New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-28
GLOOMY SCHOOL LIFE.
TIE MODERN DRAMA IN FRANCE.
Paris, August Is

Paris, August Is.
| Through the medium OF the /" Figaro" NJ Emile
lola has. during the past week given publicity IA
| some gloomy "reminiscences of his school days
| which 60 far to demonstrate that the life led in
provincial lycees" and "pensionnats" by French
youths generation ago was one more heavily
fraught with painful than with pleasuraple eX-
periences. The pupils received in these establish
ments were, as for the most part they still
arc, Of two distinct kinds" internes,' or resi-
| dent boarders, and "extcrnes." or day scholars,
| taking their meals at home. or these, the boys
belonging TO the former category appear to have
Lad by far the worst OF the bargain made Tor
them by their parents and guardians The UNI
| plensantncss OF their conditions has been I'M
pressively testified to, over and over again, by
eminent French noveists such as Edmond About,
Aphonse Daudet, Gustave Droz and Hector Maot
all men whose education was begun in institu-
tons corresponding in many respects TO the
public schools OF large American cities and towns,
and who, like NJ lola. have placed upon record
their recollections Of the extremely "hard lines"
suffered by them when they we're interncs."
School hours were fatguingly long. tasks op-
pr.ssively onerous, and punishments cruelty Sc
we're Not only were the boys subjected TO
detestable system OF surveillance on the part Of
the undermasters and "pioDs." or ushes. bue
they were instructed to spy upon one an
other and report every juvenile irregularlty
OF deed or word to their teachers. Bullying of the
weak by the strong WIS rarely discouraged, habits
OF cleanliness were not insisted upon recreatlons
were few and spirtless dorniitories ill-found
and overcrOwded. and sanitary arrangements OF
every description were hideously insufficient. The
worst wrong inflicted upon boarders in these es-
Establishments. however, according to the authors
above referred to-including NJ. lola. who, like
some of his literary brethren, is noted gourmet
had relation to the food, which they unanimously
stgmatize as bad in quality and inadequate In
quantity In the case Of the last named writer.
the most painful memories of his boyhood are
not of the prosecutions he endured at the hands
Of his senior schoOmates. although they seem
to have been exceptionally veXatious. but are OF
the atrocous food and the vile cookery which
aggravated the intrinsic dstastefulness Of the
coarse meat and the inferior vegetables that con.
sttuted his ordinary diet, and the stale fish and
eggs with which he and his comrades were spar
ingly fed on "meagre days" II may be
cepted fact that. from thirty to forty years
ago, the boarders in great French provincial
schools-many Of them sens Of landowners man.
ufacturers. notaries. advocates. physicians and
wealthy tradesmen did not get enough to eat,
and that what they did get was frequently unfit
for the consumption of lads accustomed in their
homes to wholesome and well-prepared nourish-
ment.
1t is somewhat disquieting to those who be.
licve in the efficacy of schools Of dramatic art
and who think that actors and actresses can be
Systematically trained, dancers are for the
ballet and cqucstrans are for the ring, to learn
that in the hundred and third year Of the ex-
istencc Of the Paris Conservatoire Of Music and
Defamation great fault is being found with
the hisrionic tuition impaired AT the recent
examinations no pupils were pronounced worthy
Of the first prize for tragedy; while the youth
full opponents Of comedy, although slightly more
successful, declared to be sadly stacy
and conventional in their methods The Con-
servatoire, at present constituted, maintains
three classes Of dramatic defamation for men
and one for women, TO which are subJoired classes
for teaching dancing and fencing 10 pupils who
intend to follow dramatic career. There eau
be little doubt that, apart from its splendid sue
cess as a school Of yocalizaton and Instrumental
music, the Paris Conservative has rendered good
service to France in training actors and actresses
for what may be termed the Legitimate French
stage The Second Empire had more than half
run its course the question Of according lib
crty Of representation TO all the theat-es in Paris
was conceded. Up TO that time only the Coincide
Franchise and the Odeon-- both being establish
ments subsidized by the Stae-were permitted
to perform the masterpieces in tragedy OF Cor
nellie. Racine and voltaire, and in comedy those
OF Moere, Regnard and MarivauX
Now that the managers of all the Partisan
theatres are allowed to produce classical works
on their boards. il might naturally be imagined
that far larger demands would he made on the
class Of defamation Of the Consorvatoire, the
professors OF which are of high culture and long
experience, and where. moreover, not only Is
the course OF instruction gratultous, hut wnere
exhibitions averaging about Thousand francs
a year are available for the most merltorious
among the students. The truth, however, I'M
fortunately scans to be that the pubic demand
for classical plays in France has been gNwln9
lcss for some years According TO the socle-
tairesr mud "persionnarcs' II tie Oomeoin
Franchise, there is still an adequate supply OF
comedians Of both sexes, fully able to interpret
the plays of Moliere, and such comedies as 'he
bourgeois Gcntilhomme,- "Lc Misanthrope,'
lie Malade Imagnairc," les Prccieusos Kidi-
cules." and. above all. "Tariufe.' can always
I've reckoned upon to draw good audiences,
especially on Sunday evenings, when the bour-
seoisie usually flock in their greatest numbers 70
the Coincide Franchise On the other hand,
with the exception Of Pedrc,H and on rarcr oc-
casions LES TIoraceS,' tie great works OF Cor
nellie Racine and Noltairc almost dcfunct
from the point of view OF public representation
A similar reaction against the elder dramatists
has taken place in France, even in the case OK
Molicrc. scarcely third Of whose plays are adj
mitted into the acting repertoire of the day.
What modern France demands seems to be mainly
comedies of manners, such as have been written
with pronounced success by the exemplary NJ.
Alexandra Dumas, the younger: dramas OF pas
sion. Of which the most prominent types are those
n and
farcical comedies.