APPENDIX.

EDUCATION IN FRANCE.1

By Dr. ALCÉE FORTIER.

PARIS, July 31, 1895.

Since my arrival in Paris nothing has interested me more than the general competition of the lycées and colleges at the Sorbonne. I was fortunate in obtaining an admission card, and I had an excellent seat, where I heard perfectly the addresses of the orator of the day and of the minister of public instruction. The following extract from the Temps of July 31 gives a good idea of what took place:

"At noon the minister arrived, escorted by a platoon of policemen on horseback. A double line of policemen pushed back the idlers on the sidewalk of boulevard St. Michel and of rue des Ecoles.

"M. Gréard, vice-rector, received, on the steps of the Sorbonne, M. Poincaré, who was accompanied by M. Liard, director of superior education; M. Rabier, director of secondary education; M. Xavier Charmes, director of the secrétariat; M. Bernard, chief of the cabinet, and M. Grant, private secretary.

"The minister entered by the middle door and went to the reception hall, the drums beat, and the foot guard were ranged in a row in the grand vestibule.

"The cortége went by the gallery of the faculty of letters toward the grand amphitheater. The mace bearers of the faculties walked ahead, then came the members of the academic council, of the general council, of the faculties of the superior council of public instruction, of the institute, of the diplomatic corps, etc. All these high dignitaries took their seats on the platform around the minister.

"The hall was entirely filled. In the hemicycle were seated M. Gréard, the proviseurs (presidents) of the lycées, and the faculty professors, behind them the students. In the tribunes and the galleries were the relations of the students and the persons holding cards. The music of the republican guard played a selection. Then M. Poincaré called on M. Bergson, professor of philosophy at the Lycée Henry IV, for the oration of the day."

M. Bergson chose for his subject, "Good Sense and the Classical Studies," and spoke with great elegance.

The address of M. Poincaré was really very fine. Here are some passages which impressed me:

"Our education is made, in part, from what we receive from others, and, in part, from the free working of our will. The lessons of the school and of the college complete one another, in the course of our lives, by the teaching of things and by the example of men; they are sharpened by the secret action of conscience. Our youth is passed in continuing the education of our childhood; our mature age, in perfecting that of our youth; our old age, in regretting our not having had the time to terminate that of our mature age. But we leave after us a little of that education always incomplete, and that little enters, for the benefit of future generations, the common fund of humanity.

"In that continuous evolution which constitutes education the school and the college will never give to the mind of the student but a first orientation, but what is indispensable is to make exactly that direction in the path of right and truth. "We do for you, my friends, what we can. We do not answer for remote deviations and unforeseen accidents. We set the needle as best we can. Let each one of you then regulate his march, survey his route, and maintain the initial velocity. "But if I repeat thus, writing them purposely, these two fraternal expressions of school and college, it is because education has not, according to the degree of instruction, distinct aims and contrary paths; because the impetus, weaker here and stronger

1 Translated by the author from his "Voyage in Europe in 1895."

there, must be everywhere in accord; because every where the clear and just perception of life must be awakened, and because in the college as well as in the school, the work of the state, unless it be inert and useless, is the initiation, prudent and resolute, of childhood to contemporary reality."

These are very liberal ideas, this is what modern education should be; it must not he always directed toward the past, it must attend to the present and look the future boldly in the face in order to be able to surmount all the difficulties which might present themselves.

The list of premiums was ready, and the students came to receive their prizes, which consisted in books, and in a crown which the minister or one of the high dignitaries on the platform placed on the heads of the students. When the grandson of M. Gréard was called the latter rose from his seat and kissed the boy on both cheeks. That caress of a grandfather was truly French and was loudly applauded. There were a first premium, a second premium, and eight accessits (second bests). Among that large number of pupils representing all the lycées of Paris I was astonished to hear only two historical names called, d'Argenson and de Maurepas. This fact shows the changes in society made by the French Revolution.

The distribution of prizes in Paris does not resemble at all the commencement exercises of our colleges; besides, the French lycées are entirely different from the American colleges. M. Foucin, general secretary of the Alliance Française, was kind enough to procure for me the following authorization, which I reproduce here to show what are the formalities requisite to visit the schools and lycées in Paris.

"ACADEMY OF PARIS, UNIVERSITY OF FRANCE,

"Paris, July 13, 1895.

"M. Alcée Fortier, professor in New Orleans, member of the Alliance Française, is authorized to attend a few classes in the following establishments: "Lycée Janson de Sailly, rue de la Pompe.

"Collège Chaptal, boulevard des Batignolles. "Ecole Turgot, rue de Turbigo.

