The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-03-29
Letter from II. B. Dewey.
Sienna. ITALY. March

schools. unlike our huieit"h HrhooH'
there are no large central buildings with
seating capacity OF several hundred-at
least not for the primary school Before
entering The open door listened for
smomeut at the entrance The noise was
worse than ward caucus, but this Is char
acteristic not alone Of Italian schools In
the room. which was large and well VEN
tilated, were seated sixty boys two and
teachers. both men and both wearing their
hats. The boys were bareheaded and many
barefootcd. In Italy the boys and girls are
educated separately. [ did not visit the
girls school Mt the other end of rhe old
monastery, which the present government
has suppressed. The school was fairly we'll
supplied with charts those pertaining to
physiology being especially good. The
snaps were somewhat antiquated. l was
surprised to find that the Columbia river
Nlad shifted its course about 500 miles since
q crossed ON the 3Oth of last December;
Oregon was located In the Rocky noun
Gains, in the vicinity of Denver; the only
cities rwest OF the Mississippi were San
Francisco and Salt Lake; the only one of
.of the great lakes that warranted name
was Huron"
The exercise that was conducted during
my visit If an hour seemed to be n combi-
nation of mental arithmetic and writing.
When it was completed l asked one of
Sshe boys to show me his copy book and in
an instant the entire class Of twenty had
gathered around l pronounced them all
~'oltimO" much to their satisfaction and my
relief. The boys recite from their seats
which are long rows OF wooden benches
without backs; the teachers sit at raised
desks at the sides of the ROOM facing each
other but not the pupils. just before clos
= ing the school, the boys sang, repeated their
prayers, accompanied by the sign of the
cross and the moment the ''permisso" was
given ran out to the play ground.
learned from "the MASTER" as the chief
teacher is called, that school was maintained
five days iulihe week, Sunday and Thurs
day being holidays, and that the school day
was four and one-half hours long. The
school age is from five to twelve. after
which they are sent to 1.-THE college," prob
ably high school. The master receives
200 lire ($40) per month; compared to the
remuneration in other lines or to the cost of
Lying (as the Italians live), this salary is
exceptionally good. Books, or at least some
books, are furnished free; tuition is free for
children under twelve in the public schools,
but is not free in the college, think. The
q course in the public school corresponds
roughly with the first six grades in Amer
d scan schools. Italian schools are not graded |
so far as could learn.
AT the close of school for the noon.recess |
Y went out into the play ground where the |
boys were eating their dinner All had |
wine and bread, probably score added |
cheese and half dozen meat.
One Sunday morning 1 attended mass at
the Propogaada--the real centre of cathol-
icism. AT the college of the Propaganda
are about roo students. These students
come from every part of the world and every
race is represented at the general gathering
OF the students, the whites of course largely
predominating. The common language is
Latin but nearly all speak Italian The
average age of the students is apparently
about twenty years, less rather than more.
The services were conducted by an Amerl-
elaborate, the music being, the best have
heard in any church in Rome. except st.
Peters. The chapel where the services
were conducted, Napoleon once used as
stable when in Rome.
The Propaganda building is triangular
10 Shape aid covers, perhaps, two acres.
Here the cardinals meet weekly and de-
termine questions of policy and dogma,
referring only the more important to the
Pope. The library is one of the best In
Rome and contains many OF the books that
beleng.to the first century of printing. One
,a<Asne curiosties shown visitors is copy or
the first edition of bible, printed believe
about 1850; another is book OF 200 or 800
spages, each page being in different Ian
guage or dialect, all printed at the Propo-
-ganda printing Office. Many Of their
earlier books are marvels of the ''art pre-
,servative," both in references to clearness
and quality of paper. They are usually
.sllustrated by hand, sometimes by the mas
ter painters of the 18th and 10th centuries.
The finest specimens of illumination are in
che Vatican library and are shown by the
attendants for small fee.
A day or two after my visit to the Propo-
ganda secured a permission to visit the
gprinting Office, situated in an adjacent build
ing; in connection with the printing Office
are book bindery and foundry, where is
acast all the type of every known tongue
used in the printing Office The presses
ased here seem Anticipated enough to be in
museum the fast preas, which j timed.
turns out % impressions per minute, or
1890 per hour; the other cylinder presses
about 1000 per hour; job printing is done