No. 188.
Mr. Francis to Mr. Fish.
Athens, January 13, 1872. (Received February 12.)
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of correspondence between the late minister of public instruction and myself relative to the educational system of Greece.
The facts presented in the accompanying official table for 1871, which has been carefully translated under my direction from the original, are interesting, as showing the condition of the public university and schools of Greece. It will be seen that the aggregate attendance of pupils at these several public institutions named numbers 73,219, which equals 1 to about 19½ of the population of 1,437,028. This is a creditable showing as compared to the educational condition of most other countries of Europe.
But besides the public schools there are private educational institutions in the different provinces of the kingdom, as follows:
| No. | Attendance. | |
| Private primary schools for boys | 43 | 2,958 |
| Private primary schools for girls | 67 | 2,017 |
| Total attendance | 4,975 | |
| Private high schools for boys | 11 | 564 |
| Private high schools for girls | 13 | 1,025 |
| Total attendance | 1,589 |
In addition to these there are the following:
| Pupils. | |
| Naval schools | 83 |
| Polytechnic schools | 300 |
| Ecclesiastical | 115 |
| Roman Catholic schools for girls | 240 |
| Evangelical schools for boys and girls | 676 |
| Total attendance | 1,414 |
These facts have been obtained from careful inquiry, and may be relied upon as substantially correct.
To recapitulate:
| Attendance at university and public schools | 73,219 |
| Attendance at other schools named | 7,978 |
| Total school attendance in Greece | 81,197 |
This is a percentage of 1 to 17⅔ of the population of the kingdom.
But an analysis of the statistics shows that of this number (81,197) attending the schools, 65,111 are males and 16,086 are females. It is evident that female education is badly neglected in Greece. The criticism may also be made that the governmental policy begins at the wrong end in its support of educational interests. The largest support is given to the university, which is free to all pupils. It educates students chiefly for the professions. Of the 1,244 now in attendance, it will be seen that 622 are named as law students, and 423 as students of [Page 230] medicine. The result of this system of education is the overcrowding of the professions. The university turns out lawyers and doctors in sufficient numbers for a country of more than ten times the population of this kingdom. Their field for employment is, for the most part, confined to Greece and that portion of Turkey where the Greek language is spoken. Many of them, unable to obtain employment in their professions, grow up in idleness, too proud to engage in productive pursuits, and struggling for subsistence by other means than manual labor. Numbers take up politics and endeavor to obtain employment in the public service. These embrace a large portion of the office-see king class, and constitute an element of mischief in political agitation by clamoring for frequent ministerial changes, in the hope of securing subordinate official positions.
Better that the government should pay more attention to the common schools, so as to render them more efficient. Little else than reading and writing is now taught in these primary schools. For further advancement the pupil must enter the intermediate school, (marked in the table as “Greek schools.”) The facilities here are limited, as are also those of the gymnasia, the higher schools that prepare the student for the university. The entire attendance at both the intermediate schools and gymnasia in 1871 was 7,997.
Better that agricultural science should be popularized by governmental encouragement. The agricultural school at Firynthus, in Argos, the only one that has existed in Greece, has been suffered to languish and is now closed. The polytechnic school at Athens is supported by the government, and has 300 students. The following branches are taught in this institution, namely: Painting, sculpture, wood-en graving, casting in plaster, architectural and mechanical arts. The latter branch is the only one involving manual labor of a practical character calculated to advance the material interests of the country. Better that the university itself should become an agency to impart intelligence to agricultural and manufacturing industry than add to the existing number of professional idlers.
The American mission schools in Athens are doing an excellent work. They are, first: Those founded by Mr. and Mrs. Dr. J. H. Hill, under the auspices of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States. The first school was established by them in July, 1831. These schools have been instrumental in giving an impetus to education, particularly as regards females, throughout Greece. During the forty years in which Rev. Dr. Hill and his accomplished wife have faithfully labored in this field of enterprise here, thousands have been educated in their schools. The pupils have been gathered from every rank the community. Many Greek ladies have been taught the English language in these schools, which are now under the charge of Miss Muir, Mrs. Hill still acting as directress. Number of pupils at this time, 442 $ of whom 105 are boys and 337 girls. Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Sakellarios have a school in Athens, established under the auspices of the American Baptist Missionary Union, with an attendance of 130 pupils—80 boys and 50 girls. This school was established only some three years since, and under its intelligent and efficient management is doing a good work. The same may be said of Mr. Kalopothakes’ school, established about the same time under the American and Foreign Christian Union, having an attendance of 54 pupils, 29 boys and 25 girls. The Greek mind is naturally bright and active. Education is rapidly acquired. There is ground for hope that this people may make steady progress both in material and moral interests in the fact that the educational system of Greece has advanced [Page 231] so far and accomplished so much from its beginning, some forty years ago.
I am, &c,