书城公版The Origins of Contemporary France
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第1181章

[27] An eminent university personage, a political character and man of the world, said to me in 1850: "Pedagogy does not exist. There are only personal methods which each finds out for himself and eloquent phrases for effect on the public."- - Bréal, "Quelques mots sur l'instruction publique" (1872), p. 300: " France produces more works on sericiculture than on the direction of colleges; rules and a few works already ancient suffice for us."[28] On this day the monarchy of King Louis-Phillippe collapsed and the Republic was declared. (SR.)[29] "L'église et l'état sous la monarchie de juillet," by Thureau-Dangin, 481-483.

[30] Law of March 15, 1850 (Report by M. Beugnot).

[31] Law of March 15, 1850, art. 21.

[32] Law of March 15, 1850, article 21.

[33] "Ambroise Rendu et l'Université de France," by E. Rendu, p.128(January, 1850). The discretionary power given to the prefects to punish "the promoters of socialism" among the teachers in the primary schools. - Six hundred and eleven teachers revoked. - There was no less repression and oppression in the secondary and higher departments of instruction.

[34] Kingdom of July, (Louis-Philippe from 1830 to 24-2-1848.) (SR.)[35] De Riancey, ibid., II.., 476. (Words of M. Saint-Marc Girardin.)"We instruct, we do not bring up (children); we cultivate and develop the mind, not the heart." - Similar evidence, as for instance that of M. Dubois, director of the Ecole Normale and of M. Guizot, minister of public instruction. " Education is not up to the level of instruction." (Exposition of the intent of the law of 1836.)[36] De Riancey, ibid., II., 401, 475. - Thureau-Dangin, ibid., 145and 146. - (Words of a fervent Catholic, M. de Montalembert,on the trial of the Free School, Sept.29, 1831.) "It is with a heart still distressed with these souvenirs (personal) that I here declare that, were I a father, I would rather see my children crawl their whole life in ignorance and idleness than expose them to the horrible risk I ran myself of obtaining a little knowledge at the cost of their father's faith, at the price of everything that is pure and fresh in their soul and of honor and virtue in their breast." - (Testimony of a zealous Protestant, M. de Gasparin.) "Religious education does not really exist in the colleges. I remember with horror how I was on finishing my national education. Were we good citizens? I do not know. But it is certain that we were not Christians." - Testimony of a free-thinker, Sainte-Beuve.) "In mass, the professors of the University, without being hostile to religion, are not religious. The pupils feel this, and they leave this atmosphere, not fed on irreligion, but indifferent. . . . One goes away from the University but little of a Christian."[37] Boissier, ibid., p.712[38] In my youth, I was able to talk with some of those who lived during the Consulate. All agreed in opinion. One, an admirer of Condillac and founder of a boarding-school, had written for his pupils a number of small elementary treatises, which I still possess.

[39] Charles Hamel, " Histoire de Juilly," pp. 413, 419 (1818). -Ibid., 532, 665 (April 15, 1846.) The Tontine Association replaced by a limited association (40 years) with a capital of 500,000 francs in 1000 shares of 500 francs each, etc.

[40] For example, "Monge," the "école Alsacienne," the "école libre des Sciences Politiques." Competent jurists recommend the founders of a private school to organize it under the form of a commercial association, with profit for its aim and not the public good. If the founders of the school wish to maintain the free management of it they must avoid declaring it "of public utility."[41] The "école Alsacienne" has been supported for some years mainly by a subsidy of 40,000 francs allotted by the State. This year the State furnishes, "Monge" and "Sainte-Barbe" with subsidies of 130,000and 150,000 francs, without which they would become bankrupt and close their doors. The State probably thus supports them so as to have a field of pedagogic experiences alongside of its lycées, or to prevent their being bought by some Catholic corporation.

[42] Even when the masters are conciliatory or reserved the two institutions face each other and the pupils are aware of the antagonism; hence, they turn a cold shoulder to the pupils, education and ideas of the rival institution. In 1852, and on four circular journeys from 1863 to 1866, I was able to observe these sentiments which are now very manifest.

[43] The period of the annual school examinations in France. - Tr.

[44] This word means something more than an ordinary "boarding-school," as the reader will see by the text, and is therefore retained as untranslatable. - Tr.

[45] Expositione universelle of 1889, "Rapport du jury," group II., 1st part, P.492. - Documents collected in the bureaus of public instruction for 1887. (To the internes here enumerated must be added those of private secular establishments, 8958 out of 20,174 pupils.) -Bréal, "Excursions pedagogiques," pp.293, 298.

[46] All these figures are today in 1998, 100 years later, no longer valid, they are only included in order to understand Taine's insights into human nature and education in general. In 1994-5 there were, in the State lycées and colleges over 4 millions students and only those whose parents live too far from the schools, or some 9%, are boarders.

(SR.)

[47] Today, in 1998, the number of pupils living on French school premises amount to approximatively 10%, mostly because the parents live too far away from the school. (SR.)[48] Bréal, ibid., pp. 10, 13. Id., "Quelques mots sur l'instruction publique," p. 286. "The internat is nearly unknown in Germany. . . .