The following table indicates the number of communes from 1861-62 to 1889-90 which have fulfilled the requirements of the law of July 15, 1877, as far as the number of schools, pupils, and teachers is concerned: 42, 510 1880-81.. 28, 459, 628 7, 804 42, 510 1885-85.29, 699, 785 8, 178 47, 026 41, 023 5, 050 46, 0731, 949, 038 126, 903 2, 075, 941 1. 38 0.171. 55 6. 56 0.436 99 1886-87.. 29, 942, 142 8, 178 47, 449 41, 448 5, 137 46, 585 1, 970, 552 135, 406 2, 103, 9581. 39. 171.566. 58 1887-88.. 30, 266, 056 8, 178 47, 998 41, 913 5, 334 47, 247 1, 985, 436 139, 771 2, 125, 207 1. 38 1888-89.. 30, 565, 188 8, 226 48, 569 42, 305 5, 267 47, 572 2, 002, 957 141, 6042, 144, 561 1. 39 1889-90.30, 916, 317 8, 253 49, 366 42, 837 5, 361 48, 198 2, 047, 671 141, 259 2, 188, 930 1. 39.17 1.566. 62 1,722, 669 1.43 6.43 1,928, 706 1.49 6.78 181.56 6. 56 45 7.03 467.02 467.02 In lower elemen- Total. In lower elementary grades. In higher elementary grades. Total. 45 7.07 a In 1892-93 (vide Annuario Statistico Italiano, 1895) there were 2,487,803 pupils in public and pri vato schools of an elementary grade (boys, 1,311,018; girls, 1,176,785); class rooms, 58,277; teachers, 00,380. The ratio of schools, teachers, and pupils to population is based in the years 1861-62 to 1865–66 upon the census of December 31, 1861; that of 1870-71 to 1875-76, upon the census of December 31, 1871, and that of 1880-81, upon the census of December 31, 1881. The reports presented for the other years mentioned in the table are based upon an estimate of population made annually in the month of December following the opening of the schools. The estimate of population is formulated upon the basis of December, 1881, adding to it the births in each year and subtracting the deaths. No attention being paid to the movement of population, i. c., the immigration and emigration, such a determination is liable to error, and such errors increase in proportion to the time that has elapsed from the date of the original census. The movement from one commune to another exercises but little influence upon the territorial department to which it belongs, and less upon the total for the Kingdom. On the other hand, the emigration to foreign shores must not be overlooked in so far as it appertains to the whole Kingdom. It is fairly easy to take note of the emigration, but the means approximating the immigration and the return of Italians to their native country is less easy. The estimates relative to the movement of population, as, for example, the estimates of mortality, by province and by territory (circondari), and also in the largest cities, taken one by one, necessitate that calculations appertaining to the population of these subdivisions be made at least approximately, and yet the population is calculated on the supposition that the increase from year to year is in the same proportion as the augmentation during the period between the last two censuses. Proceeding, then, by this method it is found that the population on December 31, 1889, would be 29,969,654, while if the excess of the births over the deaths were added between the dates 1882-1889 to the population of 1881, the result would be 30,946,317, which exceeds by more than 1,000,000 the number estimated by the first method. The increase in the number of elementary schools and in enrollment was more rapid during the period which followed the formation of the Kingdom of Italy than it is to-day. The ratio of increase is as follows: 1861-62 to 1867-68 Period. Increase of pupils to 100 inhabitants. Increase of pupils in respect to population. base 31,18 There are also elementary, evening, holiday, and adult schools supplementary to the public day schools. It is not considered obligatory upon the communes to support many of these schools; the number is quite large, however, and most of them receive subsidies. The number of the evening and holiday schools, with their enrollment, is 8 here presented for certain years between 1861-62 and 1889–90: pait in p 1861-02. 1877-78. 1882-83. 1887-88. Year. Evening and holiday schools. (a) ains on, a Statistics of evening schools in 1892-93: Class rooms, 3,492; teachers, 3,639; pupils, 128,780 (boys, 124,789; girls, 3,991). Holiday schools: Class rooms, 2,454; teachers, 2,507; pupils, 64,580 (boys, 15,086; girls, 49,494). The increase in the number of schools and pupils is of significance as tending to account for the decrease of illiteracy shown by the three successive censuses as that illiteracy bears upon the total citi population, the various classes, and the age. At least, it bears upon to t the number of recruits and illiterate married people to every 100 examined and upon the number of married men and married women respectively. The normal schools serve as preparatory schools for teachers of the elementary grades. The State provides the funds for the teaching force and for scientific apparatus. The remaining expenditures and those for the "Convitti" (establishments where pupils are boarded and lodged) are paid by the provinces and communes in which the normals are located. There are still other schools of this character for the training of teachers which are maintained exclusively by provinces and communes, by corporations or individuals, while some receive State subsidies. women. The normal schools are