New-York tribune., 1911-03-24
EDUCATION IN FRANCE
Warm Debate Over impending
Academic Revolution.
Paris. March 3

oc The verge Of revolution. is Classical
sd,,cstIon usel -ss9 Is the purity of the
French language going to the dogs? Is
enc Sorbonne failure? Is the French
academy an obsolete. decadent institu-
,on that does more harm than good?
ought Il 10 be abolished? Such are the
questions that French ctudents now dis
c,ss every day What is the truth?
Two works that have just appeared.
"I,Acad6mie Francaise Devant rOpin
ION. by VI. Frederic Loliee emile PauD.
and "LEsprit de la Nouvelle Sorbonne,'
by "Agathon" C'Mercure de FranceD.
,resent the educational crisis clearly and
concsely.
VI. Loliee gives the opinions Of prom
,nent French men OF letters. other than
members of the Academy. on the utility
~ retaining the grand old club"
"ealon" or institution founded by Car
d'ral Richelie NM. Urbain Gohier.
octave Mirbeau. Albin Valabregue. Paul
vinert. Frantz-Jourdain. Henri Roche
fort and others say that the French
Academy is merely a picturesque ruin
AM Of no use. while others, including
MAJ Hcnri Bordeau, Rene Boylesve.
Henry K,steemackers. Etienne Bricon,
Theodore Reinach. Paul Marguerite.
r'r3ntz Funck- BrentanO. Pierre Wolff
rrd Francis de Croisset declare that the
French Academy has lost none Of its
rr. stiEe and that its importance is daily
Increasing.
In Il Esprit de la Nouvelle Sorbonne"
che author. who writes under the pseudo
ryrne Of "Agathon." openly cOntesses he
is one Of the "jeunesse ardente." With
ont disclosing his Identity. II may be
stated that the authors name figures
,~oninently IN the annals Of French
philosophy and that he himself is we'll
Known among recent university gradu-
atrs
For some months past a rather lively
,ampaign has been carried on in the
~evspapers and reviews a inst the
present teaching methods Of the Sor-
-.rre University Of Paris and the Sec
orlarv schools dependent upon II. A
great deal has been heard OF the "crise
d1 Francais" Complaints have arisen
fr s. various quarters TO the effect that
,he rising generation has not TIE same
r,'ture and the same mastery OF its
mother tongue as had it's predecessors.
This reCrettable state of affairs has been
attributed 10 the new programmes Of
rudy and The new methods in force in
The Sorlonne and the '1ycees' (high
schools
In 1892 important changes were made
81 the curricula and examinations Of the
.e--s' 4 cOnsidera BILE amount Of the
fIue heretofore devoted 70 French and
'r. classics was transferred 70 newly in
reduced subjects. The student is now
psrmltted or. rather, obliged 10 special
ze quite early in his career This cads
.orth the animadversion Of "Agathon,"
who considers that secondary education
should aim. above all. 10 train the mind
nd furnish IL with general culture
which would give it the necessary foun-
dation for future specialization to rest
uron.
similar tendencies are 70 be marked
in the faculty Of letters. The old dis
-ertation on q given subject-such as
moral maxim or literary Judgment
-as been replaced by d written COM
nentary on page Of some given text.
Again. the second year. formerly devoted
- neral work and reading. IS now oc-
cup.ed with the preparation for the
diploma Of higher studies, which neces-
states the writing u @ sort Of minor
thesis. This piece Of work though ele-
mertary in comparison with the these
de loctorate." is essentially scientific in
character. requiring carefully drawn
up photography and personal research on
the part o. the student.
"Agathon" objects on tho grounds that
such work is rot for young men, whose
es'hetlc sense and taste should Toe whet-
"a and vrifed by intelligent contact
with the best authors. The genius Of the
French people. their good taste, keen
serse af literary appreciation and almost
irfauu'e instinct II moderation ana
logo a-e iu danger ot being stifcd by
So work. Precious time IS wasted al
a most important period OF the young
mans Development All this is due in
great measure 20 imitation q the Ger
man universities. which are now, says
"Agathon." considering whether they
tsve not gone too far IN the direction of
pure erudition and are inclining toward
the French ideals oc some years ago.
Another grievance brought forward is
that philosophy is not properly taught in
-ne university iii the philosophical de-
rar-mert. ID seems. the only principle Of
unity o. ie found is in The common
hatred NJ Philosophy The staff is COM
posed eocording 70 "Asathon." Of mar
-oVu.raed sociologists, psycho-physiolo-
gst- and historians
"Asat.o0' is not content 20 criticise' h
suggests remedies. The trouble with the
Sortlnue is that II tries 70 perform three
functions. 70 * 20 once an institute OF
scientific research a pedaCogic establish
fent t9 turn 2 future professors and
observatory of higher culture for the
more enlightened public. Its role would
be rendered much easier II the Ecole
Norma Sup1rieure. annexed 70 the Sor-
bonn in 1904. were separated from It
sntr-r The classics. philosophy and
rrsrcH literature as literature should
ssa'u occupy leading places IN the cur
Trrun
Ttis ei-u. mt that"Agathon' has been
supported . his criticism by several ot
t1a eadIne journals He reproduces In
his -...... g.,-c.-or yev.crare~ articles and