The Universities of Italy [antikvár]

" THE UNIVERSITIES OF ITALY " : the title dearly explains the iuhject matter of the present book- ^t is a review of the Universities and of the Higher Schools, including those in which future officers of the Armed Forces, the guardian of the Fatherland, are trained and where the educators of the physical and moral vigour of the new generations are prepared; it is indeed a review of all the higher educational institutions of Italy. But this work has more than an illustrative and documentary value. It is a homage of the Fascist University Groups to their Universities, expressing the love and gratitude of young men to those Institutions which are shaping their intellectual lives; that are helping to form their political civil and moral conscience. The Fascist Undergraduates look on the Italian Universities and their grand history with pride and admiration. In that harmony between the physical and moral attributes which governs Fascist life they have learned to venerate spiritual values and they realise what a great influence these centres of learning thought and culture have exercised and exercise both on the Italian civilisation and others. Some of these Universities have lived almost a thousand years; they were born in the distant days of the Communes amidst the fervour of labour and strife, to teach men law and justice. Others owe their birth to some wise ruler; many recognised and contributed to that glory and joy of beauty known as the Renaissance. As time went on they were renewed XV THE ROYAL UNIVERSITY HISTORICAL NOTES OME, from the earliest Middle Ages possessed public schools, as results from the works of St. Gregory the Great, in which certain schools set up at the Papal Court are mentioned. Honorius III (Savelli 1216-1227), at the suggestion of St. Dominic, in the early years of the thirteenth century reorganised the " Schola Palatina " dedicated to theological studies, which was afterwards enlarged by Innocent IV (Fieschi 1243-1254) by the teaching of law and the concession of the privilege of " Studium Generale ", recognized by an edict of 14th April 1265 by Charles of Anjou, who having been nominated Roman Senator wished to show his gratitude in this manner. Boniface VIII (Caetani 1294-1303) by his Bull "InSupremae praeminentia dignitatis " of 20th April 1303, called into existence the " Studium Urbis " which was intended to cultivate research in " qualibet facúltate " and to receive students belonging to all peoples and nations. It was situated in the quarter of S. Eustachio, in the neighbourhood of the existing building of the Sapienza. But in the second half of the fourteenth century, the " Studium ", which had decayed owing to the absence of the Popes from Rome, was transferred to Trastevere, where, however, it remained only a short time and was soon brought back to that quarter of S. Eustachio where it had had its original seat.