New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-27
A NOBLE LIFE.
A TRIBUTE TO MRS. BLISS GOULD.


pour-rrICuISG BOYs THE PRINTING TRADE.
irRoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRtBUSEi
RoMr. Nov S.-During the past summer,
while we were all away from Rome, the death occurred
Of one who could he III spared as any indViuua' Oh
cur little English and American colony On tine SisD VI
August Mrs Gould, the wife Of the physician 10 inc
American legaon died at Perugia, to which city she mad
heen removed but short time before the fatal tcrmna
ton of her long Illness Emily Bliss Gould was person
Known TO so large circle bothin Autobiography IN
Hew-York-and in Europe, and so highly vaiued anu
respected by all who had the privilege OF her aequaht
anco that SHE should not be allowed 10 pass out OF our
ken without some word of record But 1t Is not sOcV
on such grounds that wish to DO allowed to address
n few words TO the readers OF THE TIIBu Me-
when the advent of n political order OF thhgs IN
Italy made IL possible to bring the educational ideas OF
more advanced communities 10 bear benehciay on 'he
children of which had from generation 10 genera
ton been udousy kept for centuries IN ignorance py
its lay and ecclesiastical rulers the Americans resident
IN italy came forward in very marked manner to take
immediate advantage of the new opportunities. Lay
apathy and ecclesiastical jealousy and alarm still make
Che work a very difficult and uphill one But the 40
termination not to be beaten Ia as we ali KNOW an he
can specially. And vast amount OF good wOlK mas
asspte all obstacles, been accomplished Accordingly
Mrs Gould was to great degree the founder OF
the American schools at Florence, which Under the
fostering OF Mrs Marsh the wife of the American
Minister the Italian Court and Mrs Van Ness the wire
Of the Rev Van Ness, FOR many years pastor OF inc
American congregation at Florence, have done 80 much
good But Rome mainly the scene OF Mrs 'onids
efforts The field was inviting in tho highest degree
10 ambition but at the time, as dscouragng 10 all
save OF the highest and determination For there
Che intellectual darkness was the most dark and the
hatred light the most intense IL now all but hVe
years since Mrs Gould took the work in hand ana never
once tin the day of her death did she look
back from the plOw that she iad then put
her hand 70. 1t would swell this necessarily
short notice TO a volume, were l 10 attempt
10 give ANYTHING like historical account Of the efforts
by which successive armies OF difficulties were met and
overcome by the indomitabe determination, pcrsever-
snce enel ~ and activity of her who has now been
called 10 her rest But the victory was won at the cost
Of eof life Of absolutely nceSsant labor, care ana
earnest struggle il not of-as is but too probabe-of
hfc lost cannot say, attempt to tell the story OF
Tat life and its struggles here but may at least lay
briefly before the eaders of THE TRIBUNE some state
men Of the work which Mrs Gould accomplished and OF
the mserably truncated condition i'll which 1t is now
suddenly left by her untimely death.
When effort in the direction of that to which Mrs
Gould gave her life became for the first time possible In
Rome by the deposition of the Pope Mrs. Gould was
among the first OF the courageous pioneers who sought
o. turn the possibilities 70 advantage for the dement,
of italy. In community" she writes IN her first re-
port where the men GailioS and the women big
OTIS and men and alike ignorant. IT was easy to
where our WOrh lay We must D'Slh Win 'ho VIII
dren." ON the 3lst Of December QS70 occurred the
dreadful inudation Of the Thor' the report goes on TO
saw which plunged many from comparative COM
for. into poverty and from poverty into positive Deg
gary or starvation. Hearts and purses were freely
opened that OCCASION and more so than those OF
the American and English residents OF the city 1t was
then that the vow taken the goth OF
September was renewed-the vow to begin
% labor among the children OF Rome
il seemed almost impossible 20 fnd room or teach
ers the purpose and funds were entirely wanting AT
last however. the 2Oh of MARCH, with capital OF 90
francs, and without a teacher school was opened in
10 kindly lent for the purpose by the Naudos clergy
man Three little girls were the first scholars" etc. etc.
This is not the place to tell how the work grew and pros
pered aud how the incessant and unwearied efforts OF
her who bad begun il rewarded by the abundant
and generous contributions OF friends, persuaded either
BY their personal observation, or by the trustworthy
evidence of those who had examined for themselves,
that great, good and prOtcuous work was here being
done Suffice il 10 say that at the time when Mrs
Gould was taken from the midst of her labor,
There were about 20 children in the Home" ana 30
Of the Kindergarten" Now, it is the very earnest
wish of Dr. GOuld-the only WISH indeed, which ID his
uttar bereavement he capable OF forming and
Che wish OF many OF those who witnessed the heroic
efforts AMI struggles by virtue OF which these schools
were brought into benghat they should not be allowed
perish that the precious labor which cost 50 valuable
lie should not be thrown away; bat that they should
b. permanently maintained as memorial OF that beau
ufu life Of sclEsacrHce and Devotion and of the fact
that 10 American energy and philanthropy was due the
nrst eudeayor prepare generation of Romans fitted
e. advance on tue path OF civilization. which the wonder
n destincs of the old city have opened before them
Can this he accomplished Those here who are best
acquainted with America and the American people think
that be done; and an appeal VIII be made To those
who are of the immense Importance OF the work to
be done and who have the means to help in it, to test
II ,.U 10 at
little short of cruelty 10 turn those children out who
nj present in the Home the girls especially; 10 fling
them back into the CUTTERS from which they nave been
rescued after the and teaching and decent habits to
which they have been accustomed have rendered them
even less fit to struggle with such hardshps This must
be avoided at any But that cost ought not to be left
to fall exclusively Dr. Gould who is already RESPONSE
bic for certain OF debt mot very largc-about
1000 or $500 francs) due for the expenses OF the
Home"
OF course a main object with tie founder OF the
Home" 10 put the children she had rescued into the
Nay OF earning reputable living for themselves. And
among other trades that OF printing thought Of as
one well adapted to the purpose in view. II we have
printing uress for them Mrs Gould writes in her report
for the year 1873 the boys can always he under our
personal supery sion while at work. The trade is per
ieetly healthy one By fitting. as We should know how
b do the workshop into the school, their general ineli-
gence Will be increased. Good printers will here
after be more and mere in demand in Italy, from
The constantly and greatly increasing number OF
newspapers and books issued in the country, and thus
the future OF our children will be secured" Since that
time the desired printing press has been obtained by the
Kindness Of friends home and has been for time
past in prosperous work at the "HOme" Last Winter 1t
WIS suggested that volume should be provided by the
united contributions sundry friends unaccustomcd
WELD the pen who then in the Eternal CITY, and
should be printed at the Home" IL was thought that
work of "A somewhat ambitious kind than had yet
been attempted at the " Home would thus be provided
Tor the press and edition Of such volume might
BE- sold 20 the advantage Of friends Of the establishment
The idea was II caught the bound by Ms Gould
and acted upon with her usual energy and prompude