Note 11 — VI
Reading edition
It is instructive to examine the attendance figures at the schools of this the only Italian town of Dalmatia, as the Italians call it. The figures are those of the school year 1918-1919, and refer both to elementary and secondary schools:
Yugoslav Schools.
Elementary School for BoysPupils,342
Elementary School for Girls"331
Combined Elementary School"222
Higher Elementary School for Girls"121
Teachers' Training College"70
Classical College"469
Total of Yugoslav Pupils,1555
Italian Schools.
Elementary School for BoysPupils,250
Elementary School for Girls"221
Higher Elementary School"93
Classical College"157
Technical College"181
Total of Italian Pupils,902
I do not know what were the facts ascertained on the spot by Mr. Hilaire Belloc which enabled him, without any reservations, to inform the readers of Land and Water (June 5, 1919) that "Zara is quite Italian." He added that "Sebenia is Italian too." If this be so, how comes it that in 1919 the Italian authorities found it necessary to terrorize Sebenico (Šibenik)—which is presumably the town Mr. Belloc refers to—with machine guns and hordes of secret police and the very lurid threats of Colonel Cappone, the town commandant? I believe it is nearer the truth to say that the population of this town consists of some 13,000 Yugoslavs and 400 Italianists.