EDUCATION IN ITALY.

[Supplementary to Chapter X.]

Signor Luigi Bodio, the distinguished director of the statistical bureau in Italy, has courteously furnished, at the request of Prof. Alex. Oldrini, information on Italian education additional to that by Prof. Oldrini given in Part I of this Report. In regard to the illiteracy in the Kingdom, he states the percentage per 100 inhabitants to be as follows:

The decrease in illiteracy in Italy is also demonstrated by the increasing number of married men and women who sign the marriage contract, and by the reduced number of illiterates among the young recruits twenty years of age. The increased number of married men and women who sign the marriage contract is shown by the following figures, illiteracy being more noticeable in the southern provinces than in the central and northern provinces; more conspicuous in the rural districts and the smaller communes than in the larger towns.

Proportion of illiteracy in 1891 among those contracting marriage.

Percentage of illiterates among young men twenty years of age recruited for the army.

A result of the organization of army schools, which are a feature of the Italian system of education, is that illiteracy among soldiers is greatly decreased. While the percentage of illiterates among those recruits who were born in 1870 was, as just stated, 41.10, that of soldiers sent home after their term of military service was only 21.95.

*Includes chief provincial communes.

INFANT SCHOOLS (ASILI INFANTILI) AND KINDERGARTENS.

The greater portion of the infant schools of Italy are established according to regulations of the Italian educator Ferrante Aporti (1791-1858), or according to the methods of Aporti and Froebel combined. In these schools children acquire the first rudiments of an elementary education. The Government gives annual subsidies towards establishing infant schools, or aids those already existing. Many are selfgoverning and have their own funds. There were 1,178 such in 1892. Still others are supported by charitable institutions, charitable associations, and private individuals.

There are in Italy at the present time few kindergartens conducted exclusively according to Froebel's methods. In 1892 they numbered 400.

POPULAR PRIMARY EDUCATION.

Primary instruction was first made compulsory in 1859 by a law which required the attendance at school of children between 6 and 12 years of age, and enjoined upon the communes the support of a number of boys and girls' schools proportionate to the number of pupils of age to attend such schools. This law could not be enforced on account of the difficulties attendant upon forming a constitution in a kingdom composed of provinces that had been separated for many centuries, and had different developments in civilization and education. A new law, enacted in 1877, made school attendance obligatory between 6 and 9 years of age, and required the communes to establish a sufficient number of schools for the school population, and to obtain a sufficient number of teachers to carry on the schools. On this basis the law has by degrees been enforced in all communes of Italy, viz, 8,254 on December 31, 1892. The number of pupils (vide p. 322) in public and private elementary day schools has increased from year to year since 1861. In that year the pupils numbered 1,008,674; in 1871 there were 1,722,947; in 1881 there were 1,976,135; in 1892 there were 2,453,939. If we include night schools and Sunday schools, a total of 2,678,240 in school is obtained. The statistics presented by Signor Bodio are as follows:

Total number of elementary day schools in 1891-'92 was 57,612. Total elementary day pupils in 1891-92 were 2,453,939; in 1871-72, 1,722.947; increase, 730,992; total number of elementary day pupils in 1891-'92 was 2,453,939; night pupils, 147,607; Sunday pupils, 76,694. Total, 2,678,240.

NORMAL SCHOOLS.

These are established for the preparation of teachers of the elementary grades. The normals are divided into inferior and superior, the former giving a certificate to teach in the lower division of the elementary grades, the latter, a certificate which permits its holder to teach in any of the elementary schools.

Superior normal training for men is given in the scientific and literary faculties of the universities. For women there are also higher grade institutions in Rome and Florence, where graduates of normal schools can obtain a still more complete course of instruction, such as may be required by those women who desire to become instructresses in normal schools, or in schools above the elementary grade. Such schools for women were established in 1882, and in 1883-'84 there were 105 pupils registered; in 1890-'91 these numbered 181. The course of study covers Italian languages and literature, history, geography, French, English, and German languages and literature; mathematics, physics and chemistry, logic, and psychology; also hygiene and drawing.

SECONDARY INSTRUCTION.

As regards secondary schools Signor Bodio states that the pupils in 1872 numbered 23,798; there was an increase to 87,000 in 1882, and to 113,974 in 1891. In the "licei" there were 71,751 in 1891; in technical schools and institutes, 42,223. Of 56,737 graduates from the "ginnasi" only 15,014 attended the "licci," the balance (41,723) commenced their career with a preparation of classical studies only. This gives about 73 per cent who do not continue a higher grade of education in the "licei" or other special schools. Tabulated statistics are as follows:

As to the education of women (vide p. 328), it is stated that girls receive a higher grade of instruction than that of the five elementary classes in so-called "educatories," conservatories, and colleges. A small proportion of these institutions may be classed as superior or complementary schools, and are annexed to the colleges for girls which are supervised by the government. Some are supported by provinces and communes, but the larger number are maintained by private corporations or associations. The oldest and most thoroughly established are those maintained by the municipalities of Milan, Turin, Asti, Genoa, Venice, Padua, and among those established at a later date are those of Bologna, Florence, and Rome.

