 thumb|alfred de falloux, ca.1860 frÃ©dÃ©ric-alfred-pierre, comte de falloux (7 may 1811 â 16 january 1886) was a french politician and author, famous for having given his name to two laws on education, favoring private catholic teaching. ==biography== falloux was born at angers, maine-et-loire. his father had been ennobled by king charles x of france, and falloux began his career as a legitimist and clerical journalist under the influence of madame swetchine. in 1846 he entered the legislature as deputy for the maine-et-loire, and with many other catholics he gave real or pretended support to the revolution of 1848. louis napoleon made him minister of public instruction and worship in december 1848, but having fell sick in september 1849, he was replaced in october. he had nevertheless secured the passage of the loi falloux (15 march 1850) for the organization of primary and secondary education. this law provided that the clergy and members of ecclesiastical orders, male and female, might exercise the profession of teaching without producing any further qualification. this exemption was extended even to priests who taught in secondary schools, where a university degree was exacted from lay teachers. the primary schools were put under the management of the curÃ©s. falloux was elected to the acadÃ©mie franÃ§aise in 1856. his failure to secure re-election to the legislature in 1866, 1869, 1870 and 1871 was due to the opposition of the stricter legitimists, who viewed with suspicion his attempts to reconcile the orlÃ©ans princes with henri, comte de chambord. in spite of his failure to enter the national assembly his influence was great, and was increased by his personal friendship with adolphe thiers. nevertheless, in 1872 he offended both sections of the monarchical party at a conference arranged in the hope of effecting a fusion between the partisans of the comte de chambord and of the orlÃ©ans princes, divided on the vexed question of the flag. he suggested that the comte de chambord might recede from his position with dignity at the desire of the national assembly, and not content with this encroachment on royalist principles, he insinuated the possibility of a transitional stage with the duc d'aumale as president of the republic. his disgrace was so complete that he was excommunicated by the bishop of angers in 1876. of his numerous works the best known are his histoire de louis xvi (1840); histoire de saint pie v (1845); de la contre-rÃ©volution (1876); and the posthumous mÃ©moires d'un royaliste (2 volumes, 1888). ==references== * *james guillaume, falloux entry in the nouveau dictionnaire de pÃ©dagogie
1811_births 1886_deaths French_Ministers_of_Public_Education_and_Religious_Affairs Members_of_the_AcadA(c)mie_franASSaise People_excommunicated_by_the_Roman_Catholic_Church People_from_Angers