The New York herald., 1922-05-21

New York Herald Bureau.
Rome, May 6.S
Special courses will be offered to
American students this summer by ths
Royal University of Rome as the result
OF arrang aments made by the Associa-
zione Italo-Americana. the organization
founded here two years ago in connec-
ton with the Library for American
Studies in Italy. The courses. which
will be held from July 10 to August 81.
VIII be given for the most part in Ital-
Ian, but will be specially adapted to
American students. Courses in art and
archaeology. modern history and the
economic and social development of
italy Will be given by well known pro-
fessors of the Royal university.
Opening the doors of the University OF
Rome to American students is the latest
manifestation of the intellectual friend
ship which is being built up between
Italy and America by the Associations
and the American Library Working
with the support of Ambassador Chi
and other prominent Americans, the
Associations and the Library have al
ready become force in Italy. The idea
OF the library was conceived by H. Nell
son Gay, long resident in Rome ami
an authority on the Risorgimento move
ment of the nineteenth century. With
the collaboration of Robert Perkins and
Henry Colt MacLean of the American
Red Cross. he began the movement for
founding an American center In Rome
for the development of a close under.
standing and intellectual cooperation
between Italy and America.
The trustees of the library are the
American Ambassador, Mr. Gay, MIR.
MacLean, Otto Fl. Kahn, Mr.. Perkins.
Gen. Evan M. Johnson and James
Byrne. Mr.. Byrne has spent a great
deal of personal effort IN BUILDING up
the library and is to a large extent re-
sponsible for its success.
Only One of It's Kind.
The library is the only one Of its kind
in the world. Its unique feature is the
fact that 1t exists principally for the
benefit of the country in which it is
guest. Unlike the American Library in
Paris. which was planned to serve citi-
zens of the United States living abroad,
the library in Rome was founded with a
desire to foster the good relations and
understanding of Italy with the United
States by furnishing to Italian leaders
of thought the important publications of
America
The present library includes 900
DoOhS, CHOSEN WIN IL view 10
giving Italian students an accurate idea
of American politics, economics and cul-
ture. The books are used by Americans
In Rome and also to very large extent
by the italian universities. A collection
of books on Italy has also been made for
the use of Americans here.
The library was built up from the
gifts of the Library of Congress. the
Carnegie Endowment. the American
Library Association. United States Gov
ernment departments and from the uni
versities of Harvard. Pennsylvania.
Minnesota and several others. Thirty
of the most important periodicals Of the
United States are also at the disposal OF
American and Italian readers.
The library is housed on he second
floor of the beautiful old Palazzo Sal
vietti, on the Corso Umberto and in the
heart of modern Rome. The spacious
deep ceilinged rooms are furnished with
chairs and tables of special design and
the establishment has the dignity OF a
Government building The reading room.
which is open to the public, was hand
somely furnished by Mrs. William Fl.
Schofield. in memory of her son. Will
lam Cheney. the first American aviator
to lose his life in Italy.
Influence Is Marked.
The influence OF the library on italian
universities has already been marked.
Previously there existed I'm Italy almost
no reference books In regard to America.
and whereas students were well in
formed about France and England they
had almost no conception of the INTEL
lectual life of America The names OF
Emerson, Lincoln. John Clay and Foe
were shadowy things In the minds OF
even well educated Italians
In fact, the first lecture to be given on
Emerson by an Italian has just been
delivered by an eminent professor of tho
University OF Rome. Carlo Formichi,
who began his series of talks on the
American philosopher by a lecture at the
American Library. which for the first
time furnished Italy with the literature
of Emerson.
One OF the most important accom-
plishments of the library has be en the
publication of a series OF biographies of
ilustrious Americans in Italian. Vol
umes already published are Jefferson"
by Thomas Nelson Page: Lincoln" by
H. Nelson Gay: Grant by owen
Wister Whittier" by Barrett Wen
dell whitman" by Harrison S. Nor
ris, and "Longfellow." by Felix Schell-
ing. other volumes are in the press
The library also publishes matters OF
account OF the journey of the American
mission TO Rome to bestow the Con-
gressional Medal of Honor upon the
Italian Unknown Soldier and a list or
the publications relating to 1taly's part
In the great war. A bulletin soon to be
published will give list of 800 of the
most important publications In italian
upon the United States.
AS part OF its policy of cooperation
with the Italian institutions the library
has recently offered TO make loans OF Its
books TO any of the universities. Many
such loans have already been made,
especially to the University of Rome.
which has been stimulated 10 make pur-
chases OF American books on It's own
account Signs of the newly aroused
interest In American thought are the
TRANSACTIONS OF John Deweys books on
education and the works of Emerson
now being made by Italians. and also
the fact that for the first time gradu-
ate students In the universities are
writing theses on American subjects.
The Italo American Association.
which has close connection with the
library. last year organized series or
lectures by eminent Italians and Ameri-
cans. Among others lectures were
given bv .he American Ambassador. by
the italian Ambassador to America
Roandi Rcci; by Senator Salvatore
Barzai. president of the Press Asso-
citation and by Prof. Piero Giacosa or
the Royal University of Turin. Plans
for this season include lectures by the