The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-03-24

its former position in university teach
ing, we need cite only one fact, which
is that It has not single faculty OF the
oio2y under state Rpapicos, whereas the
Protestants have two, one at Paris, and
the other at Montaubon, Not only so,
but the Catholic church has few prop
erly accredited representatives. amongst
the 1000 or more university proIessorsi
fact, however, which has, untortu,
nate!y, its dark side, for it is estimated
by those thoroughly familiar With uni
yersity life, that about four out Of every
ak Of the professors are aSnostics, the
same authorities assuring us that the
proportion OF agnostics among students
is still greater.
The declpes in lyceea and colleges
partakes naturally OF that which is in
vogue in well regulated French homes,
There is perhaps no lcountTyiWhere
adult life travels SO generally along lines
which the American would call "iast,"
and at the same time, we know oil no
civilized country in which boys and
girls, up to certain age, are kept under
such strict surveillance, Perhaps tho
latter excuses are anatural rebound
from the earlier repression, DO this as
it may, youthful life in France, whether
at homo or at school, il very much Of q
prison life for both sexes, We are re-
'ferring now particularly to high class
schools, which are largely pRtronized
by the bourgeois, and whore many OF
the pupils are received rs boardera.
The boys when taken out for walk are
always vigilantly attended and they
carry about with them q most distress.
ing mir OF shyness. One is impressed
indeed that they are altogether eilemin'
ate in their appearance, aliording u
complete contrast in both physique and
manners to American school boys OF
the same age and class. As for the
poor girls they are more demure look
ing than the average nun, and when
you learn what their lives are yon arc
not surprised at this They are watched
as vigilantly at night as by day. Liter
ally they are never free from oversight,
not even when they arc asleep, for the
rule in the new lYcees for girls is to
lodge them in long dormitorles, holding
thirty or more beds, these being sep
arated ouly by screen, and each dor
mitory has its female guard who over
looks these sleeping innocents as yigor-
ously, they say, us though she were a
death watch keeping vigil over con-
demned criminals.
THE DAY SCHOLARS.
As to day scholars, they are never al.
lowed, II they are girls to make the
distance between homo and school un.
attended. Generally IN omnibus is at
their service, and il this is not used,
the discipline OF tho school makes II
imperative that they shall be accom-
panied there and back by some female
chaperon, this rule being so strict that
its iniraction would be visited by the
pupils expulsion. There is but little
danger, however, for French mammas
are as vigorously scrupulous in this
matter as are the managera OF the
French schools. 1t is, in fact, in strict
harmony with the entire French sys-
tom, which not only secudes girls from
association before marriage with the
opposite Sex, but which keeps them
apart, until the school life is finished,
from society Of every kind. The
French school girl knows nothing OF
parties. not even OF dove parties. Such
diversions are not tolerated by either
parents or tutors. The school years
are years Of mechanical drudgery and
social abnegation; the result being, OF
course, that they are well eduCated--no
doubt about that--but are as little fit
ted for actual contact with the strug-
giles and temptations OF such life as Is
before them in France can possibly be
imagined.
10 the faculties, which represent
what Americans would call university
teaching, women are admitted side by
side with men, and in the various pro-
LESSONS represented, not excepting
those OF surgery and medicine, they are
allowed in these days an equal chance
with tho lords of creation to practice on
an unsuspecting public. But in sub
ordinate education the sexes are taught
separately. This is required by tho
law, and the stipulation applies almost
as rigidly to primary ms to secondary
schools. Every commune having more
than 500 inhabitants must have both It's
boys and It's girls departmental not
in separate buildings, at least in separ-
ate rooms aud with separate entrances.
1t is also an invariable custom for the
girls to be caught by their own sex, and
tho boys the same. They are very par
ticular in France about matters OF this
kind. The only variations are in
maternal schools, where the children
are taken before tho primary schools
are open to them, and in private
schools, which are allowed by special
dispensation OF the government TO
teach the sexes together up TO tho age
OF ten. This reminds US, too, hat pri.
vate schools, those which arc not sup
ported but are only inspected by the
state, cut a considerable figure In
France, and that most OF them, as u
matter OF course, are maintained by the
money and in heintorest Of the Roman
Catholic church.. Overthese tho gov.
ernmont assumes control only ihifegard
to sanitation and morals.
COMPULSORY AGES
Tho compulsory school age Is from
six to thirteen years. Between those
periods all children must be enrolled in
either public or private school, aud in
case 1t is the wish OF parents to have
their children instructed at home, not
only must this matter Of enrolment DO
attended TO, but after tho age OF eight
these pampered oilsprings Of fortune
are liable technically to yearly exam
ination. This, to satisfy the RESPONSE.
BILE authorities that they are not grow.
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