786

FRANCE

194,405 pupils (103,580 boys and 90,825 girls) obtained the certificate of primary instruction, and 6,185 pupils (3,553- boys and 2,632 girls) that of higher primary instruction. In 1911, 3-0 per cent, of the conscripts could neither read nor write, as compared with 3-0 per cent, in 1910 and 3-2 per cent, in 1909. In 1906 3 per cent, of the men married and 4 per cent, of the women signed the register with a cross.

In 1911 there were granted 5,810 elementary licences (brevets elementaires) to school-masters and 14,812 to school-mistresses ; 1,688 higher licences to masters, and 4,496 to mistresses (brevets superieurs) ; 2,261 certificates of psedagogic efiiciency to masters, and 3,915 to mistresses.

The number of primary normal schools (exclusive of Fontenay and St. Cloud) is 84 for school-masters, and 82 for school-mistresses (France and Algeria). The number of pupil-teachers in primary normal schools in 1911-12 was 4,466 men and 4,892 women.

The cost of public primary instruction was : in 1877 for France, 89^ million francs (over 3i millions sterling) of which 22 millions (or 880,000/.) from the State ; in 1897 for France and Algeria, 200 millions (8 millions sterling) of which 130 millions (or 54 millions sterling) from the State. In 1912 the cost to the State was about 216 million francs, or 10^ millions sterling, exclusive of 10 millions for the cost of school building.

Secondary Instruction : Boys. — Secondary instruction is supplied by the State in the lycees, and by the communes in the colleges, by associations and by private individuals in free establishments. The course of study extends over 7 years, 4 in the first cycle, and 3 in the second, with four differpnt courses of study ; 1, Latin, Greek ; 2, Latin, sciences ; 3, Latin, living languages ; 4, sciences, living languages.

Teachers must not belong to any congregation, must have the diploma of Ucencie, and a diploma proving aptitude in teaching, and free secondary schools must be open to State inspectors.

The number of public secondary schools for boys and the number of pupils in 1905, 1910 and 1911 were as follows : —

! Public Institutions : i

1905

1910

1911

France, and Algeria I

No.

Pupils

No.

Pupils

No.

Pupils

Lycees

Communal colleges . !

110 228

i 60,211 34,954

Ill 231

G0,G1S S6,lV3

112

232

1 61,194 1 36,318

In the lycees 74*2 per cent, of the boys received secondary instruction, 26*8 per cent, were in the elementary or primary classes. In the colleges there were 13,191 boarders and 23,127 day-pupils, the proportions were 59*4 per cent, in the secondary classes properly so-called, 27*8 per cent, in the elementary, preparatory and infant classes, and 12-8 per cent, in the agricultural, commercial and industrial classes.

Private

1S76

1905

190S

Institutions

No. j Pupils

No.

196

345

"

Pupils

No.

Pupils

Lay

Clerical .

494 31,249 309 46,816

13,813 46,938

256 371

19,935 44,623

From 1869 to 1876 the number of free lay establishments decreased by