of higher and lower grades for men and for The lower-grade normal schools have only the power to confer teachers' diplomas for the three lower classes of the lower-grade elementary schools. The higher-grade normals, on the contrary, confer the diploma required to teach in the elementary schools of both higher and lower grade. In the normal schools for women a certificate or diploma is also conferred, which permits its holder to become a teacher in or directress of an infant school. Instruction in the normal schools is gratuitous. The course is one of two years in the lower-grade normals, and is preceded by a preparatory course of three years. An examination for admission is required of those who wish to enter the normal schools. Each normal has a practice school attached, in which the pupil can obtain practice in teaching. The normals for women have also an infant school attached, which is divided into three sections. Persons desiring to obtain a teacher's position in the elementary schools are appointed by the communes (which pay them), after competing for such position in a competitive examination before the provincial school council. This council, after examining as to their qualifications, presents the list of persons eligible to such positions, and the communal council has the duty to select and appoint the teachers. To determine the minimum legal salary for teachers, the elementary schools are divided into two categories, urban and rural, and each of these categories into three classes, in accordance with the wealth and population of the commune. The minimum legal stipendia, according to law of April 11, 1886, are as follows: The stipends are augmented one-tenth for every six years of service in the same commune until the salary has been increased four times. The following table indicates the number of normal schools and pupils for certain years commencing with 1861-62: Normal schools. (a) a In 1892-93 there were 148 normal schools (100 Government), 1,534 teachers (1,034 in Government normal schools), 18,677 pupils (14,493 in Government schools). Of the pupils 1,703 were men, 16,974 women. There are other institutes auxiliary or complementary to those for elementary instruction. Among the first-mentioned are two "convitti" (establishments where pupils are boarded and lodged and which have elementary schools attached) for the orphans of elementary teachers, and the institutions for the blind and deaf-mutes; among the second are comprised the "convitti," the educational institutions for girls and the two higher-grade normals for girls. The expenditures for the elementary, evening, and holiday schools, for the normals, and for the other institutions noted above, infant schools excluded, however, are as follows: In 1888-89 the provinces expended $153,892; the communes, $10,866,756. In 1890-91 the State expended $1,648,452. expenses for the teachers and other employees, and in part by the provinces and communes. The expenditures for buildings and nonscientific material are furnished by the communes where the institutes are situated. The expenditures for classical and technical schools and for the "convitti" for boys were accredited as follows-to the State, communes, and provinces-during the years 1888-89 and 1890-91: Provinces (1888-89) Communes (1888-89) $447, 128 1,396, 698 2, 389, 207 Still another class of instruction is imparted in institutes and special schools, such as practical schools of agriculture, agrarian schools, industrial schools, schools of art and trade, and professional schools. The expenditures are paid in part by the State, which, through subsidies given to the ministry of agriculture, industry, and commerce, in accordance with special laws to that effect, cooperates with the provinces, communes, and other corporate bodies. In order to secure admission to one of these schools it is necessary to have successfully finished the elementary courses or otherwise to have passed an examination for admission. During the school years 1888-89 and 1890-91 the expenditures for this class of schools were distributed as follows: Provinces (1888-89) $125, 677 325, 498 439, 655 SUPERIOR INSTRUCTION. The highest grade of education is furnished in the universities, the superior institutes, and in superior special schools. The "Istituti Superiori" include the schools for engineers, the veterinary schools, the literary and scientific academy, the higher normal school for instruction in literature, and the superior institute for the perfecting of studies in Florence with its university faculties. The universities comprise in general four faculties-law; philosophy and letters; physical, mathematical, and natural sciences; and medicine and surgery. In some universities the schools of pharmacy and veterinary schools are annexed to the faculty of medicine and surgery. Not all universities have four faculties. The degree of doctor (Laurea) is conferred in each faculty at the close of the course. In the higher institutes there are faculties or sections of faculties where doctors' degrees and diplomas are conferred at the close of the course. In the special schools diplomas are given for the different subjects taught there. The special schools are the superior commercial schools, whose purpose it is to prepare young men for the management of banking and |
