Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/536

520 erals, (fee., more particularly as connected with the arts and manufactures. This last course extends over three years. The free university of Brussels has faculties of philosophy and literature, of science, of law, and of medicine, courses in which are given by ordinary and extraordinary professors and agreges. Each student pays annually 15 francs for enrolment, and a fee of 200 or 250 francs for the courses in any of the faculties. The fee for single classes is gene rally 50 francs. An annual subsidy of 10,000 francs is allocated to the university by the provincial council of Brabant, and the permanent deputation has the right of annually presenting ten youths of the province for gratui tous instruction. A subsidy of 50,000 francs is also allo cated annually by the communal council of Brussels. The university is governed by an administrative council, com posed partly of permanent members and partly of members chosen annually by the professors of the four faculties and the former students of the university. This council is pre sided over by the burgomaster of Brussels, who has a casting vote in its proceedings. The Catholic university of Louvain is governed by a grand rector, nominated and revocable by the episcopal body. A vice rector is also nominated by the episcopal body on the advice of the grand rector. The rector nominates the secretary and other functionaries of the university. The faculties are philosophy and literature, the mathematical, physical, and natural sciences, law, medicine, and theology. The courses of the five faculties are given by ordinary and extraordinary professors and lecturers, nominated by the episcopal body on the presentation of the rector. The enrolment-fee for the first year is 10 francs, and 5 francs annually thereafter. The annual fee for courses in the faculties varies from 200 to 250 francs, except the theological courses, which are gratuitous. It has an extensive library, cabinets of mineralogy, zoology, &c., and a botanical garden. The numbers of the students at each of the universities in 1874 were Ghent, 222; Li^ge, 518 ; Brussels, 580; and Louvain, 909. A competition takes place annually among the scholars of. superior instruction, and at these competitions two gold medals are given in each of the faculties. There are also twelve travelling scholarships given annually, tenable for two years, to such students as have taken their doctor s degree with the highest distinction and wish to travel, to enable them to visit foreign countries ; and about sixty bur saries of 400 francs each are given annually to poor students to enable them to prosecute their studies. Besides these there are connected with the universities a number of private bursaries, the management and bestowal of which are in the hands of particular persons or corporations in terms of the acts of foundation.

The special educational institutions of Belgium are of various kinds, and are generally in a very efficient state. They include (in addition to the engineering and mining schools already mentioned) normal schools, military schools, navigation schools, (fee., and academies and schools of design, painting, sculpture, music, &c.

There are two Government normal schools for primary teachers, one at Lierre and the other at Nivelles, -- the former having twelve and the latter thirteen professors, with a rector each. The course extends over three years, and during the last year of attendance the pupils are exercised in teaching in the primary schools of the town. There are also seven episcopal normal schools, in which similar branches are taught, except that the principles of the Catholic religion are more particularly inculcated. The chief diocesan nominates the rectors and professors. The course lasts for four years. Besides these there are several private normal schools for males and females, one or more institutions for the training of female teachers by each province, and normal primary sections attached to the middle schools of Bruges, Ghent, Huy, Virton, and Couvin. Bursaries of 200 francs each are annually given by Government to assist poor students attending the normal schools ; and students of promise, who have taken diplomas at either of the Government primary normal schools, may be admitted to the normal school of middle instruction at Nivelles. The course here is for two years. There are also for the training of teachers for the superior middle institutions, the normal school of the humanities at Liege, and the normal school of the sciences at Ghent. Candi dates for admission must be young men of superior talents, qualifying them to perform creditably the duties of pro fessor, and they must pass certain examinations. The branches taught in both schools extend over three years. In the school at Li6ge there are fourteen bursaries of 500 francs each, given to the poorer students, the recipients becoming bound to act as professors in one of the middle schools for five years. There are five bursaries of 500 francs in connection with the school at Ghent.

There is a military school at Brussels for training officers for the army. The number of scholars in 1873 was 129. The courses are divided into two sections ; the one, which extends over two years, is preparatory to the second, which also extends over two years, and is divided into special branches qualifying for the infantry, cavalry, or marines. A school has been established in Lierre for the purpose of educating the sons of the military for the army. The course extends over five years, and the pupils generally enter the army about the age of sixteen. They are placed in the army according to their proficiency, some as sub-officers and corporals, others as common soldiers. The pupils in 1873 were 252. Each regiment has a regimental school for training young men in the army for subalterns, and a number of evening schools for affording the means of education to the soldiery. Attendance at one of these schools is obli gatory on all subalterns and corporals whose education is not complete, according to their position. There is at Messines a lloyal Institution for the educa tion of daughters of military men who have died or been disabled in the service of their country. They are admitted from seven to fourteen years of age, and remain till their eighteenth year. They are instructed in branches necessary to qualify them as governesses, teachers, domestic servants, (fee., and situations are provided for them on leaving.

Schools of navigation have been established at Antwerp and Ostend for furnishing properly educated masters for merchant vessels, where instruction is given gratuitously. Certificates of qualifications as master or mate are given by a jury of examiners. There has also recently been formed at Antwerp a superior institute of commerce to afford instruction, theoretical and practical, in the com mercial sciences, the course extending over two years.

The academies and schools of design, painting, sculpture, &c., are divided into three classes : 1. The royal academies of the fine arts, in which painting, sculpture, architecture. 