Old School

No trace of school buildings on the map Napoleonic Cadastre and in the medieval estimates.

At the time of Kingdom of Italy lessons for the few privileged children, that is those not engaged in the fields by farming families, were carried out in a private room near the Village entrance arch, where there was also the “Town Hall of Rivalta Trebbia.” *

In the area corresponding to the “Old School” instead, a short distance along the road to Piacenza, there was a “Waters Little House”, small protection rural building of the well, of much more ancient origin.

The real history of the school started in 1931, when after years of projects and research, the Municipality allocated the funds necessary for the construction of a building specifically to the basic education of the local population.

The area where stood the old “Waters Little House” was chosen for the building of new location, with a classroom for pupils from first to third, one for the fourth, the canteen with wood oven * on the premises of the basement and the accomodation of two teachers on the first floor.

These led life and activities of the school working very hard: teaching all school subjects by combining different classes during the day, held literacy classes for adults in the evening and looked after administration of property and the school’s resources.

The project of ’31 also led to the expansion of the water well, for the benefit of the school and the village inhabitants, up to then forced to draw water from the Trebbia river with big butts.

The nearby Village was so finally provided drinking water, supplied by a public source in the small main square.

Since 1938 the sons of large families, of women who worked in the rice fields and recruited fathers were received in “Climatic Summer Camp of Trebbia”, a free summer holiday with games and educational activities outdoors. *

Born in the nineteenth century on the initiative of Red Cross and only then maintained and diffused by the fascist regime, the experience of the colony represented for many the first opportunity for recreation and discovery the area.

Despite the strong ideological connotation in fact, hiking, bathing in the Trebbia, the visits to the Village and activities in School’s premises, helped to undermine a stubborn social context, of feudal origin, in which children were simply a resource having no rights, destined for seasonal work in agriculture and breeding.

Passed the Second World War school activity regularly continued for more than a decade.

The well-being brought by the reconstruction, the economic and demographic boom that made the sixties a period of strong growth and social renewal, in the area resulted in a considerable increase in holiday houses and residents from the nearby town of Piacenza.

This profound change led to the cession of the small rural school buildings such as that of Rivalta, which were replaced in the main provincial capitals, well-connected by Schoolbus. The School, offered for sale after thirty years of service, thuse became private residence.

Only recently the great hall of the ground floor that once housed children of primary school came back to life thanks to the intervention of the Association “Il Grumo”.*

Conferences linked to tourism development in the area, historical research, concerts and cultural activities have returned to the building status of point of reference and social laboratory which has always boasted, during its hundred-year history.

Interest in environmental issues, new forms of responsible and sustainable tourism in the end led to the opening of a small Bed and Breakfast, particularly appreciated by international travelers, cyclists and lovers of Italian food.