"École normale d'institutions de la Seine et école primaire annexe, 10 rue Molitor. "The proviseur and directors will please give all facilities to M. Fortier. "THE VICE-RECTOR, GRÉARD.”

With this authorization I presented myself at about 8.30 a. m. at the Lycée Janson de Sailly, situated at Passy, between Paris and the Bois de Boulogne. It is a magnificent establishment, which comprises, according to the prospectus, "four colleges really distinct," where the students, according to their age, form four separate divisions, which do not communicate with one another. They each have their court for recess, their study halls, their classes, their refectories, and dormitories. The first two colleges form the "grand lycée," directed by the proviseur; the last two colleges constitute the "petit lycée."

Children are admitted at the lycée at the age of 6, and they remain there until they have obtained the bachelor's degree, between 16 and 17 years. We see that young men in France leave the lycées at about the age when, in the United States, they enter college; that is to say, if classes were named, as with us, freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior, the bachelors in France would be of the age of the freshman class, or rather of the sophomore. It is true that in leaving the lycée the young man may go to one of the great schools of the Government-Superior Normal School, Polytechnic School, Central School, St. Cyr, Agronomic Institute, School for High Studies, etc.

At the Lycée Janson de Sailly "religious instruction is given to the boarding students for whom a special dispensation has not been asked by the parents. Conferences are given in each division, and give rise to periodical compositions and annual premiums, as in the other branches. Two chaplains of the Catholic religion, a pastor, and a rabbi are attached to the house. On the demand of families, the day lars are admitted gratuitously to the religious conference."

I regret that I was able to visit only one class at Janson de Sailly. On arriving at the lycée I asked for the proviseur, and his secretary told me that he had just left his office with the inspector. I was requested to wait in an antechamber, where through the windows I saw the boys playing in the yard. I did not lack time to study the games of the students, for the proviseur did not return. After having waited for an hour, I asked the secretary whether I could not visit the lycée with some other person than the proviseur. The secretary seemed to be terrified, and exclaimed: "Oh, sir! Visit the lycée in the absence of Monsieur le Proviseur!" I waited half an hour longer; then I left. I came back in the afternoon, at 2 o'clock, and had the good fortune to meet the proviseur. That gentleman received me perfectly, and replied with great politeness to the numerous questions which I asked him about education in France. I could not help expressing my astonishment that they should have made me wait for an hour and a half in an antechamber without allowing me to visit the establishment in his absence. I told him that in my country if a professor in a French lycée were to visit one of our colleges he would not wait five minutes; in the absence of the president any one of the professors would willingly take him all over the college. The proviseur told me that what had happened to me was the result of the inordinate centralization in France. He introduced me then to the censor, who took me to a Latin class-the third class, I believe. The class was reading an extract from Seneca, but the professor told me that the author read by the class was Livy, which appeared to me an advanced grade for boys of 13 or 14. The pronunciation of Latin is entirely French, and differs completely from that of the American colleges. The students begin Latin and Greek one year earlier than with us, and I believe that they are right in France. The professor's seat is on a platform and the students' benches are in rows raised one above the other. I was well pleased with the method of teaching, although it seemed to me that the professor spoke a little too much about Seneca and did not question the students sufficiently. In a class of young pupils it is better that they should translate the Latin and explain the grammatical construction than to hear the professor give a kind of lecture on the author whose work is being read.

On leaving the Latin class I was invited by the censor to return the next morning to the lycée. I arrived at the appointed time, but to my great surprise the censor told me that the students were standing their examinations and that the presence of a stranger might embarrass them. I was astonished at this reasoning, for according to M. Gréard's letter all facilities were to be given me to study the system of education in France, and there is no better way to understand what a class is doing than to attend the examinations of that class. I said to myself that either the Lycée Janson de Sailly was not a very hospitable place or at that school there was exaggerated red tape.

I went immediately to the normal school for teachers of the Seine, and there I was most cordially received. I did not wait a minute, and I attended the examinations of several classes-French grammar, mathematics, English, and explanation of French texts. The examination in grammar was not brilliant, and I saw that pupils in France do not distinguish themselves in that branch any more than in America. The explanation of texts was very good, and the examination in English very interesting. The examination in mathematics was satisfactory. The pupils present themselves four or five at a time before two teachers and are examined orally.

I was anxious to see Chaptal College, of which my friend Dr. Devron, a former pupil of that institution, had often spoken to me. I was admitted immediately, and I attended M. Hinzelin's class in literature. At Chaptal College there are two classes of professors-the general professors and the special professors. The former are charged "first, to be present at the courses of the special professors of a division; second, to classify weekly the pupils of that division."

