"Our goal is just to make sure we promote Italian language and culture," he said.
A native of Italy, Tatta, 70, came to the United States as a teenager. Even while becoming fluent in English, he made a point of keeping his Italian language skills sharp.
He became a teacher and soccer coach at the Haverford School, and more than 20 years ago, the mother of one of his students asked him to start offering Italian classes at the Main Line School Night. He has been teaching Italian ever since, and many of his students stay with him for years to hone their skills.
"They can carry on a conversation with anybody," he said proudly.
Tatta said he tells his students they are "so fortunate" that they already speak English because, as he knows, "it's a very difficult language to learn."
Italian is far easier to pronounce than English, he said.
"You always struggle with pronunciation, no matter how many years you've been here," said Tatta, who speaks with a slight accent.
Tatta said most of his students want to learn Italian because they plan to visit Italy, and he said he enjoys hearing their travel stories when they return.
But he said many students of Italian heritage take his classes because "they are proud of their heritage and are going back to their roots."
Other students "just want to learn Italian because it's a beautiful language" or want to keep their minds sharp by learning a new skill, he said.
Tatta said he cautions students not to become discouraged when starting Italian.
"We like to have things done yesterday, but it doesn't work that way in a language," he said. "You can't gauge your progress after three or four lessons."
Tatta said that nearly half of the members of Il Circolo are not actually Italian.
"They just love Italian history, the arts, the food," he said. He added that many of the club members are of retirement age, although he hopes to attract some younger members.
Alexander Bruno, another native of Italy, is a neighbor of Tatta's in Wayne and one of the founders of Il Circolo.
"This is a terrific organization. I feel quite strongly about it," he said. "And Joe is a terrific fellow. He puts his heart and soul into it."
Contact suburban staff writer Wendy Walker at 610-701-7651 or wwalker@phillynews.com.
Snapshot
Joe Tatta
Residence: Born in Italy, he came to America after World War II. He lives in Wayne.
Education: B.A. in history, Eastern University; M.A. in political science, University of Pennsylvania.
Family: He and his wife have four children and six grandchildren.
Occupation: He worked at the Haverford School for almost 40 years, retiring in 1995. He taught history and Latin and coached soccer.
For information:
Il Circolo Italiano of the Main Line meets the first Wednesday of each month at the Woodlynde School, Upper Gulph Road, Strafford. Membership is $25 per year. To learn more, contact Tatta at 610-688-7979.
