Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-05-15
Correspondence Of the Free Pres,
Letters From Europe.
NO. XVIII.
Roman Education.

A great spirit of emulation is excited In the
scholars Their discipline and progress is founded
on Emulation. They have frequent discussions
aud exercises in which they form parties and take
sides. There 10 sort Of throne on which Is Gated
to preside over the discussion, the one who car
ried of the palm at the last discussion. Each par.
| ty has its flag In the school where was-and
perhaps In oil others-the two parties were the
party of Rome and the party of Carthage, and the
| banners of those two hostile nations waved over
their respective parties during the contest. The
successful party takes the flag of its adversary
and plants it as trophy beneath its own. The
flag is party-trophy-is awarded to the best par
ty, and there is cross Of honor which is worn for
three or four days as individual honor by the
best ofthe best party, who also presidcs the
| throne at the next contest-which is different
| contest with construction of parties There
are also examinations during the year in all the
schools, at which ascertaincd the few very best
scholars in each school aud these chosen few once
year meet and undergo grand examination in
the presence Of the patrons, visitors of the schools,
the chiefs of the order, the friends Of education
and the dignitaries of the church, grand occa-
sion. The examination is by examination papers
have gold and silver medals for specific merit. At
my request | was presented with the prize pro-
ducton in Arithmetic Of Orcstc Bcncibcnga, a
lad Of fifteen years for which he received the first
silver mcial-and the prize production in PEN
manship of Tclcmaco Wight, aged Thirteen, for
which he received the third medal for pcnmanship
bring them with mo to America as mcmonto,
and here add my Transatlantic voice in praise of
the exceeding correctness and beauty of the pro-
ductons.'
lie who cxccs all his competitors in this grand
test of progress and merit, is made Emperor Of
the Christian Doctrine and for a short period hc
Is second in honor in Rome. lie is presented to
the Pope, and is the only individual in Rome ex-
cept his Holiness who has the freedom of the Pa
pal Palace to come and go he pleases. Armed
from the Papal service stand at his
fathers door to do his bidding and to wait upon
him, and a carriage from the Pope with servants
in the papal livery take him to and fro where and
whittier he desires to 60 This lasts, If l remember
80 days. The last Emperor of the Christian doct-
rine was the son Of
A poor cobblcr that lived in stall,
Which served him for parlor and kitchen and ALL
And there at his humble door for the appointed
period stood the papal servitors; and there the
papal stecds pranced and champed their bits, and
little Crispin moved in state while his poor father
hammered the soles and drew his cord and sung
his Italian shoemaker's songs with all fathers
pride and all cobbler's humility. For this |
have not the authority of the teachers, but it was
rclNed to me by an intelligent and most respect
able and devout Roman Catholic citizen Of New
York, whose faith and whose wealth and position
at home secured for him civilties and honor. at
Rome of which he was justly proud.
In addition to these schools there are twelve or
more night schools Of some 60 or 10 scholars zach
which are also free. They are supported by
private contributions.
There is another class Of educational institutions
of which visited but one-l sort Of charity in.
dustral school Of these | have nothing like sta
tistcs. The one which l visited, san Michele, il
certainly remarkable establishment 1t ha:
several hundred benefciaries from little children
all the way up to middle life. conversed with one
woman making silk belts watch ribbons who had |
been there % years. 1t is a great school Of
religion and letters AMI industry and factory Of
various works of useful and fine art. We looked /
through it with much interest They are fed on the
painest fare and all the arrangem, nts are on the
lowest level of expense. | was curious enough to |
ask one of the matrons what was her salary. She
said besides her living twelve dollars. was told .
hat while all its benef,iarics are the children |
of poverty and want, still the advantages Of being
here arc so desirable, that without being exceed
ngly devout and faithful catholics and securing .
powerful interest besides it is impossible to gets
child there.
These long details may not be intcrc ting to .
you or your readers, but you will agree with me
think, when say that they give an idea of the .
extent character and scope of Romln Catholic /
education for the masses, which could not be so
well presented in any other manner in let
ter. How different in all these particulars from
the American system of public and popular cdu-
cation l remember to have asked Ko.su'h if cd
ucaton in Hungary was free or burlcucd with .
heavy charges. His reply was in substance that
education was free enough, such as it was ; that
it was IN tho hands Of the Catholics, and wa
therefore intensely Catholic So it seems to be in
Rome; so it must continue to be. But while
we are bound to say that the provision for educl-
tion in Rome is much inferior, very much infcr-
or, to the provision in most Of our States, it il also
superior to that Of some of our States which ars
the most intensely Protestant | was told by some
Of these teachers that there were but few Of the
Roman people that could not read and write. | was
however, told by other Italians quite the reverse
| had no means to verify these statements. We
shall be certain to do injustice to the Romans if
we judge them in this particular by comparing the
number who attend school with the population Of
the city. do not know what proportion the chill
a., ul..Ia