E.—l2.

REPORT UPON STATE EDUCATION.

Introduction. described to be " a Godless France, as against a priest-ridden France." Religious instruction, however, is optional in private schools. SPECIAL FEATURES. The special features connected with this system appear to be— (1.) The eager national intention to render it as perfect as possible, as expressed by M. Ferry, then President of the Council and Minister of Public Instruction, in a report, dated 29th October, 1881, addressed to the President of the Republic, on the organisation of primary school teaching, wherein he says — " Apres avoir recu l'enfant des le plus jeunc age, utilise tous ses instincts, eveille ses facultes, developpe son intelligence, cultive son sline, il s'imposera le devoir de le suivre jusqu'a l'entree do la vie pratique ;" 1 (2.) In pursuance of that intention, the munificent, indeed, the lavish, expenditure upon education ; 2 (3.) The absence of any religious feature, but the system purports to be absolutely neutral in, and not hostile to, religion; (4.) The special attention paid to the promotion of industrial training, by means of gratuitous schools, classes, and lectures, and especially the grafting of such training upon ordinary primary school education ; (5.) The organisation of, and provision for, teaching and inspection in infant schools, and classes ; and (6.) The remarkable percentage of attendances at the primary schools. The State, far more absolutely than in the Colony, controls the complete education of the people ; s from and including the infant schools or classes, up to and including the highest class of institutions for superior education. CLASSES OF SCHOOLS. The machinery consists of — (1.) Primary schools,* including infant schools (" ecoles maternclles") and classes ("classes enfantines"), elementary primary schools ("ecoles primaires elementaircs"), and superior primary schools ("ecoles primaires superieures " J) ; (2.) Secondary schools—consisting of communal colleges (" Colleges ") and Lyceums (" Lyces." G) (3.) Higher educational institutions—as described by M. Dumont (member of the Institute and Director of Higher Education in France) in a paper read at the International Conference, 1884;''' and (4.) Those special and technical schools (including evening and Sunday schools and classes, for adults, and children of both sexes) and lectures, which have been instituted expressly for the promotion of industrial and scientific knowledge.

Primary schools

Secondary schools.

Higher institutions.

Special and technical schools.

1 L. and E., p. 5, and note also B.C. Ist rep., pp. 6 and 28-30. 2 See — (a) " Notes on Higher Education in Prance," by M. Dumont (hereafter termed M. Dumont)' 1.E.C., vol. 15, pp. 167-168, and espee. 172; (5) M. Buisson, 1.E.C., vol. 13, p. 214; and hi3 recent estimate that the State now spends annually over eighty millions of francs on primary instruction. — Mr. M. Arnold's (May, 1886) rept. p. 16; (c) E.E.C., Mr. M. Arnold, 5369 ; (d) 8.C., Ist rep., pp. 9 and 11, and Ist appendix, and vol. 1, pp. 18 and 29; (e) For comparison of expenditure with other European States see American Commer. Ecp., 1882-83, p. ccxxxi. Note also rep., 1885, p. 1883-84, p. cciv. 8 See also R.E.C., Mr. M. Arnold, 5504 and 5957, and Mr. Arnold's (May, 188G) rept., p. 10. For subsidiary management, see R.E.C., Mr. M. Arnold, 5205 and seq. " The French peasant does not think." —George Sand in " Jeanne." * According to " Statistique do 1' instruction primaire pour 1' annee scolaire, 1881-82 " (published in June, 1884), there were in 1882, 75,635 primary schools of all kinds (maternal schools excepted), with 24,965

teachers, and 5,341,211 children, without counting 644,384 in maternal schools. In 1882-83 the number of children increased. 5 At close of 1883, 570 with 30,000 pupils. 0« i n Franco we see the perfection of centralization and identity in the lyceums and colleges; in Germany, on the contrary, we witness the full development of the ancient collegiato idea of the University, twentyseven different and independent University systems of education existing among forty millions of Germans, each University differing from the other, and each possessing its peculiar type of excellence to attract its students." —C. Dawson, M.P., Trans. Nat. Sc. Assoc, Dub., 1881, p. 430. Soe also further comparison of the two systems by Prof. Richey, p. 462, and by Mr. A. W. Quill, p. 4G3. 1 See vol. 15, pp. 129-91. It is curious to note that " the first time, perhaps, that the term ' University' in relation to a seat of learning appeared in an official document was in 1209, when Pope Innocent 111. included the whole corporation of teachers and students, and the style taken by that University in 1221 was ' We, the University of the masters and scholars of Paris.' " —C. Dawson, M.P. " University Education in Ireland," Trans. Nat. Soc. Sc. Assoc, Dublin, 1881.

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