Paradiso) Contello. Her father Arthur Contello was born on 23 May 1909 in New Jersey, her mother Mary Paradiso was born on 20 Nov 1904. Arthur worked as a clerk for the Whelan Drug Company and later working for the Board of Education. He married Mary Paradiso on 11 Nov 1934 in Passaic, New Jersey at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. An article from the 12 Nov 1934 from The Herald News from Passaic, New Jersey details the marriage.
12 Nov 1934 | The Herald News
The couple had Camille’s sister, Mary Ann in 1939. The family resided at 189 Burgess Place during Camille’s childhood between 1940 & 1950, the same address as where Arthur’s mother had resided in 1934.
Returning to the school book, I had identified that she had graduated in 21 June 1954 from the Memorial School. After some research, I was able to positively identify that she was an attendant at the Memorial Junior High School in Passaic, New Jersey. An article published a month earlier on the 13 May 1954 from The Herald-News notes a class trip where Camille was in attendance.
I want to highlight some of the notes left here by her mother and her classmates, which provide a glimpse of what it was like to be a Junior High School student during the early 1950s. What I found absolutely fascinating was the most of her classmates left her sweet messages that were written as poems for well wishes in Passaic High School. I am only including few here, as well as a note from her mother, Mary. One of my favorites is a section that is folded over that is for “Women Only”. When opened it notes “Aren’t Men Curious.” I am also included the Memorial Junior High School class cheer from 1954 that Camille noted.
Note from Camille’s mother, Mary
Following Junior High School, Camille attended Passaic High School, and later graduated from Montclair, New Jersey in 1961 with a Bachelors in Business Education. Her career work focused on being a guidance counselor and teacher, starting as early as 1965. According to an article in the The Herald News, Camille took a course for the Bell Telephone Company, beginning her work as a guidance counselor while continuing to teach 3 classes a day.
21 Aug 1965 | The Herald News
Throughout her life, Camille would work as a guidance counselor for Clifton High School and later retired as a Director of Guidance from Lakewood High School. I located some articles regarding Camille’s work as a guidance counselor, with some including photographs of Camille.
17 Sep 1984 | The Herald News
16 Nov 1985 | The Herald News
On the 9 of March 1981, her father passed away at the age of 72. Her mother Mary would pass away a few months later on the 6 May 1981. Both of Camille’s parents are buried in the Glendale Cemetery in Bloomfield, NJ.
Their headstone and obituaries are included below:
8 May 1981 | The Herald News
10 Mar 1981 | The Herald News
Camille would marry her husband Jack Cimino in 1988. Her and her husband had resided in Point Pleasant during the rest of the lifetimes. Her husband Jack would pass away in 2020. Camille would pass away 12 Dec 2022, leaving behind step-children and grandchildren. I am so happy to be able to honor her legacy, and send this amazing memento back to one of her relatives!
If you have any questions or comments please contact me at thechosenfamiliesproject@gmail.com
