natural science, three years; medicine and surgery, six years; and law, seven years; topographical engineering, three years; and in the departments of architecture, mechanical engineering, and bridges and roads, four years.

There is also at the capital a national college for the higher education of women. A good public library and free reading room has been established, and occupies commodious apartments in the building of the National University.

There are also in different parts of the country the following private colleges for secondary education: In the city of San Salvador, the Salvadorean Lyceum, Santa Teresa College for girls, and a theological seminary. At New San Salvador there are two colleges for males, San Louis and the Sacred Heart, and one for girls called Santa Teresa. At Lacatecoluca, capital of the department of La Paz, there is one, and one in each of the following cities: San Vincente, Sensonate, Usulutan, and Acuachapan. In the city of San Salvador there is an excellent asylum and industrial school for orphans of both sexes, where they not only receive a good primary education, but the boys are taught carpentry, shoemaking, and other trades, and the girls the occupations adapted to their sex; there are also classes in music and electric telegraphy.

HONDURAS.

Honduras is much larger than Salvador, having an area of about 45,000 square miles, but it is much more sparsely populated, as the number of inhabitants is only about 440,000.

Previous to 1876, when President Marco A. Soto assumed the functions of Provisional President, very little had been done to promote the cause of public education, but under his administration and that of his successor, President Louis Bogran, who was elected in 1883, great efforts have been made to extend educational facilities both in the primary and higher grades. These would have produced much more satisfactory results if the country had not suffered from the series of revolutions and political troubles through which it has passed, particularly since the expiration of the term of office of President Bogran, in 1891.

According to the provisions of the constitution, primary instruction is obligatory, secular, and free. No minister of any religious sect is permitted to preside over or teach in any school or college supported or subsidized by the State. The latest statistics give the number of primary schools in the Republic as 640, with an annual attendance of 23,000 pupils. The course of study in these schools is well arranged, the pupils are docile and display considerable aptitude for acquiring the rudiments of education, and the results obtained are very promising for the intellectual elevation of the population.

There is at the capital of each department of the Republic a school for secondary education and training of teachers, all of which are subsidized by the Government. For the higher grades of education the following establishments have also been established:

At Tegucigalpa, the capital, the Central University, with departments of law, medicine, literature, engineering, and science. In connection with the university there is a free public library, which was founded by President Soto in 1880; the College for Women, with courses in modern languages, music, domestic economy, physiology, and hygiene; the National Scientific and Literary Institute; a manual training school for mechanic and decorative arts. There is also a theological seminary and parochial school attached, which is supported by and under the control of the Roman Catholic Church. At Yuscuran, a college and high school attached. At Danli, a high school. At Santa Barbara, a college for higher education, with classes in geology, mineralogy, zoology, botany, bookkeeping, and mercantile law and usage. At Santa Rosa, a college of sciences and letters, with a high school attached. There are also colleges for higher education in the cities of Gracias, Jutigalpa, and La Paz.

With a condition of permanent peace and a consequent return of national prosperity, there is reason to believe that these establishments may become an honor to the country and potent factors in its advancement.

NICARAGUA.

Nicaragua labors under a similar disadvantage to that which exists in Honduras, having an area of upward of 40,000 square miles and a population of only about 360,000. The indigenous races, who form the bulk of the laboring inhabitants, are docile and industrious, and form an excellent rural population. They display considerable intelligence, and improve very rapidly under the influence of education. Hundreds of the wealthier Nicaraguans have been educated in the schools of Europe and the United States, and are as refined and accomplished as any people in the world. It is not, however, on the education and refinement of a few, but upon the education and intellectual advancement of the bulk of the people-the patient burden-bearers of the land-that the Republic must rely for safety and permanence. There is no doubt that the Government is fully alive to the importance of this work. Since 1877 it has devoted great attention and large sums of money to the cause of education. There is no lack of either public or private schools, but the good work has been sadly embarrassed by the civil wars, revolutions, and political troubles by which the country has been convulsed. It is hoped, however, that a more settled and peaceful condition may soon be attained, and that the Government may be again in condition to devote its attention more thoroughly to the intellectual needs of the people. In his message to Congress delivered January 1, 1896, President Zelaya dwelt with evident pride upon the fact that he had reestablished and effected great improvement in the public schools, which had been closed by his predecessor. According to the latest statistics, there are now between 200 and 300 Government schools for primary education, also several municipal and private schools, with a total average attendance of about 20,000 pupils. There are also, for secondary education, two high schools for boys and one for girls, well equipped with teachers and having a large attendance.

The National University has also an excellent faculty, with classes for teaching, law, medicine, engineering, and natural science.

In the city of Managua there is a free public library, which is liberally supported by the Government.

COSTA RICA.

