New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-02
FRENCH SCHOOL TEACHERS
They Nag Haze 10 Beer Burden OF
Military ,SerT1cc.
Paris, June :.

=. 49,, ~, --,,,s, Military Service bill. now
-. ; ,n.o+i,,, ~ the Chamber Of Deputies,
,,-,s ,,,,,a = law IN It's present FORM the
- I'D or reaccers in the French primary
- ~, e,d an additional burden cast
So, ,re,, Hitherto. their Sole privilege mas
49, +la;r Lain for exemption from serving
.,f.~e a privilege which, in view Of
''' - 80 nay awarded by the state for
-, raI,o~s did III scue sort indemnify them
aro,cipg Of their staTdng WORK In their
ted profession three years earlier than
g., could nave done in any other and better
- walk of lie. The new bill is based upon
the a1ion's mat
t,,-st-f.yery nan owes military service TO
has country.
cooor5- Military service is the same for all.
-:,ir5- There can be 80 exemption except in
~, case of actua! physical incapaclty.
-rba condition of the teachers in French
urinary schools though much improved in the
course Of the last twenty years, IS still 50 I'M
satisfactory that the enforcement Of Two years
ssrri~a under the colors Will weigh more heavily
on .hem than on any other class. When in
$50 the Third Republic was founded on the
rains Of the Third Empire there was no such
thing as either gratUitous or obligatory educa-
t,or in France, and while all secular education
was in the hands of the state, the organiza-
fon was laEenjably deficient. The average
yats of remuneration paid 10 the teachers was
from $40 10 S1G0 a year, and this last sum
co,Id be hoped for only after Eve years
service. There we're many assistant teachers
earning only $50 q year. and on these pitiful
salaries most Of the teachers had parents or
families 10 support and at the same time to
keen up a certain amount of appearance. To exc
out 4 miserable living. mary undertook paid
church work. such choir singing, etc, 10
the great detrunent OF t,eir classes, who bene-
flied BIZ many enforced holidays not mentioned
fl the statute book
It was not till 1879 that public interest in the
question of free and obligatory education WAS
really aroused, and the government of that day
opened q commission of inquiry which dragged
!ato the iigit Of day a number Of abuses. 4
series Of acts of Parliament during the ten
following years introduced many Improvements
!nto the system. and the pay Of the teachers
was raised by slow stages to an average Of 500
a year for pupil teachers. and for teachers hav-
ing served not less than fifteen years
5000 was fixed as the minimum. In December,
1900 N. Chaumie. the Minister Of Public Edu
cation, raised these figures again to $500 for
The pupil teachers and 500 for the lowest or
fifth form teachers, while for the highest form
the average reached the sum % 500.
But If the efnoluments in this particular
branch OF the public service have been in
creased of late years the work expected from
the primary teachers has grown proportion
Etely heavier. The night schools entail a large
amount OF work, putting little extra pay into
the pockets Of the masters and mistresses.
In fact form masters in Paris have only one
means Of adding to their meagre pay, and this.
unfortunately leads TO abuses and gives oc-
casion to a good deal Of i'll feeling among the
mar oPt he Dr,T+lc T0z- vi a
of money parents can give their children the
advantage OF preparing their home work under
the eye Of the master after school hours, and
ambitious but poor persons anxious TO get
their into the lycees by means OF a
scholarship generally adopt this practice. 1t
often follows that the Ounce Of the class who |
thus becomes a special source OF income to his
master obtains better reports than his more |
deserving classmates, to be followed by I'M
deserved promotion. A whole school in a poor
and populous district OF Paris has been shaken |
70 its foundations by this kind Of wire pulling |
the discomfort Of the parents Of children who |
have in consequence been passed over making |
itself felt in a tangible way.
II il is true that a valuable body of workers |
is badly recompensed for its devotion by the
state it may also be stated that the only re-
wards and honors open to them are equally in |
adequate. Besides the silver medal which en- |
titles the holder, whether male or fe-
male. TO a supplementary pension Of $40. one |
Minister invented the order OF the "Palmes |
and to console the teachers for |
the difficulty they are bound 10 experience in |
making ends meet every decoration day sees |
a lavish distribution Of the little bit Of purple
ribbon among this particular class Of the COM |
Inunty. To take from them. then. their one real |
and undoubted privilege and oblige them to do
military service will be a crushing blow from
which they will not easily recover. c. L B.