and instructed in the different schools exceeded 20,000, while 68,161 persons were being treated in the hospitals and 80,963 poor children and adults were inmates of the foundling hospitals and asylums.

The present position (in 1892) of these establishments, which are actually under the direct protection of their Imperial Majesties the Emperor and Empress, show that they are conducted in strict adherence to the sacred aim with which they were originally founded-to succor the homeless, helpless, and forlorn, and to bring up the young in the principles of true religion and love to their neighbor.

The foundling hospitals have received since their foundation 103,043 children. There are now 107 primary and normal schools attached to these hospitals, in which a solid elementary education is being given to 3,293 boys and girls. The result of concentrating the work of these hospitals in the two capitals has been the amassing of a large number of children in one or two buildings, and a consequent large and abnormal rate of mortality. The first steps toward the decentralization of these hospitals were taken in 1891. In celebration of the silver wedding of their Majesties considerable sums were raised both by public bodies and by private persons for the establishment of crèches in the provinces, and they are now in full work in the towns of Vologda, Poltava, Ekaterineslaff, Morschansk, and Petrosavodsk. The modest aim of the asylums for children is to feed and look after children whose parents are engaged all day in outdoor work. The children are instructed in the rudiments of the orthodox religion, reading, and writing, and in the asylums to which orphan homes are annexed there are also technical trade classes. The number of children received during 1891 into the 131 existing asylums was 13,645, of whom 4,420 were taken into orphan and boarding homes.

The pupils of the Deaf and Dumb School for Boys and Girls are taught by the oral system, the sign and manual system being used for those who are disinclined to follow the former method. In addition to this, they are instructed in religion, the Russian language, arithmetic, and the necessary trades. The school consists of 105 boy boarders and 65 girl boarders, besides 32 boys and 28 girls as day scholars. Of the 230 pupils, 138 are taught by the oral system.

Institutions for the relief of the blind.—In 1881 a small circle of persons belonging to the highest society of St. Petersburg, on the initiative of M. Grot, secretary of state, and under his presidency, established an association for the relief of the blind in Russia, which was called, in memory of the constant interest the late Empress had taken in helping the poor blind, Association for the Relief of the Blind, founded in memory of the Empress Marie Alexandrovna. In 1883 it was annexed to the Marie institutions.

The main object of the association consists in the establishment of schools for blind children and of trade homes for blind adults. Extending its aid to persons of both sexes, without any restriction as to the religion professed by those it succors, schools have already been started in the towns of St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kieff, Reval, Kazan, Kostroma, Kharkoff, Voronege, Odessa, Perm, Smolensk, Toula, Samara, Chernigoff, and Oupha; public workshops have been established at Kamenetz and Oupha; asylums for the aged blind have been founded at St. Petersburg, Voronege, and Perm, and ophthalmic hospitals have been opened at Tiflis and Tashkent. All these establishments are supported by the members of the association and by public subscriptions. The resources of the association, with already 600 blind pupils in its schools, were augmented by a memorial gift of 1,000,000 rubles on the part of the late Emperor, Alexander II, immediately after the death of Her Majesty Marie Alexandrovna.

In the 39 hospitals the total number of persons who have received medical treatment is 350,154, of whom 326,395 have been out-patients and 23,759 have been indoor patients.

The institutes for girls, or boarding schools, with a course of education extending over seven years, teach all that is necessary for every educated woman in the fulfill

ment of her home duties. The programme of studies followed in these schools consists of religion, the Russian, French, and German languages, geography, history, mathematics, zoology, pedagogy, caligraphy, drawing, musie, singing, gymnastics, and dancing. Some of the schools have special pedagogie classes in which particular attention is paid to the study of foreign languages and to proof lessons for training the pupils in the art of teaching. The pupils, on passing the final examinations, are entitled to receive a diploma qualifying them to act as teachers in schools or as private governesses, and those who have received the highest possible marks during the whole course are also awarded "chiffres "-that is, bronze medals bearing the initials of the founders and attached to a silk ribbon-gold or silver medals, and books. There are in all 32 institutes, and the total number of scholars amounts to 7,680 girls.

The public schools for girls are chiefly day schools, though to some of them boarding schools are annexed.

Their programme of studies, with the exception of music, which is not taught them, is identical with that adopted in the institutes. Diplomas qualifying for the post of private teacher are granted those pupils who have duly passed the final examinatious, the gold or silver medal being awarded on the same conditions as in the institutes. The schools at St. Petersburg have also special pedagogic classes, with a course of studies extending over a period of three years, the last year being devoted to practical training in teaching, for which purpose a progymnasium of four classes is intrusted to them. On finishing this course pupils have the right to receive a diploma qualifying them as teachers in the higher classes of public schools and institutes.

