Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-21
FREE SCHOOLS IN FRANCE.
What Del'gate from 6siiia says Abosi the
system There.

VIVA, a Dehgate from 6si'ia SAYS AboH, the
system There.
New York World.l
Mr.. Il. Buisson, delegate from the
French Educational Department, sailed
yesterday for Europe on the St. Lau-
rent. Mr.. Buisson has been in this
country severalmonths, as he came from
France to take charge Of the French edu-
cationsl exhibit at the New Orleans Ex-
hibition. After completing his labors
at New Orleans he visited Chicago,
St. Louis, Cincinnati, and other large
cities, examining into our educational
system so as to be able to make full
report when he returns to Paris. In
conversation with a World reporter
yesterday Mr.. BuissOn said that his
visit was the result Of an invitation
from the Educational Department in
Washington that emanated through
General Eaton.
"That gentleman saw our exhibit in
London last August" said Mr.. Buis-
son. "We were exhibiting in con-
junction with the health department.
and at my recommendation went to
Paris and saw the Minister of Public
Education, to whom We preferred re-
quest we would give an exhibit at the
New Orleans Exposition. One Of The
most interesting portions Of our
exhibit was that Of manual work.
This was something rather foreign
to your teachers, but is a part Of
our system, as we believe in training
the hand at the same time as we develop
the mind. We had specimens Of work
in the carpentering and cabinet line,
cut cardboard baskets, &C., and also
little museums collected by the teachers
and children showing everything con-
nected with silk, wool, and other local
industries. There was also a very large
exhibit OF textbooks furnished bySome
thirty-eight publishers of educational
works. We also had plans showing
the architecture and interiors Of our
schools.
There have been great changes in
our public-school system in the past
eight years, as in 1877 the French Par
Lament made large increase in the
awards for educational purposes, and
the budget has been raised from 20,-
100000 to nearly I00.0O0,000 francs.
This has been mainly spent in the con-
.truction of new normal schools and
improving the equipment Of the country
schools, furnishing them all the newest
apparatus used In the teaching of geo
graphy and the sciences. Our schools are
divided into two classes, primary and
higher primary, the first being compul-
sorry to boys Of eight to thirteen years Of
age, and the second for boys above
thirteen, but not compulsory. We do
not devote much attention to classics,
but confne ourselves to popular educa-
ton and professional training, and have
paying schools whore the study Of the
classics is made a feature. We teach
drawing and some music in our free
schools. We have also a free system
Of something like your kindergarten for
children from three to six years of age
that we call maternal schools. Lately
the Government has placed several hun
bred millions of francs, called the school
fund, at the disposition Of the Educa-
tional Department. When municipal
authorities desire pecuniary aid from
the State for new school they
have to submit all the plans to the Com
mission on School Building. These
plans are carefully examined as regards
architecture, cost OF construction and
hygiene, and have to receive the endors-
ment of the Commission before they 90
to the Minister of Education.
I've have also a body called the
Superior Council, that comprises fifty
nine representatives of the educational
departments throughout the country.
Fifty Of these are elected and nine ap-
pointed by the Minister of Education.
The school-teachers are allowed a rep
resentation Of six members. This
Council has organized the present
system, and have done a great deal
towards the progress Of popular educa-
ton. In 1876 my brother, Mr.. f.
Buisson, Counsellor of State and head
of the Elementary Educational Depart
ment, visited the Centennial Exhibition
and examined your public-schOol sys-
TEN very closely. On his return he
made a report Of what he had seen, and
the change in our system was to great
extent the result ofthe effect produced on
our legislators on learning what you were
doingin America. Our boys and girls are
only taught together up to the age of
eight. We havenow in France eighty-six
normal schools for men and fifty-Seyen
for women. We were very hand
somely treated in New Orleans, as the
jury on education awarded a grand d.
ploma of honor to the Educational De-
partment and to the schools Of Paris.
We also received some $50 diplomas of