THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF FRANCE
=Literature.=--_Parsons_, French Schools through American Eyes;
_Richard_, The School System of France; _Weigert_, Die Volksschule in
Frankreich; _Schroeder_, Das Volksschulwesen Frankreichs; United States
Commissioner's Reports.
=Administration.=--France, like Germany, has a minister of education who
sits in the cabinet of the president. The work of his office is divided
into three departments, _higher_, _secondary_, and _primary_, and at the
head of each there is a director. There are two advisory bodies in
charge of education. One has general oversight of all the school
interests of France. The other is divided into three boards, appointed
by the minister himself, for supervision of the three departments above
mentioned. The general board consists of sixty members, fifteen
appointed by the president of the republic, and the others appointed by
the board itself whenever vacancies occur. This body meets once a year
to hear reports, to pass upon the general school policy, and to
legislate for the schools. Out of its membership is chosen an executive
committee that meets once a week, and upon which devolves the chief
management of educational affairs. This committee is answerable to the
general board, to which it renders an annual report. Men of the highest
character and intelligence constitute this board.
The whole of France is divided into seventeen parts called _academies_.
These divisions do not coincide with the political divisions, but are
made merely for convenience in school administration. Each _academie_
has a school board to which is committed the general oversight of all
educational interests within its territory, and particularly the care of
the higher schools.
A narrower division is into _departements_. There are ninety of these in
France and Algiers. Each is governed by an educational council which has
charge of the elementary schools. The principal officer of a
_departement_ is a school inspector, a trained educator who devotes all
his time to the schools. In each _departement_ there is a normal school
for each sex, though in a few instances two _departements_ combine to
maintain one normal school.
The _departement_ is subdivided into _arrondissements_. Each has an
executive officer and a council in close touch with the schools. Lastly
there are the _cantons_, whose school board has direct control of each
individual school.
In this manner from the highest to the lowest division there are
executive officers with well-defined duties--all working together in
perfect harmony and with great efficiency. Trained teachers often sit in
these councils as members and advisers. Thus the highest pedagogical
training of the republic is utilized to obtain the best administration
of the school interests.
=School Attendance.=--School attendance is compulsory upon children from
six to thirteen years of age for every school day. As in Germany, the
child is not compelled to attend the public school, but must receive
instruction for the required time and in a manner approved by the State.
It is the right of the child to be educated, and the State asserts its
prerogative to secure that right to the child, whatever be the attitude
of the parent. But the manner of securing it is left to the parent if
he chooses to exercise that privilege. Although France has had
compulsory education only since 1882, the law is effective, and grows
more so each year. In 1895, 91 per cent of all the children of school
age attended school regularly.
=The Schools.=--In the arrangement of her schools, and the perfect
articulation between them from the mother school to the university,
France has the most perfect system in the world. The _mother_ schools
(_ecoles maternelles_) take children from two to six years of age and
care for them from early morning till evening, thereby permitting
parents to go out to service. They combine the idea of the day nursery
and the kindergarten. These schools, in communes of 2000 or more, are
supported by the State, as are other schools.
Instead of the _mother_ school, sometimes the _infant_ school (_ecole
infantine_) takes the child from four to seven and prepares him for the
primary school. This school is more nearly like the kindergarten than
the _mother_ school. It is supported wholly by the State and is a part
of the school system, its work being entirely in sympathy with that
which follows. In this respect, France has taken a more advanced step
than any other nation.
With the lower _primary_ school (_ecole primaire elementaire_), which
covers the period of from six to thirteen years of age, begins
compulsory education. The sexes are always taught separately except in
villages of less than five hundred inhabitants. The pupils all dress in
the same garb. The school is in session five days in the week, Thursdays
being free. There is no religious instruction in the schools. A peculiar
and very important factor is a book of registration for each child, in
which specimens of work in each subject are entered once a month for
the whole school course. This book is kept at the school, and furnishes
an accurate indication of progress to parents or inspectors.[176]
Following the _lower primary_ school is the _higher primary_ (_ecole
primaire superieure_), which has two courses, one for pupils who wish to
review their elementary work and add some subjects, with the view of
better preparing for the ordinary walks of life; and the high school
course for those who wish to prepare for academic life. The former is
indefinite in length; the latter requires five years, thus being
completed at the eighteenth year. Here appears another superiority over
the German system, in which, it will be remembered, there is no
connection between the common and the high school.
These high schools prepare for the normal school and for the university.
There are also many other kinds of schools under State support,--such as
technical schools, apprentice schools, schools of mines, etc. In the
advantages offered to young men for perfecting themselves in a trade or
calling, France surpasses all other countries.
Finally there are the State universities, fifteen in number, the
professors of which are appointed by the State. While the State pays all
salaries, the maintenance of the buildings depends upon fees,
endowments, and such local support as is obtainable. These institutions
are open to students from the higher primary schools, thus making a
complete system from the lowest school to the highest, and offering
remarkable advantages to all. All degrees are given by the State,
thereby securing perfect uniformity.