In 1891 the 30 public schools, together with the progymnasium and pedagogic classes, were attended by 10,664 scholars.

The programme of studies for the primary schools for girls is of a more limited kind than that adopted in the institutes and public schools.

These schools, organized in 1882 on the personal initiative of the Empress and called by her name, the Marie schools, were established to give a sound elementary education which should qualify girls for the pursuit of a business or professional career. In the Marie schools are taught religion, the Russian language, arithmetic, the history and geography of Russia, the rudiments of zoology, caligraphy, drawing, singing, and needlework. The full course of studies extends over a period of four years, during all which time particular attention is paid to needlework of every kind, with the aim of training the pupils for the calling of cutters and makers of clothes. They are three in number, two being at St. Petersburg and one at VishniVolotschock. In one of the former there is a special class for practical instruction in plain and fancy needlework. The primary schools are 71 in all, and are attended by 6,214 children of both sexes.

The educational institutions for boys are four in number-the Imperial Alexander Lyceum, two commercial schools, and the Nicholas Orphan Institute at Gatchina. The lyceum, with its university course of studies and juridical faculty, is a high school designed exclusively for the sons of nobles; the other two are secondary schools. The number of scholars educated in these four establishments amounts to 2,066 boys.

Thirty-six hospices aided 3,849 men, women, and children in 1891.

This sketch may be summed up by stating that during the year 1891 498,108 persons were aided and relieved by the Marie institutions, of which number 120,537 fell to the share of the foundling hospitals, the hospices, and the asylums; 350,154 to the share of the hospitals, and 27.417 to the share of the educational establishments.

The budget of the 472 institutions for the same year amounted to 11,244,105 rubles ($2,969,1695, The resources for their support are drawn from capitals previously » ed, from donations granted by the imperial family, from payments made by vs. from a subsidy of 5,000,000 rubles accorded by the State treasury, and, dom public contributions.

These contributions, amounting in twelve years to a capital of 10,000,000 rubles ($3,530,000), amply testify to the intimate conviction of the Russian people that the administrative authorities, being under the direct control of their Imperial Majesties, will employ all the large resources at their disposal in promoting the cause for which the institutions intrusted to their care were first founded. They further afford a brilliant and incontrovertible proof that the Marie institutions, by the numerous and varied good works they foster, have succeeded in carrying out the humane and large-minded view that inspired their illustrious founders.

In this connection citations from "L'œuvre de la femme à Moscou," a work prepared for the Columbian Exposition, are of value. This is an account of feminine activity in education, in philanthropy, and in industries, both rural and urban, of the Moscow district. Societies have been established for training women in practical pursuits by which they can earn a livelihood if necessary. Cooking, cutting of garments, skilled handiwork generally, and an intelligence bureau enter into the work. Especial effort is made to interest individuals in the science of education, and many women are trained for the position of teacher. Municipalities appoint women of the territorial nobility as patronesses of the urban schools, and those desiring to be instructresses for rural districts receive regular training in the public schools, with additional training in pedagogical courses. Many private institutions, under the auspices of ladies of the court, prepare their pupils for professions, such as nurse, modiste, milliner, housekeeper, cook, etc. The organization of philanthropic institutions in Moscow and other large cities includes hospitals for children and adults, public charities, homes for incurables, traming schools for women physicians, for sanitary inspectors in manufactories, aid societies, organized help for those detained in prisons or reformatories, houses of refuge, asylums, etc. In manufacturing industries women take active part, in the Moscow government alone 36,912 women and 317 children being actively engaged in working in cloth, metals, wood, printing, canning cereals, fruits, etc. Rural industries, which are a special feature of Russian life, are often carried on in the homes, but there are many intermediate agents, and the general cooperation of women is obtained. In the Moscow government there are 62,164 industrial establishments and 141,339 persons engaged in the work. The industries include basket making, chair seating, manufacturing playthings for children, making furniture, pottery work, porcelain faïence, combs, hats, and caps, leather work, lace making, knitting, making edging, fashioning undergarments, rolling cigarettes, fabricating fringes and other trimmings, knitting slippers, making straw hats, etc.

For persons who have aspirations beyond these industries for the people there are higher places for work, such as decorative art, technical drawing, the study of music and dramatic art, training for artistic careers, such as painting and sculpture, in all of which the woman of the

Russie: Section de Moscou. Bureau des Dames institué par ordre de S. M. l'Imperatrice. L'œuvre de la femme à Moscou.

period in Russia is steadily advancing toward a position where she may gain her livelihood, if she desires, or rank equally with those who have had opportunities since time immemorial to cultivate their talents.

