The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-31 00:00:00

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EDUCATION AT

1 It may not be known generally, if at all, that the
schoolmaster in his travels has penetrated even into
the eternal city. Within these few years evening
schools have been established for the instruction of the
working classes of Rome. The founders of the system
' were two citizens, whose names deserve to be honour-
ably recorded; they were Signor Michel Gigli, advocate,
and Signor Giacomo Casoglio, a poor wood-engraver.
The:instruction given consists in reading, writing, arith-
metic, and religious teaching; to each school an oratory
is attached in which the scholars collect on holydays
for religious service, and for games of exercise and di-
version. There are in Rome elementary schools besides,
in which children are taught reading and writing, leav-
ing them to follow religious duties in their parishes; but
the children are scarcely able to handle the instruments
of any occupation whatever before they leave the school,
thus leaving their moral and intellectual education quite
imperfect, and the feeble germs of good principles which
have been instilled in them are thus speedily eradicated.
Signor Morichini, in the preface to the regulations for'
the evening ichools for artisans, states that there exist
in Rome fifty -five of these schools for children; two pious
schools, one of which directed by the fathers of the faith;
three Christian schools; and many parish schools, in all,
64. Supposing each to rewive 60 individuals, the number
of children frequenting schools in Rome would be 3600.
Similar infant schools in Lombardy have been founded by
Prince Massimo de Trastevere, and the Princess Borghese.
In 1839 a subscription was opened to found four schools
for artisans, upon the system of Senors Gigli and Ca-
soglio, which required an expenditure of nearly 733
Roman crowns. In 1840 the funds collected amounted
to 8061 crowns, of which 450 were granted by the
President of the Commission of Subsidies. In the so--
count rendered for 1842, the " pious institutions " (as
they are properly and politically called), were in pro-.
greys, although not on the rapid ecale of development.
which should be desired, and which we are accustomed
toxin this country. The contributions, inclusive of 458•
crowns given by the Commission of Subsidies, amounted_
to 822 crowns ; to the four existing schools an-
other was adjoined at Ponto, and the number of the
attendant learners, engaged in 70 different pursuits, was
667. In this year Duke Caesar Cesarini founded himself
a new evening ghool, contiguous to his palace, so that,
adding it to the schools of Gigli and Casoglio, which
contained 335 pupils, Rome had eight evening schools,
receiving 1,200 young workmen. It is a remarkable
fact, that in this number are comprehended 268 orphans,
to whom this means of a common education must be
very benevolently useful. In the number of the bene-
factors of Ibis useful work must be commendably men-
tioned the Sovereign Pontiff Gregory XVI., Cardinals
Mattei, Brignole, Morichini, Rodiani ; the Princes
Borgbese and Ludovigi Boncompagni. The receipts
in 1845 were 1,068 crowns, the expenditure 1,035. The
expenses consist in rent, salaries to the guardians of the
schools and oratories, lights, paper, books, ink, pens,
&c., and other articles. The directors and masters
serve gratuitously. The expenses for six of these
schools, with three oratories, comprising the charges
before stated, amounted to 1,118 crowns, from which,
deducting 114 for the charges of the oratories, it
results that, dividing the 1,004 crowns which remain,
each of these schools costs about 167 crowns. Two
facts will concur in the extension of these schools. The
first is the foundation of a small weekly journal, published
by Senor Ottavio Gigli, son ofthe Senor Michel Gigli,who
consecrates himself to the moral education of the poor. The
journal is entitled l'Arligianello (the Little Artizan),
It gives moral, religious, and instructive lectures for
the evening religious schools, and for families. The
moral and religious part contains the recital of charitable
and religious acts and enterprises of sacred history. In
the instructive part are to be found the principles of
education, hygeian information, notions of the natural
history of technology, domestic economy, of civility,
&c. The work is done in a simple style, and with ex-
actitude of ideas in the original articles. The extracts
are taken from the most recommendable works of Pa-
rini Tecini, Cesare, Cantu de Porravicini, &c. The
work is otherwise done with discernment. The editor
has been honoured with a general suffrage in all the
Pontifical States, where he has 4,000 subscribers. He
makes generously a gift of one copy every Saturday, to,
every person frequenting the evening schools. This
plan is new, and qpite worthy of imitation ; it tends to
inculcate and spread in the minds of young pupils, the
principles of moral and religious education, which they
receive in the evening schools, and to impress the same
in their families. The second of these facts is the in-
stitution of Senor Morichini, with the most praisewor-
thy views, of a preparatory school for the instruction of
masters destined to teach in the evening schools.