, 1876-05-07
THE FRENCH EDUCATIONAL ELL.

ttt uAf6 al1EAu4 C0uAGAkG0 =" oAAO
length upon the general fact that the Repub-
Ican majority in the French Assembly would
speedily make vigorous move IN the dlroc-
ton of elementary education, the purpose OF
which is to overcome the concentration OF
the governing power in Paris, and at the
same time check the influence Of the Church
by disseminating education among thelgnorant
peasantry Of the rural districts, vast mnjor-
ity Of whom can neither read nor write, and
arc in a condition of besotted Ignorance,
which makes them the easy dupes Of the
priests. Late European papers bring the de-
tails Of the bill which Ii. WADDMaroN, the
Minister of Public Instruction (andau English
born Protestant), has drafted and introduced
in the Chamber. The first clause OF the bill
defines elementary education as "gratuitous,
compulsory, and secular" The second pro-
vides that every child over years OF age
shall be bound, under the responsibility
of his parents or guardians, to at
tend the elementary schools until the
age of Is. The third directs teachers to fur
nish List Of their scholars every month to
the Mayors Of the Conmunes, and authorizes
the Mayors to punish delinquonts- The
fourth fixes the penalties. The maximum Of
fine is 500 francs, and father may be de-
prived Of his civil rights for three years. The
fifth provides for certain conditions Of ab-
sence at certain time in the year; and the
sixth for periodical visitation Of the
schools BY the inspector and doctor. The
seventh asserts that the father or guardian
shall be unmolested if his children are On
the rolls of any other school than that OF
their legal residence. The eighth provides
for the maintenance OF the schools, md fixes
the minimum salary Of teachers at 1,20o
francs year, including lodgings, a garden,
fuel, and lighting, which is better salary
than teachers, as IN average, command in
this country. The ninth aims blow at the
Church by forbidding masters or mistresses
to belong to any religious ordsr. The
tenth is q very indefinite clause.
It reads: "From the age Of 10
the pupils of both sexes shall assiduously
receive general notions on the existence OF
God, the Immortality Of the soul, on morals,
and on the organic principles Of Republi
can Government" It is hardly asserting too
much to state that the last clause Of the bill
will be very unpopular among many Re-
publicans, especially the Radicals, notwith-
standing the fact that the teaching of t'gen-
eral notions of God is very Frenchy, since
it is the tendency Of French legislators not
only to oppose general notions Of God, but to
oppose the existence Of any God at all This,
however, is only an incident Of the bill, and
not essential to it, in its relations to educa-
ton Itisa very sweeping and radical mems
ure, and will require considerable expense in
organizing the schools under its provisions,
and considerable time to put the experiment
into successful practice but it con hardly be
doubted that it will pass the Assembly.
Under this bill for securing elementary edu-
cation, with the additional bill for academical
education and the comforting Of University
degrees by the State alone, which secures the
control of all the professions, France will
have taken long step forward in rescuing
her people outside the limits Of Paris from
the thralldom Of ignorance and the crafty
designs of the Ultramontane clericals.