, 1874-10-18
THE REVIVAL OF ITALY.

@~~N'-e ~A~@~>~A.A1~s"~ E-~-sN- ---- ~~---
country in Europe. Compared With her, other
nations nae at rest. Her statesmen are resolved
to renew her face entirely; to ban,sh from her,
forever, tbe medinval spirit which has for CEN
lures fingered about her. National unity had
long been the aspiration OF Italian attots.
They have obtained it. But the causes which
har urged them to seek national unity have
prompted them also to endeavor to impress an
ent ew character on their country. This.
they So long ago. they could effect only by OBJ
tanning control Of public education !; and thoy
have accordingly been endeavoring to bring
about complete revolution in their systcm OF
public instruction. Tho difficulties in the way
OF such a reformation were, and are, immense.
Italy had long been broken up into several
small States. Each State had its own system of
education. Then. again, what schools there
wero, especially those for tho education Of the
lower classes, wero entirely under the cont'ol Of
tho clergy When the doctrine OF the separation
OF Church and State began to obtain, and to be
acted upon, in Italy, it became imperative, OF
course, to take the education Of the people out
OF the hands Of the clergy.
In18G5, there were. in Piedmont and Lombardy.
$50 males in every 900 who could nether read
nor write. In Tuscany the proportion was 40
to every 1000. In Naples and Sicily it was 8o2
in every 1000. Among the females the case VAS
much worse. In every 1000 Of the female sex
in Lombardy and Piedmont there were $50 who
could neither read nor write. Tie women Of
Nipples and Sicily we're nearly al illitorate. o.
par cent Of them never having had the advan-
tages OF education. The number Of schools to
the population was lamentably small. In the
most favored place there Was but one school to
overv 52l inhabitants. In Naples and Sicily the
number OF Inhabitants to school was 2>45i. In
Piedmont aud Lombardy only one-thirteenth Of
the children Of echool~ase went to school; in
Naples and Sicily only one-6eventy-th'rd! Mat
ters, however, are improving. Since the publ
cation OF the report from which these figures
arc taken, the number OF schools in all Italy has
increased prodieiously. In 1862, there were
%, 400 schools in the country. Ten years late-
there we're 1880. Tho increass in attend
nuce kept pace with the increase Of
schools. Tho number Of children in attendance
w.a, in 1861. 8ol, 400; in 1872, 1.717,s51. There
are 4oo, 900 childron attending the night schools
alone. Great opposition waH made to the ex-
clusiou Of religious teachiug from the schools !;
but it Was carried as logical consequence Of
the separation OF Church and State. There has
been considerable discussion about making
education compulsory. But II that measure
we're carried into effect there would not be room
in the schools for one-half the children. It is
estimated that there arc in tho country 1000 600
children Of school-going ago. Compulsion
would DO absurl 80 long as there Is not school
accommodation for half that number.
It would aeem that the " school-mArm N
is becoming as popular in Italy as in
America OF 1o4 normal schools established
By tho Government, 81 are for young
women aud 40 for young men. In the e1an1ina-
tions in these institutions the girls stand
uniformly higher than the men. This is, in
part, e.plainable by the fact that these young
women are very ambitious to obtain situations
III 16aCu016t WA1t6 tAo JoA0E A4VA VI At0'ts AAA'
those OF our own country, prefer other and more
lucrative fields Of activity.
Italy ie supplied with numerous schools for
higher education. The courBe OF studies COM
binos the classical anu the scientific branches
The famous old universities OF Italy still
live, but tho theological faculties have
been abolished since 1870. The abolition Of the
ologicd studies had indeed become necessity.
In all the universities the number OF theological
students had dwtndled down to twenty-four,
while the number OF Professors was twenty
seven
Looking at tho present educational condition
Of Italy. there Is still much to be desired. Her
schools are neither ~ numerous nor as good as
her interests demand. Looking, however, at
what has been done in ten years, the country is
to be congratulated Should the land be blest
with peace for few more decades, there is every
prospect that Italy will have system OF schools
which will compare favorabiy with that OF any
European country. Germany, perhaps, excepted.
Tho following official statement Of the condi-
ton and wants Of the Newsboys' Homo is made