OTTAVIO GIOVANNI BATTISTA

ASSAROTTI (1753-1829)  , the founder of schools for the education of deaf-mutes in Italy, was born at Genoa in 1753 . After qualifying himself for the church, he entered the society of the Pietists, " Scuole Pie," who devoted themselves to the training of the young . His ASSASSIN superior learning caused him to be appointed to lecture on theology to the students of the order . In 18oi he heard of the Abbe Sicard's training of deaf-mutes in Paris, and resolved to try something similar in Italy . He began with one pupil, and had by degrees collected a small number round him, when, in 18os, Napoleon, hearing of his endeavours, ordered a convent to be given him for a school-house, and funds forsupporting twelve scholars to be taken from the convent revenues . This order was scarcely attended to till 1811, when it was renewed, and in the following year Assarotti, with a considerable number of pupils, took possession of the new school . Here he continued, with the exception of a short "interval in 1814, till his death in 1829 . A pension, which had been awarded him by the king of Sardinia, he bequeathed to his scholars .