In St. Petersburg the Ladies' Patriotic Society' (1812-1893) has under its management 16 day and boarding schools, with 2,362 pupils. In addition to the usual studies found in schools of this class, instruction is given in sewing, cutting, embroidery, washing and ironing, artificial flower and lace making, in embossing leather, and in painting on porcelain. At graduation the pupil receives a diploma from the board of trade in St. Petersburg entitling the graduate to become an assistant mistress.

MEMORABLE DATES.

Ninth century: To Cyrille, a Byzantine Brother, an alphabet of thirty-eight letters is due, which alphabet, originally adopted from the Greeks, was modified to suit the Slavs, Bulgarians, and Servians. The Russian and Servian alphabets of the present day are derived from the Cyrillique.

Tenth to seventeenth century: The ravages of the Tartar hordes checked the efforts of the Byzantine Brothers to disseminate a knowledge of reading and writing. With the fifteenth century came the first notable Roman Catholic influence, introduced into the country by the Poles. Schools were founded by them which greatly extended the Jesuit influence. The famous Greco-Latin Slavonic school at Kief, which is generally considered to be the embryo of Kief University, dates from 1588, and became in 1633 an academy under a famous defender of the Greek Church, Archbishop Peter Magila. In 1629 another school was founded in Moscow, to which the more learned monks of Kief were brought as teachers. The more advanced education of the Kief monks was due to the Polish influence. These schools aimed to instruct in two languages, philosophy and theology. The embryo of Dorpat University dates from 1632; that of Helsingfors from 1640.

1689-1725: The earliest efforts to educate the Russian people are generally conceded to Peter the Great, for he brought Russia into relation with other nations and invited learned men to come to his domain to instruct in different branches of learning. He established special technical schools for engineers and for naval science, also military and naval schools. He created people's schools, founded schools for the clergy, for nobles, and for civil servants. To him is due the extended German influence and the establishment of famous German schools, which exerted great influence for over a century and which now rank as gymnasia, and are subject to rules laid down by the ministry of public inst:netion.

store al Review of the St. Petersburg Ladies' Patriotic Society.

a chatchie seale established by Peter the Great comprises fourteen classes of ed tebinovnils. The first three classes have the title "highest excelch"excellence;" from that to the eighth "vycokorodnii," or the Ny mad the remainder the title "blagorodni," or well born.

1741-1761: During this period are noted the encouragement by the Empress Elizabeth of the study of the French language and literature, the founding of the Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg in 1757, which, by bringing French artists to Russia, greatly enhanced French influence, and the establishment of Moscow University in 1755.

1762-1796: Within these dates are chronicled the establishment of popular lay schools in districts and towns during the reign of Catherine II; the founding of gymnasia for secondary instruction; the estab lishment of institutions for the secondary education of young girls of noble families-the famous convent school of Smolna dates from the reign of Catherine II. Plans were laid for the establishment of universities, as there was no real vitality in the institutions for superior instruction already referred to. In 1782 a commission was appointed to take the necessary measures for the organization of elementary edu cation; from 1786 on, the right of opening and teaching school was only accorded to those who could give proof of capacity.

1802-1803: An advancement of educational matters was perceptible in the beginning of the nineteenth century. In 1802 the first administrative organization was attempted through the creating of the office. of minister of public instruction and through the division of the Empire into school circuits, and centralization was further aided by the appointment of officials representing the minister in the educational circuits. In 1803 commenced the transformation of middle grade communal schools into gymnasia.

1804-1825: Establishment of the universities of Kharkof, Kazan, and St. Petersburg; decree that no person could become a civil servant (tchinovnik) unless he had passed through a gymnasia; school fees introduced which were used for teachers' salaries, to furnish awards for study and conduct, and for pensions.

1828-1858: Regular organization of secondary schools, which date from 1762 to 1796; reorganization of universities (law of 1835) so that they became teaching bodies rather than administrative bodies; schools placed under control of curators of school circuits; opening of first gymnasia for girls in 1858.

1860-1864: The emancipation of the serfs in 1860 caused a demand for more schools; a general plan received imperial sanction in 1862; in 1864 an elementary school law was promulgated which created three grades of education-elementary, secondary, and superior.

1867-1874: Supervision of elementary schools given to the zemstvo, and a school board formed in every district; in 1871 training schools for teachers were established; in 1872 real schools were organized to more thoroughly train students for practical life; in 1874 school councils were placed under direct charge of the ministry, the central authorities thus assuming control of education throughout the Empire.

1875-1881: Few changes are noted until, in 1883, a technical division was formed to carry out a plan of establishing industrial and technical