Page:The Pacific Monthly volumes 1-3.djvu/41

 of Napoleon III, also brought about a great awakening in France. The great men of that nation realized that Germany's superiority lay in the education of her humblest citizens. "The school-teachers of Germany have beaten us," was the common saying, and France set to work in earnest to popularize education. There were many obstacles to be overcome, not the least of which was the economy of the peasantry. After the schools were built and equipped, they re- fused to take their children from work to send them to school. So, for the good of the children who were growing up in ignorance, the government obtained from parliament in 1882 a school law which embodied two good provisions, viz., free tuition and compulsory education, from the age of 6 to 14. Inspectors were ap- pointed to see that the provisions of the law were complied with, and in case of infraction the father or guardian was lia- ble to three kinds of punishment. For the first offense his name was to be post- ed, either for two weeks or a month, in the most conspicuous part of his village or town; for the second offense, he was to be fined from 11 to 15 francs, and for the third offense sent to jail for five days and even deprived of his political and civil rights. The law has worked well, and today there are fewer opponents to its enforcement than there were 15 years ago. Very few children are now illiter- ate; it is no longer necessary to drive them to school; they go of their own ac- cord, and are as eager, almost, for an ed- ucation as are American boys.

To give the details of the work in the public schools would lead me too far, but I will describe a feature of the system not generally known. I refer to the cre- ation of bureaus of savings in connection with the government schools. The aim of these bureaus is to cause children to contract early habits of thrift and econ- omy. France is a thrifty and rich na- tion. She owes her wealth to her geo- graphical position, to the fertility of her soil, to the thorough cultivation of her fields, to the intelligent preservation of her forests; in short, to the proper hus- banding of all her numerous resources. But she also owes her material prosper- ity in no small degree to the inborn thriftiness of her inhabitants. It was to

further foster that trait of French char- acter that the law was enacted. States- men were quick to recognize that in the possessions and comfort of the greatest number depended the stability of their institutions.

The creation of these bureaus of sav- ings is not, however, compulsory. It is mainly left to the individual initiative of the school teachers, who are an able body of patriotic men and women, and to pri- vate benevolence. In the Department of Basses-Pyrenees, a philanthropist, Mon- sieur Tourasse, spent no less than $100,- 000 in taking upon himself the creation of over 600 bureaus of savings, and en- couraging by all legitimate means thrift- iness in the scholars.

School boys and girls in all countries get hold of pennies, which they often waste on useless things. French boys and girls once in a while get hold of French sous, and it was with a view to induce them to accumulate those sous that bureaus of savings were started. In 1887 no less than 22,000 of those bureaus were in operation, with a credit to the scholars' side of $2,400,000.

The government accepts no amount under one franc, or about 20 cents in American money. Now, for a boy to carry 20 cents in his pocket is a little rash. If he does not lose his money he will surely spend it. To save him from either unfortunate predicament the school teacher sells him as many penny stamps as he has pennies to purchase them with. The stamps the scholar pastes in a book furnished him at his request by the postal department. At the end of the month, or oftener, if the teacher thinks best, the books are gathered and sent to the nearest postoffice. If the postoffice is conveniently near, the boys themselves may take their own books there. The postmaster cancels the stamps and gives the scholars credit on another book for the amounts the stamps represent. The scholars who are perseveringly saving of their sous have soon a snug little sum to their credit. This sum may be with- drawn by the pupils with the father's or guardian's consent, if they are under 16 years old, and without any one's consent if above 16. By such a system school children become small capitalists, and their money is in safe keeping.