Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-27
The Scope and Meaning Of tho School
Bill Just Reported to the Assembly
The Republicans Commit Them
selves to Deadly Strug-
gle with
The Catholic Church-OId Institutions of
Learning, Dating Back to the Thir.
teenth Century, TO be Swept Out
OF Existence-Very aadi-
cal Reform.


for the reform of superior instruction. Under
the French system of legislation bill. after
| being presented to the chambers, is submitted
to committee of that body for report. The
report is then debated on, and both it and
the original draft are afterward subjected to
such further notifications as the chamber
may desire. The report of the committee on
the bill of superior education has Just been
Issued. and, with the original draft of the
project, it may be said to constitute the whole
republican case. The main drift of this bill
may be shortly stated. 1t is to deprive the
whole priesthood of all power and of all voice
whatever in the conferrug of educational de.
grees, and to deprive the "non-authorized"
congregations of the regular clergy, such as the
Jsuits, Dominicans, Benedichnes, ETC., of
even all power of teaching. CFhese Congrega-
lions, it may be said In parenthess, were
turned out of France at the revolution, and
their right TO return has never been formally
conceded by the law. Hence their title of
non-authorized.( The other clergy may still
teach In private establishments, but their
pupils are only to obtain the degree after
passing an examination before the lay pro-
fessors forming the ordinary faculties APP
pointed by the state. They will be obliged
therefore to conform their teaching In all es-
sential respects to that given In the state H.
situations The bill thus strikes a blow at
the very life of the Catholic colleges for the
W.
to the government programme OF lnstruc-
lion, which it may be presumed they will not
care to do, or they must consent to see their
pupils deprived of all chance of a career
through want of the degree. Such want
would almost ruin a young man In France,
where nearly every good thing going de-
mands, as a preliminary qualification, the
diploma of the university. The priesthood
engaged in teaching had long to regard
this as a great grievance, but in
1875 they obtained a law from the
then conservative assembly giving them a
share of representation on certain examining
bodies Of the state. They were empowered
TO send their pupils before mixed jury, as
it was called, composed partly of lay and
partly of ecclesiastical professors. These ju-
ries are to be abolished under the bill. The
state faculties are to have the sole and ex-
elusive right OF granting degrees. The re-
port, which Is the handiwork of M. Spuller,
the republican deputy and journalist and IN
innate friend of Garnbetta, sets out with a
long augmentation in favor of the general
principles of the bill. The first part is de-
signed to prove the business of the claim Of
the state to supreme power over education.
This claim formed part of the public law of
ancient France. The revolution, which de-
creed so many liberties, dare not declare llb-
erty OF education. On the contrary it fin
ished the work of the monarchy in central
izlng all the powers OF the country; and this
greatest one of education necessary among
them. NJ. Guizot dreamed for moment of
leaving education absolutely free, but he found
the public mind unprspared for it by reason
of the general dread of the leading priestly
domination. To show that this dread was
not groundless the reporter cites the declara-
ton Of NJ. Dupanloup, made when the clergy
obtained first partial concession In 1850.
Nd. Dupanloup hoped to secure ''the freedom
of the small seminaries; ''the admission of
the religious congregations and of the Jesuits
10y name);" "the radical reform of primary
education;" ''the profound and irremediable
disIocation of the university hierarchy" and
finally. "a large place for the bishops In the
councils of public Instruction" In fact, ac-
cording to the reporter, it is but too clear
that the religious congregations have under
taken to efface and abolish the French revo-
luton, which Joseph de Mastre called ''that
satanic work" "We cannot, therefore, hest
tate; for US this is a question of exist
ence, and not only of the exist
enee of the republic, but of secular society
ITSELF" From this we pass to the second
part, which deals with the opposition to the
bill on the part of the petitioning clergy and
laity. Sixty-six thousand one hundred and
forty persons have signed petitions,
though many of them, it is asserted,
from their age or position, etc, had
no right to do 80 IN under the
law. Inc OI Tue uiSblU6nbS
are as follows: 81. The bill attacks estab-
lished rights Chose acquired in 1879. 1t
shows fatal spirit of instability in legisla-
ton which may ruin the respect due to law
and authority IN the country. 1t renews q
war which, after 1t had lasted half century,
was brought to an end by an honorable trans
action between the two parties, church and
state. 2 The bill threatens not merely the
principle of the liberty of higher education,
but the liberty of conscience as well-in the
clause forbidding the non-authorized congre-
cations even to teach, either In public or prI-
vate schools. 3. 1t is but too evidently in
tended to impose on the whole nation with
all the force of law an irrehgious education
for the rehabilitation of France" Now let
us look at the bill itself, both in its original
form and as it stands amended in the report
of the commission,
ARTICLE provides that the examinations
and tests which determine the granting of
degrees can take place only before the state
establishment of superior education.
Art. 2. The pupils both of public and pri-
vate establishments shall be put on precisely
the same footing in regard to age, conditions
of entry, ETC., etc., for these examinations.
Here and throughout the report the COM
mittee change the word "free, generally APP
pied to the non-government schools, for
private" All schools are free, they main
tain, only some (those not supported and di-
AOStSu DJ Tue sldGcJ are private. 1A6 private
schools may still exist, but their pupils can
obtain no diploma recognizable by the state
without passing before the state examiners.
Art. 3. Under the French system there are
minor scholastic testimonials preceding the
grand one of the degree-certifcate that the
student has passed through such and such
course of study in particular subjects IN
which he is finally to be examined; that he
has, IN fact, had fair opportunity of learning
the things which he claims to know. The
right of granting such certificates is to be
taken wholly from the private establishments
and transferred to the state faculties.
Art. 4. Chiefly defines the distinction ex-
planned above between the public and private
schools. The committee proposes this text:
private establishments of superior instruc-
ton cannot take the title of faculty nor of
The certificates granted by them
to pupils cannot give the titles bachelor, Ii
centiate, doctor"
Art. 5. Is in part but logical consequence !
Of article a. The last named titles can only |
be obtained by such as have passed the state |
In regard to the exceptions
established in favor of foreigners, says the |
pill, they remain as they were settled by the |
decree of December, 1850, on equivalent |
grades. The report proposes to strike out |
his last provision and to leave the whole |
question of foreign degrees open for future |
consideration. Note.-Duly qualified French |
physicians are sometimes very sore about the |
of foreign ones of uncertain title. |
There exists a third kind of educational |
in France, directed neither by |
NE state nor by the clergy, but by individu-
llS having their own theory and methods
If the higher education. The clergy-made |
aw of 1876 did not put these on the same
ooting Of liberty as the religious colleges.
This is now done in the bill; at least, to
speak more correctly, they are put on pre-
,IselV the same footing of restraint.
Art. T. Here will come the tug of war.
The article cuts right at the root of the in
iuence of the regular clergy In education. 1t
tands thus in the bill: mo member of
lon- authorized religious congregation shall
De allowed to participate in public or free
orivate) instruction, nor to direct an educa-
ionaI establishment of any kind whatss-
,ver."
This has raised a storm of Indignation
throughout Catholic France. 1T destroys
,ur dearest liberties, y say the Catholics. at
s but the strict application of a law which
limo hoan m IF NOT in fOroa - /