The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-08
prBLIC SCHOOLS OF PARIS.
.u.,,rrrioys CONDUCTED ON THE
,,1gRyIL GOVERNMENT IDEz.

..,,.., yea, clothed, Provided With Hooks,
=, r,r.a Cor In Vacation By the Az.
-,,..-Teachtna OF Manual Labor,
,....,tcs, MnItsry Drni. Drawing,
s,,,,,a, housekeeping. md Sewing.
p.,,s March 2O.-Amcrlcsns are rightly
II q, their own public schools. and they
naturally interested In the schools OF n
- modern. enterprisinR city like Paris.
e.. 1870 the Paris Municipal Council. which
~. socialist majority has been moving
s,,vsn and earth to make tho city schools
.s..ptnblc to the POPULATION. as many persons
.rs Ann attached to the old-fashioned religious
.aSools Some OF the things which have been
dors are astounding to us Westerners. who
~. not 40 accustomed as the French to rely
an the state for help.
Tho primary schools, as they are called. take
,hs children from the age OF six and keep them
rrnl twelve. Then. II they are to continue
thsr schooling. tho higher primary schools
,.rsiye them for few years longer. until they
ava ready for the secondary education. which
4. given in tho lyc6es, OF colleges or In the
,,otessional and trades schools All this edu-
,,tion Is had for nothing and the city even
bslps the children OF the needy TO live mean
vbila And 1t is not only book learning which
f. given Even in the primary schools the
iris learn housekeeping. from kitchen work
and buying in the market to menjing and
making their dresses: and boys can practise
Ioinery and blaoksmithing.
From the start the boys and girls are put in
separate schools. This IL change from the
maternal or baby schools. In which working
people leave their children during the day.
Ssd where on each bench for two. boy and
hlrl are always seated together. In these pri-
.ehoola thara M uopn IN faa ohnra 10
the boys with few exceptions for the very
youngest But the course OF studies and the
GENERAL discipline are the same for both sexes.
In each school there are three grades. accord
ing to age The elementary course has the
children from six to eight. the middle course
from eight to ten. and the higher course from
ten to twelve Then there are divisions In each
grade according to progress in study,
with as many classes as tho nu mber OF
scholars demands. The rule is that there
shall be no more than fifty scholars
IN the lower classes or forty in the higher.
As the first result OF this school system has
been TO prepare o great many more teachers
than can possibly be placed. It is for the inter-
est OF the school authorities to multiply classes
Is much as they can. This Is especially true
OF the girls schools. for whkh there are sew
sral thousand more teachers than are wanted.
The newer school buildings are large. light.
and airy. The tables and benches are made Of
Eve different sizes. with oniy.two children sit
ting together. But there are other things
which moro surprise the foreigner. He can
understand the covered yard for exercise
in rainy weather. which 10 SO fire.
ousnt here. In addition to the large open play
ground. But at nrst he is puzzled BY the kitch-
on. tho dining room. the shop for eatables.
and the work rooms. It mixes up his idea OF
public day school with that OF an orphans
home. To tell the truth. the great Socialist
city treats its children Ialmost like orphans.
for whom everything imust DO done freely.
oordas to their sbiiity but the sum asked IL is
nd .sc S.. . IL ssr The the
3G e & es peoa free
little together. this smoants to about one dol dol
e Fss. n'
The T 81 th Ssi are
sss!:A Is: .ssay y s.SsssYs' and Ri:ssrs ron
srs and beasts is carried on. This does
Asss' Nth NTH the need Of many book.
. asoarsDhy 10 of The World 50 T wsi
IS American scholars. but they seem to DO
beuer up IN All that concerns their own coun-
Of e. ssss 81 sss Sn.
a.: for t their the
d tSs scur % 1t: Dr0 Fh.ls
two reasons for this. With the French habit
Of never trusting their children far out OF
ot Be- abe 0 to run Romo ios iSneh snS S0 ths
sity ~ TOO tender hearted to oblige them to
S q q Dr Tho esia
from the poorer quarters would stand
souI sTs shan ss hsvps aay,h a
With It's Socialist principles, hastak en- the bur.
S aa % 81 % SetWsss
t sa: ehidrer who can pay for what they re-
SIs and th S Who receive everything for
Lr caterer: 4. usually served up In the GOV:
soup and 4 plate OF steaming meat and yeRe-
p sssj, Ai ,tti are Supposed to bring irSn home
need and Il they Wish to driss sd anyth i bst
A.tsr. bottle of milk or wine Thin wine is
tns usual drink OF tho Paris poor At homel
Or pastry or fruit by way OF dessert But
, nnsh the parents are toe poor, the child
school castssn and Ron. Of The other .cGolsns
presents copper cheek. The parents Of those
a., |
,oL ms not dear lunch. considering what il
furnished. But those whose parents have paid
ho.hing nave the same copper check in their
nahq 10 give In In sight OF the others.
o. recent and warm clothing Is another ne
sesslty OF school children; but in y huddle Of
humanity Ike Paris many OF the poor would |
~ oe able 10 procure 1t for their children by !
themselves. The city has taken this matter
ma hand along with the books ana meals. Tho
~. MS Municipal Council, besides voting extra
saossllles TO the schools OF each quarter ac-
S0Iuingto the needs OF the population. author
mss Tie directors OF the schools TO sci in mO-
ion whole machinery for increasing tho
tNnu subscription lists, door-to-door collec-
nnv inS from the rich people Of the quarter. les
lVNits lot emit ance to which money Is received,
III III 'ns war from theatTieEls to bAuquets With
49, tIh!s money the cashier OF the school is
sSiiniGaksd to buy shoes and clothing for tho
n.I'ileA whose parents cannot furnish what Is
sitses,4ry 10 put them on a footing o. equality !
ps s'n all the rest For this is the keynote Of
.Sn pubic school dmlnlstTatlon-absoiut
ssSSSiiiH ,0t the scholars while they are at
uriJoL Inc tendency OF the French to wear
H.Lms In the ease Of school children. a dark !
bSVsasse ana cap makes this fairy easy task.
AM ne cashiers duty does not end here, II a
Hsh5 i9und to be ailing. he may draw on
se5 eIpas Tor ANYTHING needed TO keep him at !
AZ W from flannel shirt 10 sticking plaster
4k.eeh shade Tor weak eyes
haiiau american would think that city pateT- |
tbststu "a gone far enough by this time, and |