Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-11-19
JACQUES BONHONNE
By MAX 0RELL, Author Of Jonathan
and His Continent John Bull
and Hs IslAnd,- "John Bulls
Daughters" Etc.
the FRENCH At SCHOOL

Da,ls.
Our dear parents Ia France are fond
of telling their children that there are no
DAYS - happy In life a. school days
Ansr | had tasted what school life
really was can well remember that !
formed very ppur idea 81 what awaited
me bcyoni the school gatcs.
Myopinion u that when French parent.
have made up their minds h. send 10y
10 year. oll o. a lycoc till be- l. 20. they
have sentenced him to something very
near. In severity. to ten years penal
serviiuie
Winter anil summer the French school.
hpy ri.c- at IN the morning. OF. rather
ho is supposed O. do 30. The first bcll
ring. at ; a. m.. a. tell him he u to gct
up. a sccons one rings at SIS. 80 inform
him that Ina lgc minutes he must h.
down. and a thirl l-ll. at $50. enloins
him a. leave. the dormitory. Of course
be risrs at 3.al. puts on his clothes with
proligious apidity. gives himself dry
polish. Ia Sluecrs. with n towel. OF
morr often with hi. knuckles. and 10
quito rcaly at $40 O. 90 down 10 ihs
study nom. From this you will easily
infer that plat u water goss long
way IN dornitory of siNty French
boys In the study room. under the
sup-rs sion 20 AN usher. called pion. and
~ whom shall have more a. ay by
and by. hc prrparcs his lesson. for the
proics.prs till 80. breakfast !. ready
ats Considering what the menu % this
rcpast consists of. have always won.
icrcd how u could take the cook 80 long
o. gct IL ready. During the FREQ ten
minutes that prrcc,lc breakfast time. .
fcw boys 20 AMI have wash. These -
by the name ~ arisios laristocntsl
The thru. meals ~ the dAy hcar the
grand namc- ~ breakfast. dinner and
supp-ar breakfast consists ~ plate ~
soup AMI a large piece - brad. Most
boys kccp chocolate or jam. 90 bay some
~ the porter. o. cat with their brad
AtssiD they have % ~ in their r,-pcc.
dive class ruoms with their masters.
The clas, lasts two hours. after which
they return to the study room to prepare
until is for the afternoon class From
- thcy dine aud play. Both these
wonls would convey to an English mind
mcaning that u has not IN French.
The dinner generally consists u stcws
anl vegetables. swimming in mysteriou,
s,ncc,. The bread b, al liblmm When
b,y has finished hi. piccc be- holds M
hi. hand a. sign be- - rcAdy for an.
other \ man holdings a basket fall %
cut loavcs l. stationed In such position
a. will allow him O. fill all thosc pair, Of
empty hands a, fast as they are pot up.
llc hings. the boys catch. it l. quite /,
deNicrou. game. assure YOU. II a hoy
miss', the piece intended for him. hl,
nrighb,r not inlrcquenily catches and
ID, kcts II. partly a. a prrcauiion against
Isss,iblc pangs ~ hunger before the next
meal. partly for the love u disol-ying
the rules. one of which cnActs that no
fool shall b. pocketed. The drink i
called abundance. and l. made up % .
gopl tablespoonful of wine In a decanier
Il water.
~ for play. IL has to take place la
more or les hrg' yard. surrounded by
high walls. very much ike prison
walk Noi a tr-c. not a blade of gras.
20 b. s,cu: a mere graveled yard. moth.
ing more. There the boys walk two 10y
two. or In larger gruups-the biz ones
talking politics. AMI smoking cigarettes
inside their coats. while the usher u az
distance. the little ones indulging in a
game of top or marbles In one II the
corners. Al l o'clock they arr a. 10 In
their places In the study nom I'LL ,,
when Il u time to 80 81 the afternoon
class. which lasts till 4 o'clock. On
having the masters. n he Immediately
handed over to the ushers, they each re-
cciyc at "a picce of bread. which they
are allowed to eat in the yard with what
ever relish they may posses. or wish to
buy of the porter They play till 80,
when they return 10 the study nom 10
do their lessons Tor the following day.
At so'clock supper Il ready. To this.
like u all their other meals. they 80 two
bytwO, after having previously all formed
into ranks in the yard. The supper con-
sists % boiled beef. OF course or two of
vegetables: sometimes an apple OF a few
cherries. according 10 the season, bright
en- the not very festive boarl. In my
time cherries were the most popular des-
sert: after having refreshed the inner
boy. IL provided him with missiles. which
were turned 10 gooi account on the spot
when the usher had his hack turned.
For drink. the mixturcas before. After
this frugal repast the boys repair, two by
two. % their respective dormitorics.
Those who care 20 indulge In "a little
washing may DO - before going To bcd.
~ a. o. h. clean the following day. |
say 'those who care" for never will an
usher make remark 10 a French hoy
over r. (when he j. no longer under the
supervision Of a maironl because he l.
dirty. not even In the refectory. Pro-
yiled he has a cravat On, nobody will
sc1ll him for having dirty neck. II
clalnlincss j. next to gOiliness. the
vgench schoolboy Is most ungodly.
Ol Thuraday be gets a holiday-that
| Is to say. that no class j. held; but hs
..al T. be- In the study room the whole
morning and evening. In the afternoon
De gOcs for walk. Here again an Eng.
.i,hman would not understand, without
One explanation, what Is meant by the
French schoolboy's walk. The college l.
divided into big. middle and small boys
l,ach division l. formed into ranks. aud
thus. two by two, accompanied by ush-
ers, the boys are marched through the
streets. Silence IL compulsory while In
town. and the ranks are not 10 be broken
uni.l the little battalion has reached the
country. There they can play. walk or
sit on the grass. under the eyes OF the
ushers. for an hour or two. when the
ranks are formed again and they are
marched back 10 what have DO hesita.
ton in calling their barracks. not To say
their prison. On Sundays. the boy who
has his parents or guardian In town 1.
allowed to 10 home for the day II he Il
not kept In for one Of those thousand
and one petty offenses invented At pleas
ure by the ushers and their supporters.
On leaving school. on Sunday morn.
ing. he receives an exeat, on which the
hour OF his departure Is marked. and the
parents are 10 write on IL at what time
he has reached home He has 10 he bach
at school at 10 p. IN, punctually. and
again his parents have 10 write on III,
e1eat at what time he left their house
lie generally returns on Sunday night In
comatose state, and the home fare tell
sadly on the work he does on Mondays
He gets fewer holidays than the mor'