BOLZANO. “School was a mission for him. A place of emancipation and civil growth. He took part in all the class councils, which meant dozens of meetings a year. And, what was particularly appreciated, he knew his students one by one. This explains why he was so loved by his students and highly esteemed by his colleagues”. This is how Carlo Bertorelle remembers Carlo Runcioa lifelong friend, who passed away yesterday morning at the age of 77, which he celebrated on August 20. The secular funeral will be held in the farewell chapel at 11 am on Tuesday, September 10.
Humanity and authority
With him, one of the historical figures of the world of Italian schools in Alto Adige is gone. He was a literature teacher in various schools including the Ipia; a trade unionist for the Cgil; a principal of the Istituto Geometri and the Torricelli scientific high school, where he ended his career in 2011. 13 years have passed since then, but the memory of Runcio is still alive in those who knew him and worked with him. Esteemed – also by the families of the boys – for his great humanity combined with a high professional level. “I am devastated – says Bertorelle -. In the space of a few days I have lost two friends with whom I shared ideals and an important part of my life: Massimo Bertoldi, also a teacher and theater critic, and now Carlo Runcio”.
Both as a teacher and as a principal, Runcio loved experimentation and aimed to innovate the traditional school system, so that it was always more in step with the times and to offer students something new and stimulating. «He was on the board of the Pedagogical Institute and had created a strong bond with a group of high-profile teachers from Bologna with whom he loved to interact. Always looking for new methods to interact with students and teachers. He was used to talking and interacting with his students, even the most difficult ones. In the belief that everything had to be done to leave no one behind». Also of deep esteem is the memory of his colleague Giorgio Delle Donne: «A great professional who lived for school and for this reason he was able to give so much to the many students who knew and appreciated him».
Liana, the love of a lifetime
He leaves behind his wife Liana Bertolini, who also taught literature at the Fermi schools for a long time; and his son Tommaso who lives in Rome. Originally from Bari, he had met the woman who would become his wife in 1976 at the university in Puglia. To be close to her, from Bolzano, he had decided to move to Alto Adige and had accepted his first substitute teaching position. Together they shared projects and passions for almost half a century. Together they lived through the most painful moments of his illness, between hopes and disappointments. “My husband – she recalls – worked so hard. School was his great passion. He gave everything and more for his students who never forgot that principal who could be reached at any time, because the door to his office was always open. Free, consistent, authoritative: he managed to leave a mark. So much so that, even years later, when former students met him, they stopped to chat and he was proud of it. It was proof that having invested so much in the school had been the best choice.” A.M.
2024-09-09 13:58:28