The Washington herald., 1908-01-05
EDUCATION OF FRENCH GIRLS
NatiOnalized System of Training.
What They Study in the Lyeees.
Vile. EIichabe. Now Travelling In
This Country, Discusses COndi-
items in Her Home Country.

New lpfh Jan. IA prominent FFencH
woman. Mile Marie Elichabe. now in
this country, is the holder of university
travelling fellowship, awarded by the
French government, which covers a
mapped out itinerary including England,
the United States, Japan. China, and
also the Scandinavian countries. Mile.
Elichabe is especially interested in the
women's colleges here. and while study
Ing their educational conditions express IS
herself graphically regarding the way
France edUcates her daughters.
According to Mile. Elichabe's relation
education in France presents two strik-
ing characteristics is almost a state
monopoly, and it is highly systemadzed
1 The State justifies its hold on national
education, invoking the rights of every
/ child to liberal culture All parents be-
( long, more or less, to a political party. TO
/ a church. and might be tempted to make
/ OF their children champions of a coteric
whose teaching is necessarily tinged with
an interested partiality Il is therefore
/ 70 insure 10 each child perfect freedom
of thought that the State asserts its au-
kthority and stands between parents and
/ children in questions pertaining TO cdG-
cation And education is highly sys-
/ tematized. Schools and colleges are free
/ t. plan their schedules in general as they
/ see fit, but their initiative ends at that
point All methods used. all diplomas
awarded. all degrees conferred. the ten
ure of office of ali instructors in instiiu-
/ tons of equal rank in all parts of France
are patterned after the same model.
/ Passing over the matters Of primary
! education. Mile, Elchabe says of educa-
/ ton in the secondary schools. or lycees.
/ that 1t presupposes on the part Or the
] family sending children to such schools a
certain readiness tC bear the necessary
expense Of several years continuous in
structiOn without immediate returns The
| State. however, offers more than 4,5oC
competitive scholarships covering al
material as we'll as tuitional expenses
These scholarships are awarded prefer
ably to needy and gifted students Of the
primary schools who score the highest
average in special competitive examina-
tiors.
Nonresidential iycees for girls have
been provided by law. and a regular cur
Ticulum has been assigned. Admitted al
the age Of twelve, girls pursue an obliga.
tory course OF three years duration, witt
an equal division offs cientific literary sub.
jects. This prescribed course is followed
by partially elective course OF TIVE
years duration, including the Latir
language and classical literatures.
Education at this point, continue.
Mile. EliChabe, is no longer Of an imme
diately utilitarian character; its end is th'
culture of the mind The instructor aim
! less at imparting knowledge which shal
yield direct returns in practical life thar
at awakening a taste for study in itself
so that the student may be fitted to TAX
a share in the scientific and Iiterar!
movement of the day and add to the in
tellectual stores of experience. With sucl
an aim the curriculum is of great mo
ment. II matters materially whether o
not a woman remains ignorant Of tn
worlds history or of the principles o
physics. And very wisely has the law
maker planned curricula embodying In
elements of a broad culture, and state
which courses shall be prescribed ant
= which optional.
"A French girl, at the Lyeee, acquire
an extended acquaintance with the litera
ture of her own and neighboring coun
tries, with the history Of France and tha
I of the world. together with the worl
: geography. one or two living languages
= mathematics. the natural sciences an
the physical sciences, with psycholog
and philosophy To these essential sub
= jeets are added branches useful as &C
7 essories-domestic economy, drawing an
7 needlework, or, for the personal conduC
= and protection of the individual, hygien,
gymnastics, and the elements of eOmmo
= law.
Y "As to the ideal instructor, she mus
= keep abreast Of the times on her speci5
2 subject; she must be willing TO impal
t her experience piecemeal. so to say; sh
j must arouse genuine curiosity and a n
b speCt for truth in the minds of her stJ
= dents. This constitutes the very end of
] broad culture. To train the intellect
= such is the aim. And from this is game
f the culture of the mind.