=Support of Schools.=--All of the schools above mentioned, from the
_mother_ school to the university, are free. The expenses are
distributed as follows: (1) The State pays the salaries of all teachers,
administrators, and inspectors, and all the expenses of the normal
schools. Thus it will be seen that the bulk of the expense of education
is borne by the State in general. (2) The _departements_ erect the
normal school and furnish the apparatus and supplies for the same. (3)
The _communes_ pay for the needed supplies, for the janitor, and for
other local necessities of the elementary schools. They may also tax
themselves to increase the salaries of teachers beyond the State
allowance. Each community thus has the power to decide whether it will
be content with an average school, merely fulfilling the State
requirements, or whether it will have a superior school taught by the
best teachers obtainable.
=The Teachers.=--There are two classes of normal schools in France, the
elementary, of which there are eighty-seven for men and eighty-five for
women,--practically one for each sex in each of the departments,--and
the higher, of which there is one for men, one for women, and one for
kindergartners. Nearly all teachers are graduates of normal schools, and
as no candidates for positions are considered unless they hold a normal
certificate, in the near future all the teachers of France will be
professionally trained.
Candidates for admission to the normal school must be at least sixteen
years of age, of good moral character, and of fair abilities. They must
pledge themselves to teach for not less than ten years.[177] The
elementary course covers three years. After graduation, the young
teacher is appointed provisionally until he has taken a final
examination, which must be within ten years. If he has been successful
in the schoolroom, as well as in this second examination, he becomes a
permanent teacher, and can be removed only for immorality.
The course in the advanced normal school takes three or more years,
depending upon the preparation with which the candidate enters. Only
those between eighteen and twenty-five can be admitted. These schools
train principals, superintendents, inspectors, and teachers for the
elementary normal schools. They are the model schools of France, and
shape the educational practice of the republic. Graduates from the
elementary normal schools are not debarred from entering the higher
normal schools; thus ambitious teachers are encouraged to prepare
themselves for higher work.
No other country in the world does so much as France to assist young
teachers in their preparation. In all of the normal schools mentioned,
tuition, board, room, and books are free. And when the young teacher has
been graduated, the State recognizes its own work by giving him the
preference in appointments.
There are five classes of teachers in the elementary schools, the lowest
being the fifth. The young graduate teacher begins in the lowest class
and works his way up. The annual salaries for the different classes are
indicated by the following table:--
--------------------+-------------+-----------
CLASSES OF TEACHERS | MEN | WOMEN
--------------------+-------------+-----------
Fifth Class | $200.00 | $200.00
Fourth Class | 240.00 | 240.00
Third Class | 300.00 | 280.00
Second Class | 360.00 | 300.00
First Class | 400.00 | 320.00
--------------------+-------------+-----------
Additional allowances are made in large schools, and the _communes_
often supplement the above amounts.
The annual salaries of principals are as follows:--
-------------+------------+-------------------
| HIGHER |
| PRIMARY | NORMAL SCHOOLS
PRINCIPALS |------------+---------+---------
| Both Sexes | Men | Women
-------------+------------+---------+---------
Fifth Class | $360.00 | $700.00 | $600.00
Fourth Class | 400.00 | 800.00 | 700.00
Third Class | 450.00 | 900.00 | 800.00
Second Class | 500.00 | 1000.00 | 900.00
First Class | 560.00 | 1100.00 | 1000.00
-------------+------------+---------+---------
The assistants in these schools receive:--
-------------+------------+-------------------
| HIGHER |
| PRIMARY | NORMAL SCHOOLS
ASSISTANTS |------------+---------+---------
| Both Sexes | Men | Women
-------------+------------+---------+---------
Fifth Class | $240.00 | $500.00 | $440.00
Fourth Class | 280.00 | 540.00 | 480.00
Third Class | 320.00 | 580.00 | 520.00
Second Class | 380.00 | 620.00 | 560.00
First Class | 440.00 | 680.00 | 600.00
-------------+------------+---------+---------
In addition to these amounts there is also a small allowance for rent.
After thirty-five years of service, the teacher may retire upon three
fourths of his salary as a pension.
Without doubt France has outstripped all other nations in educational
progress during the last twenty-five years,--the period in which her
school system has been constructed. The three great signs of advance in
French education are _the establishment of free schools_ (1881);
_compulsory education and the secularization of the schools_ (1882); and
_the restriction of teachers to lay persons_ (1886).[178] The strong
features of the French school system may be stated as follows:--
1. _Completeness and harmony of the system_, covering the period from
early childhood till the prescribed education is finished.
2. _Thoroughly trained teachers._
3. _Two kinds of normal schools_ to meet the various educational
requirements of teachers.
4. _Liberal support_ of schools of all kinds.
5. _Admirable administration_ of the schools.
FOOTNOTES:
[176] See Parsons, "French Schools through American Eyes," p. 82.
[177] This is no hardship, as they fully expect to devote their lives to
teaching.
[178] Previous to this the members of religious orders could teach in
the public schools.
NOTE.--In 1902 the government still further restricted the teaching by
religious orders. It is now proposed not only to forbid all teaching by
these orders, but also to sequestrate the property of such congregations
as exist solely for teaching purposes. This will close about 3500
schools of the Christian Brothers which have existed for a long time,
and necessitate the organization by the government of corresponding
school facilities to supply their place. Five years are allowed to
effect the change..