The programme and course of study vary in these different institutions. Women are admitted to both classical and technical schools, the technical schools being the most frequented by them. In 1891 there were sections for women in 141 of the technical schools, and 1,498 women attended. There are also technical schools for women exclusively. Women are admitted to university privileges, and are most frequently to be found in attendance upon the faculties of natural sciences, and medicine and surgery. Among the women who frequent the institutes of a higher grade than secondary schools it is stated that the majority attend special courses of study, but do not endeavor to obtain academic degrees.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

The Italian Government justly recognizes the fact that agricultural, industrial, and commercial pursuits tend toward the prosperity of the people. Signor Bodio presents this phase of education as follows:

Elementary instruction in agriculture is given in the practical schools of agriculture which were opened in those sections of Italy where the agrarian economy required such special study. These schools are supported by the Government, provinces, and communes, by corporations or by private individuals. To be admitted to such schools requires the student to have finished the lower elementary course, or to have passed a similar examination. The instruction is both theoretical and practical; the latter includes work by the students in all forms of husbandry and agricultural operations, the endeavor being to suit the instruction to the locality. Special agricultural schools aim to give instruction in regard to the production of wines, oil, and cheese, the cultivation of vines, and fruits. The practical and special schools are governmental schools, and there are agricultural sections in other governmental schools. The elements of agricultural science are taught in certain normal schools for both men and women. In 1890-'91 such instruction was given in 20 normals for men, and 11 for women. The number of pupils to date who have passed an examination in this branch is 694.

In 555 elementary schools of the higher grade in 1890-'91 the elements of agriculture were taught. Lectures under governmental auspices are given throughout the rural districts of Italy by eminent authorities on the diseases of plants and vegetables. The highest grade of instruction in agriculture is given in the superior schools of agriculture in Milan and Portici, and in the agricultural school annexed to the University of Pisa. To be admitted to this class of schools the student must possess the "licenza liceale," or have graduated from the course of agriculture and surveying in the technical institutes. Graduation from the superior schools of agricul ture entitles one to the certificate of doctor in agrarian science and prepares the graduate to be a teacher of agricultural science. Agricultural experiment stations (Stazioni agrarie), for the promotion of more scientific methods, with laboratories for study and experiments, have been established by the Government in some districts. There are also special academies or societies of agriculture for the promotion of scientific and practical agricultural studies. These are found in Rome, Florence, Turin, Pesaro, Palermo, and Milan. Education in this line is also aided by national and local agricultural conventions and exhibitions.

INDUSTRIAL, PROFESSIONAL, AND COMMERCIAL EDUCATION.

Industrial training is given in the Schools of Arts and Trades (Scuole di arte e mestieri) and in the schools of art as applied to industry (Scuole di arte applicata all'industria), the aim of these schools being to train skilled workmen for factories and workshops. The students obtain scientific training as applied to industries and trades. The superior or higher grade schools of art, as applied to industry (Scuole superiori di arte applicata all' industria) endeavor to cultivate the artistic or æsthetic side of the workingmen. The government, provinces, municipalities, chambers of commerce, and local corporations unite in the maintenance of these schools. Admission is granted to students who have finished the elementary course or have passed a similar examination to that given at the close of this course.

The schools of mines, under similar maintenance, give practical education in mining; the students are taken to the mines and sulphur mines to see the actual workings. Admission is granted to graduates of the higher elementary course, or to those who pass an equivalent examination.

Industrial schools for women train for special trades, or in sewing, embroidery, flower-making, etc.

The highest grade of industrial, professional, or commercial training is found in the following institutes maintained by the government, provinces, and communes. The Industrial Museum in Turin, which has large laboratories and collections of patterns and instruments, and a commercial museum, aims to train, students for the chemical and mechanical industries, for experiments in physics, and applied electricity, and to train teachers for the technical institutes and higher industrial schools.

The Superior Naval School in Genoa aims to perfect the instruction given in the mercantile marine institutes and to train naval engineers and machinists and captains of the naval service. Teachers for the institutes of the merchant marine are also trained here.

The Superior School of Commerce in Venice is notably a business high school, aiming to prepare graduates from the technical institutes for commercial pursuits and banking. As a means of promoting trade with the Eastern countries there is a course in the Arabian, Turkish, and Japanese languages. This school also prepares teachers for the commercial courses in the technical institutes and trains young men for the consular service. The higher commercial schools of Bari and Genoa have a similar aim and a similar curriculum of study.