Costa Rica is the most southern and one of the smallest Central American Republics. Its area is about 23,000 square miles. The population is officially estimated at about 240,000, and is much more homogeneous and with a smaller mixture of dark blood than is seen in the people of the neighboring countries. It has had the good fortune to be free, in great measure, from the revolutions and civil strife that have distracted the other States of Central America, and its progress has been correspondingly greater.

This condition of peace and prosperity has been very favorable to the cause of education, and the percentage of pupils under instruction, in proportion to population, is larger than in any other of the neighboring republics.

Primary instruction is directly under the supervision of the Government; it is free of charge and compulsory; but every inhabitant of the Republic, whether native or foreign, is free to receive instruction or to teach in private establishments. There are in the Republic 200 primary public schools, with an average attendance of 10,000 pupils. In fact, a good school for primary instruction can be found in every village. The following institutions for higher instruction are also supported by the Government: The National University, at San José, with a free public library attached; the high school for young ladies, at San José; the Alajuela High School; the Cartago College, and the School of Agriculture. The Government also supports at the capital

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a physical and geographical institute, a meteorological institute, and a national school of music. There are a large number of private schools and colleges, several of which receive subsidies from the national treasury. The Government has also devoted considerable sums for tuition and expenses for Costa Rican boys educated abroad. So far as the learned professions are concerned, Costa Rica has certainly a larger proportion of her people so engaged than any of her sister nations. In fact, complaint has been made by many of her citizens that too large a proportion of the young men are receiving professional education instead of being devoted to commercial, agricultural, and other pursuits, more useful in the development of the resources of the country.

The people of Costa Rica are great lovers of music; their taste in that direction is not only cultivated in the National School of Music, but the San José Philharmonic Society has worked with great success in the same direction and has done much to promote the cultivation of music throughout the country.

BRITISH HONDURAS.

This small British colony, with a population of about 30,000, of whom perhaps less than 500 are of purely white blood, and the remainder negroes and half breeds, is well supplied with educational facilities. There are 28 schools, which are generally denominational, established and superintended by the clergy of the various religious bodies, but a few are private schools. The schools receive Government aid to the extent of about $10,000 annually. An inspector of schools is appointed by the Government, who publicly examines the pupils of each school once a year, and the teachers receive a bonus according to the numbers who pass the examination successfully in the several grades. The number of pupils on the rolls averages between 2,500 and 3,000. The instruction is purely elementary.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE FIFTH INTERNATIONAL PRISON CONGRESS.

By C. D. RANDALL,

Delegate of the United States Bureau of Education.

The Fifth International Prison Congress was especially favored in holding its sessions in the buildings of the Sorbonne and College of France. It was 4 o'clock on the last Sunday afternoon in June, 1895, when it convened in the great amphitheater of the Sorbonne. The very place was inspiring. History and art had united in making the place most attractive and interesting. As we fronted the great platform which occupies the rear of the capacious room, on our left we noticed the life-size statue of Sorbonne, the founder of the historic college, whose work was ended centuries ago, while the whole wall back of the platform was occupied by the celebrated decoration of M. Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, representing in life size Greek conventional figures, in several groups, the arts and sciences, on either side of Sorbonne, typified by a female figure. This and the other decorations throughout the halls of the great building would be alone sufficient to make the Sorbonne most noticeable without its remarkable history.

When the assembly was seated we noticed that the highest official and social life of France and other nations was there to do honor to the congress. France had invited the congress and France was there to welcome it. President Faure had arrived in his carriage, accompanied by General Tournier and a company of cuirassiers. The multitude surrounding the entrance had warmly applauded him. On descending from the carriage he was received by M. Gréard, vice-rector of the Academy of Paris. The President was escorted to and took his seat in the gallery over the entrance fronting the platform. With him were seated MM. Ribot, president of the council of ministers; Hanotaux, minister of foreign affairs; Trarieux, minister of justice; Brisson, president of the Chamber of Deputies, and the ambassadors of the United States, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, and Japan. At his entrance the President was warmly applauded by the members of the congress.

Upon the platform were MM. Georges Leygues, minister of the interior; F. Duflos, director of the French prison administration and president of the committee of organization; Théophile Roussel, senator of France, member of the institute, and vicepresident; the members of the International Prison Commission; Galkine-Wraskoy, director-general of the prisons of Russia; Beltrani Scalia, Italian councilor of state; Pols, professor in the University of Utrecht; Dr. Guillaume, secretary-general; Goos, inspector-general of the prisons of Denmark; De Jagemann, ambassador of Baden, and many other high officials of France and other nations, including senators, members of the Institute, councilors of state, etc. In the general audience there were many distinguished ladies and gentlemen, many of international reputation, many who, occupying high positions at home, had devoted very much of their studies and labors to the cause which had brought them together from the various parts of the world. The opening address was by M. Leygues, minister of the interior. He spoke as follows.