The Historic Club Schio teaches automobile history at school
How were cars made at the beginning of world motorization? What has the socio-economic development of such a fundamental means of transport for human life entailed? A meeting organized by the Venetian Club explained certain questions and many others to teenagers in a high school
The Historic Club Schio from near Vicenza (Italy) welcomed the idea of the State Professional Institute G. B. Garbin in Schio to hold a cultural meeting aimed at integrating the knowledge of the students of a Motor Evolution training course. On Friday February 25th, the conference was held outside the school on the history of the first car on the road in Italy – a Peugeot Type 3 – and on the evolution of the vehicles that we now define as “historic”. The speech then touched on issues such as the connection between the excellence of Schio industry and crafts over time, also focusing on the now secular activity of the Rossi family, important textile entrepreneurs famous for the Lanerossi Vicenza brand. Alessandro Rossi, descendant of the family and president of the Historic Club Schio, told the students of the Institute about the development of the automobile, which in over 120 years has brought about revolutionary changes in the economy and customs of humanity. As an elitist vehicle, the car was sold on a large scale thanks to the invention of the assembly line and then refined through competitions and become increasingly reliable and performing. The conference had as its theme the evolution of the planet’s motorization, starting even from the beginnings of motor locomotion, when the chauffeur had to worry about repairing and keeping the car clean, to the annual servicing we are used to today.
What better occasion, then, than to “go back to school” to celebrate the artisanal and industrial avant-garde of the territory by telling, through the progress of a vehicle which was initially for a few, the consequent social and cultural influences that have been achieved? The conference made it possible to exhibit some classic cars belonging to the Club members, who enthusiastically joined. What about them, the students? At first they seemed hesitant, then they got involved and asked numerous questions. More than 140 years after the construction of the first car and 130 after the circulation of the first “car” in Italy, this means of locomotion continues to unite people and to represent the freedom to move, to visit the world and learn about history. A series of purposes that also make up the mission of the Historic Club Schio, which combines the history and technical knowledge of historic vehicles with the enhancement of the local territory and culture. And making people aware of the preservation of the motoring heritage maintained to this day means making them aware of how much it is an integral part of our very identity. To ensure that it is appreciated and treasured also tomorrow.
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