THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.

161

been very courageously started by the six daughters of Garibaldi’s friend, Dr. Occhi- pinti. It is, indeed, just opened, but the oldest girl has a very good head, and sound, practical ideas on education, and truly she deserves full praise and encouragement for having taken upon herself such a difficult enterprise. It is prospering, however, many families sending their children as day students, and a few boarders have already been admitted, and I left my own dear daughters there, being sure that they could not be bet­ter off elsewhere. The Misses Occhipinti are religious, but Italians before all, having been raised under Garibaldi’s noble influence. I am sure that in time this school will be one of the first in Naples. This school is called, by royal permission, after our Queen, “College Queen Margherita.” The two very best schools we have in Naples besides those named, are due to the private enterprise of foreigners. They are Mrs. Julia Salis Schwabe’s School and Seminary, which takes girls from childhood in the kindergarten to the seminary, which they leave with the degree of teacher. Still, before seeing this splendid institution prospering as it is now, Mrs. Salis Schwabe had to overcome no end of difficulties and opposition. I am proud to remember the help given her then by my dear father, who was always ready to encourage all intellectual pursuits. The other is an International College for girls, where they receive a most complete education, and are also taught to speak the principal modern languages.

We have also in Italy several professional schools for the working-classes, and these answer their purpose, though I think they ought to provide for more mental culture, and not limit their aim to manual work. This I generally regard as the prin­cipal defect in most of our Italian schools, the little or no regard that exists for the moral culture—that culture which tends to elevate the soul and give it a high concep­tion of life, and of the high and sacred duties that make it full and worthy to be lived. The teaching of mere reading, writing and other branches is nothing if with it the mind is not led to think and consider life’s problems, its duties and its rights, to make it noble and beautiful. Some new and well-organized institutions answer such an end, for they are the work of noble hearts and highly gifted Italians. One is the Suor Orsola College in Naples for girls, entirely reformed by the Princess Strongoli Pignatelli, a learned, high-minded woman, whose life is entirely devoted to good works. She is one of Queen Margherita’s most esteemed and beloved ladies of honor. Besides having reformed this college, where girls receive a complete homely educa­tion, and whose hearts are guided to high principles by the constant care of the dis­tinguished lady principal, Princess Strongoli Pignatelli has also established in Naples, together with Contesse Sansa Verino Vimercati Tarsis, another college for poor orphan girls. A beautiful college for the daughters of public teachers was also lately organ­ized by one of our greatest Italians, Ruggero Bonghi. This college is near Rome, in a pleasant, old-fashioned country place, and is fairly prospering. Her Majesty, the Queen of Italy, patronizes it, and it bears her name, “Margaret College of Savoy.” In Naples we have three remarkable old colleges for girls, bound to old-fashioned, con­ventual systems of education. But to give you an idea of our customs, I only state that while the entire staff is composed of ladies, most of whom reside in the colleges, the institutions are superintended entirely by gentlemen. Two of these are distin­guished young writers, the Duke Richard Carafa D’Andria and Benedetto Croce. The superintending of the schools by ladies has never even been thought of. That women are competent to take part in public affairs of any kind is still a hard thing to establish in Italy. Even when obliged to work but few ways are opened to their activity besides teaching, and the only reason is the strong prejudice existing against women. They are not considered fit to work, and are not much trusted. If they follow the superior studies and obtain a degree they are actually prevented from competing with men in any but the medical profession. A young Turinese lady, Miss Lydia Poet, having followed successfully the university courses, obtained some years ago her degree in law. Well, men got so frightened at such competition that they managed to exclude her from the practice of her profession, stating that it would demoralize the Tribunal if women were allowed to work therein. The press tried to explain the injustice and (ii)