M. Hinzelin is a special professor and a poet of talent. I listened with great interest to a lecture which he gave on Alfred de Musset. He made a critical analysis of the

principal works of the poet and recited hundreds of lines. I was impressed by some of his remarks. He said that the Andromaque of Racine was parodied by Musset in his Marrons du Fen, and made an interesting comparison between the two works. He said also that Musset resembles La Fontaine; that he affects laziness like the great fabulist; that he unrhymed his verses purposely. M. Hinzelin's role is limited to giving lectures to the pupils; the latter take notes and are examined on these notes by another professor. It does not seem to me that this system is good. In that way the professor does not exert a sufficient influence on his pupils.

I took a special interest in M. Gricourt's English class. This professor, whom I had already met at the normal school for teachers of the Seine, pleased me very much. I have never met a more charming man. He speaks English very well, without any trace of French accent. His class was reading David Copperfield and translated very creditably that novel difficult to translate. M. Gricourt does not believe in the natural method, and uses in the beginning of his course an English grammar written in French. He tries, however, as much as possible to speak English to his pupils. He requested me to speak to them in English, and I questioned them on what I had told them. They answered very well.

Chaptal College belongs to the city of Paris and was founded by Prosper Goubaux in 1844. It corresponds, to a certain extent, with the German Realschule; that is to say, Latin and Greek are taught, and much attention is given to the physical and natural sciences, to the modern languages, and to the French language and literature. The following extract from the prospectus explains the aim of the founder:

"In organizing, in 1844, Chaptal College, the city of Paris had for its aim to create an establishment where the young might find, at the same time as the principles and the general instruction which are the basis of any good education, an instruction which should prepare them for examinations requiring a more special study of the sciences, for the different occupations of banking, of finance, and of the administration, as well as for the professions specially devoted to industry, commerce and agriculture."

Chaptal College, as well as the lycées, receives boarders, half-boarders, and day scholars, and the instruction is not free. The building is immense and very handA. Dumas fils and Claretie are former pupils of Chaptal. I had the pleasure of receiving a visit from M. Hédoux, secretary of the friendly association of the alumni of Chaptal College, to whom Dr. Devron had kindly introduced me.

some.

Secondary education is given in the lycées and colleges, and is not free. It is even costly, but the Government grants a certain number of scholarships in each lycée or college. Let me explain here that by "University of France "is meant the whole system of education directed by the Government, and by "academy" the institutions comprised in a certain locality. Thus, the Academy of Paris forms part of the University of France, and signifies the institution of the Government situated in Paris.

Besides the lycées and the colleges and the schools of the Government, there are everywhere in France private schools and schools directed by the religious orders. Secondary education is divided into two parts, classical secondary and modern secondary. The elementary division comprises the preparatory class and the classes of the eighth and seventh grades; the division of grammar comprises the classes of the sixth, fifth, and fourth grades; the superior division comprises the classes of the third and second grades, of rhetoric, and of philosophy. The programmes of the modern secondary are about like those of Chaptal College, and do not differ much from those of the German Realschule. In the latter, however, Latin is taught, but not Greek, which is replaced by a more complete study of mathematics, of modern languages, and of the physical and natural sciences. In the French modern secondary, Latin and Greek are not tanght. The classes of rhetoric and of philosophy of the classical instruction are replaced in the modern by the first class (letters) and the first class (sciences). The bachelor's degree of the modern secondary course gives access to almost all professions. There are also in the lycées special classes of mathematics,

where one studies arithmetic, algebra, geometry, descriptive geometry, and analytical geometry. In the regular course of mathematics descriptive geometry and analytical geometry are not taught.

The student who has received his bachelor's degree may prepare himself for the excellent institutions for superior instruction in Paris, but it seems to me that it would be better if the studies of the lycées were continued two or three years longer, and if there were universities in the principal cities of France, as before the revolution, and as in America and in Germany to-day. The system of instruction in the lycées appears to me very judicious, but I fear that there is overwork in the study of Greek and of Latin. I like very much the study of the modern languages, German and English, begun in the preparatory class and continued to the end of the course, in the class of philosophy and in the first grade classes. There are also optional classes in Italian, Spanish, and Russian.

As far as I can judge the system of education in Paris and, consequently, in France, is excellent. The Government, however, does not offer as many facilities for superior instruction as in the United States. With us, in almost every State, there is a State university where tuition is free. In France all the great schools for superior education are in Paris, and that must prevent a number of young men from rising higher than the bachelor's degree. The great advantage of France over the United States is that primary elementary education is compulsory. By that system, in a few years, all Frenchmen will know how to read and write, and France need no longer fear, as was said in 1870, to be vanquished by the German schoolmaster.