The peculiarity of this school is that during a portion of the course it educates Officers for all Arms in common. The most talented pupils are then selected by examination for the Artillery and Engineers, which are the two favorite services, and indeed the most aristocratic corps in the Sardinian army. The number of the pupils is limited to 200, but it is rarely complete; at present there are 180 pupils. About half of these pay for themselves a yearly sum of 1,200 francs, 48l., the remaining half are supported, or partly supported by the Government. The system of demi-bourses prevails here as in France.
The pupils are divided into four classes, according to the years of the course; a fifth class, contains those who have been just selected for the Artillery and Engineers, who work by themselves, chiefly at the higher kinds of drawing and the Differential and Integral Calculus, and Mechanics. These senior pupils are Officers, and have each their separate room. German is taught, and there is a Course of Italian Literature, &c., but no Latin is taught in any part of the school. The system of working (at least with the higher boys) is in rooms where eight or ten are united, and apparently there is something of the Répétiteur system.
The arrangements of the house are excellent. The pupils appear to be strictly confined to barracks during the week, but allowed to go out on Sundays. The discipline is said to have been relaxed of late years, and this is attributed by old Officers to a cause which will appear curious in England, viz., to the pupils having any holidays at all. This innovation upon the simplicity of the Piedmontese system of education was alleged to have encouraged distinctions between the richer and poorer pupils, and thus to have injured both the economy and the Camaraderie of the school. Great stress was laid here, as at other Military Institutions, on a strictness of discipline very unusual in England. The boys begin their work at half-past five o’clock, and work till seven; then they go to chapel for a short time, and breakfast and recreation follow immediately after. Both are concluded by eight, when they return to their studies for an hour and a quarter; then a quarter of an hour’s relaxation is allowed, and the studies are resumed until eleven o’clock. An hour is then devoted to the schools of fencing, riding, gymnastics, or dancing. From twelve to a quarter before two o’clock is allotted to dinner and recreation, and then another hour is spent in the fencing, riding, gymnastic, or dancing schools. A quarter of an hour’s recreation is again granted, and from three to half-past four o’clock study is resumed. A quarter of an hour’s recreation follows, and half an hour is then given to military exercises, succeeded by another quarter of an hour’s interval for rest. Two hours are then devoted to study—from half-past five to half-past seven o’clock. An hour is afterwards allowed for chapel, supper, and retiring to rest.
A monthly account is taken of their work, and the marks then given exercise an influence upon their places in the examinations which take place every year.
The following tables give a full view of the work of the pupils during their six years’ course.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE VARIOUS BRANCHES OF STUDY IN THE DIFFERENT YEARS OF THE COURSE, AND GENERAL TIME TABLE FOR THE SCHOOLS.
M Months
W In each Week.
Rows referring to “Year” were printed in a column headed Classes.