The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-19
POPULAR EDUCATION IN ITALK.
The history o, popular oduco,,on IN Tn

The history OF popular education In Italy
! begins with her unity and regeneration under
free or rather. liberal government Up to
1852 tho nation. with tho exception OF Piedmont
had no schools for che people. II some cities
ndvillages OF the other prime qualities possessed
any, these We're placed under the direct control
OF the Government and the priesthood, and.
consequently. were rather intended to check
than TO assist the development Of the intellectual
! faculties Great stress WIS laid up on mans
| duties to the Church and TO his sovereign but,
| ms Tor his rights all means were employed to de-
stroy the notion shat he was entitled to any
Tho state OF affairs was particularly distressing
| In the realms Of the Pope and OF the Bourbon
| OF Naples In 1860 whom the revolution
changed the aspect of these portions OF Italy. it
was found that few communes had noted in
their expenditure books even tho ridiculous
| sum OF S24 as yearly salary TO an old school
| teacher. and still fewer those in which this man
often cobbler or a barber. actually taught any
thing to the few children ho collected in a gar
ret. the whole furniture Of which consisted Of
half dozen rickcty stools and as many torn
and dog cared spelling books
The first general census OF United Italy usGD
presented the most appalling results IA regards
the education Of its people The cradle OF mod
ern civilization, the mother Of learning nur-
tured seventeen million analphabctics or per-
sons ignorant of the alphabet 800. 900 males
and 100000 females The rural districts COM
prsed over thirteen millions Of the whole Com
paratiye statistics gave the following average
number Of annlphabeiics for every thousand
inhabitants according to the different provinces:
f sSeSqy and Venice S53 ss2Ga mn N. so'
Irasnrm ....." .....- - Marches SICILY, aud 92
Naturally enough. Italy was seized with a
sense Of shame. and set herself earnestly to
work to win proper place among the civilized
nations Of Europe Day and evening schools
for males and females Of all agcs were opened
everywhere as though by cnchantmcn: Every
thing was sacrificed to tho supreme nccd Of
having at once rs many schools as possible
But the treasury OF every commune Ind boon
exhausted by the Rrec1incss Of their tyrants
and subsequently by the expenses Of the wars
carried on 20 drive them from the country. Tho
authorities were compelled 10 content them
selves with the hest that could be done under
the circumstances. without being too particular
about school hygiene and comfort about salary
oftcachers and their thorough fitness for oflicr.
Although the Government did all that was in its
power to better the condition Of the new schools
it is self-cvidcnt that all tho evils Of nm imp:o-
yiscd system II education could not be donc
away with IN few years. having 10 fight chiefly
against n terrible tradition. n pnst II ignorance.
prejudice, and oppression and powerful un-
s"ruuuuous caste. tho clergy who. Jealous Of
their prcrogativcs and awnro tina, the dawn II
tho now order Of things would Tut IN end To
their severe. snty were never tired % throwing
obstacles I'm the way Of tho Government tai
events. the second census ls7l marked alrcady
a great Improvement. The average number u
annlphabci.rs for every thousand inhabitants
fen down 20 the following approximate figures;
Piedmont asn Emiia 40
I' -.'.u, Fl S-c"e'' N'v'e' and '''
Nearly two millions more Of Italy's children
know something about reading aud wr.tag.
and the Improvement has been still moro re-
markabe during the last seven years. All the
problems relating to popular edu'atIon have
been duly studied by the Government; schools
have been almost entirely freed from clerical
influence; instruction made obligatory Tor all
under ~ years Of age: the number OF coupe-
tent ami Trustworthy teachers has multiplied
hundrediold: normal schools for these are
| thriving splcndidly: museums oi instruction
and educate have been founded the lines ~
the old teachers whose only title To- recognition
was their service under the drSpntic govern
ments Of yors. growdhinner and thinner every
day The carpenter OF the village aud the
nearest bookseller are no longer the only au-
thorucs consulted whenever a school In To-
be- built school hygiene and comfort
are properly looked after. aud the day
j. not fur distant Ia which they will provo
entirely satisfactory While Tho diseases con-
trate ~ school. according 10 tho statistics
Of ls7l accounted for one-nith Of the deaths Of
schooiboys. the average Of these Is now reck-
oued at one-twelith. Teachers nre n little better
provided for Old text books have been revised
improved, and many new ones adopted more ia
keeping with the suggestions Of modern ped
aEpey. Thn programmes Of tuition embrace
/ reading. VT ting. arithmetic. the elementF 81
geometry, some notions Of civil and natural
history. and no little attention Is given to the
moral education OF children. The principle 4
mutual teaching prevails. and II /, has incon-
venicuces las also the advantage Of sumuiat-
| ing a very strong emulation among the 'chil-
dren. Many cities have also adopted the Fro
bel authorizations. The opening Of private
schools IN conformity with tho Government
programmes is greatly encouraged. The com
munes have received all kind Of encourage
meut ana assistance from tho Government par
urular.y under the Intelligent and courageous
administration OF Ministers DE Sauctis. Bonghi,
and Corrrnti. Many schools in northern and
| central Italy would On tie whole. satisfy even
the most rigid critic. But. despite all this. II
must be acknowledged grave evils yet remain
| which We cannot forhear pointing out. and
| Nhleh cdhLpt perhaps, Dc Wholly tfuul'dtri
until the old general ons have passed away.
Section Of the law Oh public instruction
OF Jan. 7. 1861. provides that no elementary
schoo shall comprise more than seventy pupils.
| Whenever this number is exceeded. the Com
mon Council must provide another school or
| divide the existing one into classes 10 each of
which shall be assigned separate room and n
particular teacher Seventy children closetod
! for six hours in a room. however spacious. UNI
der the yigilancc Of a single teacher are already
| too many for the instruction. dscip Inc and by
giene not TO be at stake. II is n wonder II the
! end FIR which the school II instituted can be mt
| tanned 10 any degree. Bnt wcro even this eys-
TEN followed out. tho res u might he toloral lr.
| No matter what the number OF pupils mny be.
many cities and vingcs 81 southern Italy Will
not hear of additional expenses for the object
OF opening new schools and increasing the
number Of teachers And while. on ono side.
the consoing awakening 10 the duty Of instruct
ing themselves Is. In many cities and villages.
well illustrated by the crowds Of children who
simultaneous - a a rppietpr a the ,.lppl rolls