Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-19
italian Girls Trades.

The Oldest italian training school
for girls is in Rome, and was establish
ed as long ago as 1876. 1t has 900 at
tendant scholars. and many more are
waiting to join when it moves from the
large old plaza. which it overfiows,
into still larger premises. AS soon AS
their elementary education is COM
girls begin to attend these schools.
They are mainly the daughters of
workpeople, poor but, though there is
often actual want in the homes, Ital-
ian parents are full of foresight and
capable of making every sacrifice to
enable their girls to stay on at school
for three. four and even six years, so
as to insure for them a thoroughly
efficient education. The schools are
set on foot by the municipalities and
aided by grants Those who can afford
to pay fee amounting to GO cents q
month, while the schools do a large
share toward their own support. They
have influential clienteles among the
rich people of the towns Many great
ladies take the warmest interest in the
work carried on, give steady employ
ment and are weekly visitors; but,
with the fact in view that hundreds Of
girls so out every year to taks up the
grades taught-about 400 in Rome
alone-great care is exercised not to
lower prices, which, indeed, are rather
above the market level. The scholars
can buy their meals at cost price, and
dinners are provided by many of the
patronesses, including Queen Margher-
tia, for those who are too poor to pay.
Certain studies are compulsory. At
first one is surprised to find that a
certain technical standard of drawing
is included among these, but it has
been found that knowledge of draw
ing quickens the observation, trains
hand and eye and refines the individual
as no other study does. Cooking and
the less elaborate kinds of needle work
are likewise compulsory. Among the
optional subjects are embroidery and
lacemaking, languages, laundry work
and ironing, artificial flower making,
courses in book keeping, and CONNER
cial arithmetis dress making, and sick
nursing. Many girls take up several
of these courses, and as the classes are
changed every two or three hours,
there is no monotony. 1t will be no.
ticed that music is not included. Musfc
is too serious a business in an ltal-
ian's eyes to be undertaken without a
special gift, and special facilities are
available in other places. The hours
are from 8 a. M to p M, with an
interval for dinner. The class rooms
are large and airy. and the white linen
overalls which the pupils wear give
an air of order and uniformity. The
truly striking part Of these institu-
tions Is the excellence of the work
shown, and the perfect mastery over
their material acquired by young girls
Of from Is to 81. Such embroideries
as they habitually execute could hardly
be seen in this country out of schools
of art. These school girls are drawing
designs, copying ancient brocades In
a manner indistirguishable from the
originals, working bed hangings for a
royal palace, or gorgeous investments
in gold or coral and seed pearls for
ecclesiastical dignitaries, the silks fol
which are all dyed on the premises
Drawing is taught for purposes of de-
signing with every care to encourage
originality, geometrical drawing, black
and white and fashion drawing for L.
Illustrated journals, and high leve
of excellence is eXacted. In the arti.
fetal flower room the work done could
hold its own against the finest pro-
auctions of French fingers. In another
room all the old laces are reproduced
The fine passementeries and trimmings
used in the dress making department
are made in the schools, silk vests AM
stockings are knitted by machinery
while mending is elevated to the ranl
of fine art, and patches are inserted
in torn garments which are literally
Invisible.
The wrecking Train.