Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-23
STUDENTS IN ROME
Increased Endowment of the
American Academy.
TWO GENEROUS GIFTS
OPPOSITION TO NATIONAL. INc0R-
PoRATION WITHDRAWN.
Recent Purchase Of the Villa Mirafiore
Romantic Career Of It's Former
Mistress.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

Record Herald
At the recent banquet of the Institute of
American Architects it was announced that
the American Academy at Rome had pur-
chased the Villa Miraf1ore for the use Of its
students, and that Henry Walters of Balti-
more and ]. Pierpont Morgan had each en-
dowed that institution with gifts of $1OO. 1000.
Although it was not mentioned at the time.
other gifts amounting to $4,000 have re-
Gently been received. and the directors have
assurances of further contributions which
will bring the permanent endowment up to
100000. They hope to increase 1t to a
round million, which will furnish ample
opportunities for the education of forty or
fifty students. On the same occasion
Speaker Cannon withdrew his objections
to the bill Incorporating the academy,
which has been pending before Congress
for several years. Mr.. McCleary of Mime
sofa, who has charge of that measure In
the House of Representatives. promised
that he would call 1t up very shortly, and
predicted its prompt passage, now that
the Speakers opposition was no longer to
be feared
The bill has already passed the Senate
and would have passed the House a year
ago but for Uncle joe" who thought he
scented future application for appropria-
lions on the ground that the government
WIS itiOTdily DOufu 10 SUSTAIN All lIlStllu-
ton which it had incorporated for the bene-
fit of American education. Mr.. Cannon has
had good deal of experience with such
matters and. as he describes it, applicants
for congressional favor are apt to be saints
until their bills are passed. when they rap
idly degenerate into sinners. Now that he
rs convinced that the academy has liberal
endowment and has been placed upon a
sound financial basis, he is in favor of CIV
ing 1t all the dignity and prestige that con-
gressional recognition will afford.
Three American Schools.
There are three American schools in
Rome-the American College. which is un-
der the care of the Catholic church, for the
education of priests; the American School
of Classical Studies, which is under the
care of the American Institute of Archaeol-
ogy, and is for the purpose of educating
teachers and others interested in the clas-
sizes; and the American Academy, which
was established in 1897 for the training of
artists and architects. The latter is an
outgrowth of the worlds Columbian expo
sition at Chicago and was organized at a
reunion of the artists and architects asso-
ciated with Mr.. Burnham in building 1.-THE
White City including Mr.. McKim, Mr.
Hunt, Mr. st. Gaudens. Mr.. French, Mr.
Lafarge, Mr.. Blashfield. Mr.. Millet and
others
Their purpose is to enable young Ameri-
can artists and architects who have shown
genius in our technical institutions to have
the advantages afforded by three years of
study in Rome under the best masters and
in an atmosphere that is favorable to in
spiration. and the development of their
talents. Rome was chosen as the Ioca-
ton of the school, as it had previously been
chosen for similar institutions by other
nations. The French, who are always FORE
most i'll such enterprises established their
school in Rome as far back as 1850, and
occupy the Villa de Medici, the ancestral
home of the famous family and one of the
fn1 nf fhn CIV :,
century palaces. The German school Is
attached to the German embassy and those
of Spain and England and Belgium are
under the direct supervision of the ambas-
sailors from those countries because they
are supported by their respective govern
ments and have semi-oficial character.
Thus far the American school has been
without recognition from our government
where the government takes the lead in art
science and educational matters and pro-
notes the study of art and architecture
through a cabinet minister. 1t has been
difficult to make the Italians understand
why the government of the United States
does not encourage so Commendable q
movement. Mr.. Meyer. our ambassador
has done everything to show that the
school has his sympathies and support and
at the close of last years session the King
OF Italy and the minister of education. out
Of compliment to him and the United
States. attended the graduating exercises
The school is now occupying the Villa del
FAurora, one of the famous palaces of
Rome, which has been described by many
writers. 1t was built by Cardinal Ludovsi
in the early part of the eighteenth century
is situated in a garden of two acres upon
the Pinician Hill, and commands a fas-
Gina ting view of the roofs of Rome 1t is
associated with much history and many
classical traditions and the frescoes upon
its walls are famous. One of Them repre-
senting Aurora driving away darkness and
scattering flowers in her course, has given
it The name it bears.
The Academy's New Home.
The lease of this property extends for two
years more. but the academy has recently
taken advantage of an extraordinary on
portunity to purchase permanent home
about mile and half outside the Porte
a-Pia, the Villa Mirafiore which is also ia
nous, bu, for associations quite different
from those attached to the Villa Aurora.
1t is the country palace erected by King
Victor Emmanuel as a residence for LA
Roslna, his mOrganatic wife, officially
known as Comtessa di Mirafiore. He Law
ished fortune upon this retreat He
planted groves of palms, oranges and cy-
press trees, and made garden that was
the delight of all landscape artists in Eu-
rope, in which he spent much of his time
with the woman whom italian historians
call the black thread interviewer in Victor
Emmanuefs career" He kept his horses,
Mfraf1ore started upon his hunting expedi-
tons in the campana. He would drive out
from the Quirinal Palace in Rome nearly
every afternoon and. after saluting La
Rosina, would change his garb. call his
dogs and set out for wild ride over the
fields 'N
Rosina never went to the city palace. She
never interfered in politics. The only Of
Tense she ever gave to Cavour, Sella and
the other ministers and advisors of victor
emmanuel Was her acceptance of the title
of Comtessa di Mirafiore, which the king
insisted upon bestowing upon her, and she
did that for the sake of her son. Count
Mirafiore. who has been quite prominent
figure in Italian politics, and her daughter
the Marchesa Spinola. who Is now one of
the great ladies of Rome.
La Rosina's Career.
La Rosina had an extraordinary history
She was barmaid at Turin when Victor
Emmanuel first saw her during the war
which placed him upon the throne of Italy,
and he persuaded her to accompany him in
his campaign. From that time she became
a conspicuous figure at the headoua rters