The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-01-20
FRENCH GIRL GRADUATES.
INTRODUCTION OF NJ. CAMILLE SEES BILL
FOR THE HIGHER EDUCATION OF WOMEN
EQUAL RIGHTS OF THE SEXES TO
INTELLECTUAL LIGHT-A CURE FOR
MATRIMONIAL GRQus

81
NJ Camille Sees bill for establishing
lyceums in Paris and the provincial towns
devoted to the higher instruction of girls
was brought before the French Senate on
the 2lst ult., by Mr.. Henri Martin, who
| reported thereon. There is no contempora-
neous question which more thoroughly
enlists the sympathies of the warm hearted
in France than the one which NJ, See has
with rare good sense and tenacity pressed
on the Legislature ever since he was sent to
represent St. Denis at Versailles His
object is to afford girls every advantage
: which the government high schools give t.
boys, and to strengthen the national unity
by withdrawing the girlhood of France
from ultra montanist direction. He wanted
the State to provide facilities for creating
lyceums where girls would be received as
boarders. This was refused by the Bureau
of the Chambers but if the bill as amended
and presented by NJ Henri Martin to the
Senate becomes law the Minister of Public
Instruction will, on the request of Coun
| ell General of department or a municipal
| council, be empowered to found a school in
which girls can dwell and study As the
measure is intended to democratize higher
| instructions so as to bring it within the
reach of girls who have often to live by
handierafts, the curriculum is carefully
elaborated and not oyereharged. The course
| laid down in the bill would embrace twelve
! heads-viZ., moral instruction, French and
| at least one other modern tongue, ancient
| and modern literature, geography, national
| history and glimpse at universal history,
mathematics, physical and natural sciences,
| hygienic, domestic economy, needleW0rk,
notions in dr0it usuel or eYefyday life, law,
! drawing and modelling, music and gymnas
| tics. Religious instruction is to be given,
| if the parents wish, in the lecture room Of
the Lyceum by the ministers of their re-
spective cults authorized to teach by the
Minister of Bubble Instruction, but who
| are in no case to be resident in the school.
The bill also makes provision for a large
number of scholarships to be won at open
examinations. This is done to stimulate
the girls in the primary schools.
FRIENDS AND FOES.
The aItLor Of the bill is a member of a
Jewish family which has never been engaged |
in finance, but has long been in the van of
scientific, social and industrial progress, and /
he is the son-in-law and nephew of the |
illustrious DR.. German. The bill vas OPP |
posed at great length with some ability By |
NJ. Desbassys de kichement. He was at
tentively listened to, but here and there the
Left gave marks of dissent, which were
loudest when he stated that the reporter
and NJ. See insulted Frenchwomen in de-
cIaring them behind the Americans and
Swiss, and even less well instructed than the
Turkish and Japanese girls NJ. De Richie
mont feared that if the science of the high /
schools killed Christianity there would be,
as in Russia. mob of we'll instructed, dis
contented, feminine paupers disabled, by
being kept too long in lecture rooms, from
working at trades, and ready to join hands
with the nihilists. VI. FerrouilIat, the Senator
from Lyons, and Protestant, warmly de-
Tended the bill which would sweep away the
disabilities under which theologians had
placed women. He gave the author of the
bill his heartiest cooperation because
he wished tie nation to be united In heart
and intellect second, because he wished to
cut at the root of eonjugal discord which ,
the unequal education of the sexes was en-
gendering; and third, because the State, in
justsce, ought to do as much for girls as for
boys. NJ. FerrouilIat thought the great
remedy for matrimonial broils would be the
ofegual rights to intellectu- /
al light. He maintained that girls had az Z
fine minds as boys, but that they had, owing !!
to the theological prejudice, been kept ;
down by granting justice to them they
would be rendered apt to hereafter associate
themselves with the thoughts, sentiments '
pursuits and moral and intellectual aspira. {
tions of their husbands The bill was not
merely to benefit the daughters of the bour- !
geois, but the daughters of that democracy :
which the Republic is bound to arm and 2
prepare for the duties and difficulties of {
life. The children of that democracy. boys I
and girls, should be flooded with scientific |
truth and serious, practical, positive knowl-
edge. lie was for colleges in which girls
could reside He thought nothing could I
be more liberal than the provisions of the d
bill for rligious instruction. {