The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-22


children between the ages Of two and six,
| who number according TO the last census
upward of hundred thousand. AZ mat
ter Of fact, they gave instruction to lese
than thirty thousand pupils. Considering
the tender years of the beneficiaries, even
this ratio of attendance is remarkable, aud
must be asoribed 20 u peculiar feature of
these asylum halls, which are at once MUIR
series and school rooms, designed to afford
care, shelter, and protection TO the chill
dren OF the poorer classes during the hours
OF labor.
The origin OF these admirable institutions,
whose function Is rather charitable than
educational dates back more than Gen.
| fury, and is attributed to the famous pas
tor, OBERIIN. At n subsequent period his
experiment was repeated in Scotland ut
the suggestion OF Lord BRououAM. Mean
while, In Paris, through the efforts of
private charity, the system of nursery
| schools acquired considerable develop
ment, until at length, In 1897, lite mainte-
nance was assumed by the city. The course
Of instruction contemplates n certain de-
gree Of preparation for the primary
| schools, but is limited TO the mere elements
OF reading, writing drawing, and oral cal
culation. coupled with religious instruc-
| ton and gymnastic exercise. Even these
| modest aims however, were but partially
| attained until the recent Introduction of
| the so-called object lessons invented by
FRoEBEL This Intelligent method OF in
struction, which makes learning an amuse-
| ment, and enlists on lite behalf the potent
stimulus of curiosity, already presents in
some of the sales d'dstle the striking re-
suits observed in the German Kinder
0drtcn.
OF children between six and fourteen
years of age there were in Paris at the date
of the last census about 100, 900. Their edu-
cational wants were met in 1875 by more
than thirteen hundred primary establish
ments, OF which 273 were public institu-
tons, quite evenly distributed between
the two sexes, which, by the way, are never
associated in the French system after the
age OF six. OF the private academies,
which aggregate upward of u thousand,
three-fourths are assigned to boys. The
quota Of pupils returned by the public
schools last year was ninety-six thousand
and by their private coadjutants Atty
thousand; whence IL would seem to follow
| that some thirty thousand children. be-
| tween the years of six and fourteen. failed
| to receive elementary instruction. From
| this number, however, should be subtract
| ed those who are taught at home as well as
| those who are transferred directly from
household tuition to establishments OF n
| higher grade, the so-called secondary
| schools. With due allowances for such
/ I..1. for
| ties opened during the present year by the
| foundation of several new establishments,
we may compute at twelve thousand the
number OF children between the ages OF six
| and fourteen who are totally destitute OF
| education. These figures are sufficiently
lamentablc, yet they cannot be said to cast
exceptional reproach upon a capital whose
total population falls but little short OF
two million souls. IL is notorious that the
record of London in this particular is much
worse.
commendable feature in the girls
| schools Is the considerable number OF hours
| devoted to needlework. only such useful
| kinds of sewing being tolerated rs are
| likely to enter into the normal duties OF
the housewife. While the pupils are thus
occupied, some OF the mistresses read aloud
| from instructive books. In all OF the pri-
mary institutes we notice that good deal
| Of time is given to drawing not less in fact
| than four hours a week. We may mention.
| likewise, that OF late much attention has
been bestowed on gymnastics, certain
| forms OF physical exercise being now com
| pulsory for all scholars more than ten
years old. This is a lesson which other
countries besides France might pro fitably
| learn from Germany.
As regards regularity Of attendance there
is naturally a marked difference between
| the sales d'dsile and the primary schools.
| In the latter the average number OF pupils
| present reaches ninety per cent. or the
names upon the rolls. The non-compul-
| sorry establishments of Paris seem to be
| on level in this respect with the much
cited public schools of Geneva, where at
| tendance is enjoined by law. BY some
recent judicious endowments, emulation
has been notably encouraged. Eighty
"purses," corresponding TO our scholar
ships. and attached TO the higher schools
or so-called colleges, are distributed after
competitive examination among the
pupils of the primary institutions. These
| gTutultltb WtIt lOTmeIlt buppltIntuteu
with presentments TO apprenticeships, but
the latter have been suppressed since 1872
and replaced by money prizes. 1t is a
signal tribute to the efficacy Of the new
regime that last year the number Of COM
petitors for the donatives was not far from
thousand, while the candidates for
scholarships mustered six hundred. We
find a still more decisive sign OF progress
IN the results OF the somewhat rigorous
examination for diplomas. Out OF some
six thousand who underwent this test
seventy per cent. obtained certificates o I
satisfactory requirement.
In the strenuous Improvement OF her
school system, as well as in other matters
pertaining to the social framework of
France we trace an earnest, self-searching
spirit, and the resolute purpose Of reform.
France has often commanded success, but
perhaps for the first time she may now be
said to entirely deserve it. Only once be-
fore in the history Of Europe has a van
pushed and dIsmembered nation accepted
so frankly and manfully the teaching OF