bout ten had a slight
acquaintance with the English. My first endeavors were directed to
induce them to attend day-schools, and during the first three years over
twenty became pupils of Public Schools. Later on, this number received
accessions, amounting at one time to about fifty.

"Our course of study comprises the gradual series of English reading,
spelling, and writing adopted in most of the Public Schools; geography,
arithmetic, history, and grammar. The class in the last two branches
this year is very small, as the students thereof, being mostly adults,
cannot well attend regularly.

"Some twelve years ago, and for a time after, there were only two among
them who had some knowledge of letters, and on them the whole colony had
to depend for writing and reading letters in Italian and interpreting in
English, on payment of charges varying from twenty-five to fifty cents.
On becoming acquainted with this fact, I resolved upon teaching also the
Italian to the most advanced in the English, which addition met with
general favor, for, a year after, the pupils who could and did
gratuitously perform the offices of the two literati increased to such
an extent that one was usually found within each family or a circle of
relatives. The time being limited, these studies are, of course, taught
alternately, and the progress therein is not as speedy as would be
desirable; but, everything considered, they show remarkable
intelligence, aptitude, and willingness to learn. I might quote from
reports of the principal press of this city on our last examination;
but, as the School is free and always open to visitors, I will content
myself with inviting our friends to look into the subject for
themselves.

How gratifying when I enter the School to see the oldest of the
attendants, but a few years ago illiterate and totally ignorant of
everything around them, reading papers, and quoting, discriminating, and
discussing the topics of the day, and forming a more or less correct
idea of the state of things in the land of their adoption and in other
parts of the world! Gratifying, indeed, to see these children, but a few
years ago without any idea of patriotism, without any other principle to
guide their judgment and actions than the natural impulses of a degraded
selfishness, exchange intelligent views upon the moral standing and
tendency of the political parties in this and in their native country!
Many times I have been astonished at the