[628. Analytical Summary.—1. One of the main characteristics of the educational thought of this century is doubtless the effort to deduce the rules of practice from certain first principles. The principles of instruction are to be found, for the most part, in the science of psychology, and the principles of education, in part, in social science and even in jurisprudence.
2. The purpose of Napoleon to secure the perpetuity of his dynasty through the influence of his Imperial University, is a striking proof of the belief in the potency of ideas, and of the belief in the potency of popular instruction as a means of national strength.
3. The history of mutual instruction exhibits three important facts: 1. the effect of agitation in arousing public interest in educational questions; 2. the manner in which peculiar circumstances suggest an expedient which can be justified on no absolute grounds; 3. the danger of converting such an expedient into a “system” for universal adoption.
4. Comenius, Pestalozzi, and Jacotot, attempted to make instruction universal by simplifying its processes to such a degree that every mother might be a teacher and every household a school.
5. In Comte we see the re-appearance of Condillac’s doctrine, that the historic education of the race is the type of individual education. The same hypothesis will re-appear in Mr. Spencer’s Education.]
FOOTNOTES:
[255] Fourcroy (1755-1809), a celebrated chemist, was director-general of public instruction in 1801. He prepared, in the following years, the decrees relative to the establishment of the University.
[256] Fontanes (1757-1821), first Grand Master of the University.
[257] Mémoire politique of Joseph de Maistre, Paris, 1858, p. 30.
[258] The Abbé Gaultier (1746-1818), author of a large number of works on elementary instruction, and almost a reformer in his way. He employed teaching by sight, and recommended varied exercises, such as games where he introduced counters, tickets, interrogations in the form of lotteries.
[259] See Gréard, L’enseignement primaire à Paris de 1867 à 1877. A memoir published in 1877, pp. 75-90. See also an interesting study full of personal recollections of E. Deschamps, L’enseignement mutual. Toulouse, 1883.
[260] Jomard (1777-1862), member of the Society for Elementary Instruction, author of Tableaux des écoles élémentaires.
[261] The Comte de Laborde (1771-1842), author of a plan d’éducation pour les enfants.
[262] Among the other propagators of mutual instruction, mention should be made of the Abbé Gaultier, Larochefoucauld-Liancourt, De Lasteyrie, etc.
[263] Two noted attempts to extend and popularize the monitorial system are exhibited in the following works: Pillans, The Rationale of Discipline (Edinburgh, 1852); Bentham, Chrestomathia (London, 1816).
[264] It is at the same period, in 1832, that Gérando published his Cours normal des instituteurs.
[265] Cournot, Des institutions d’instruction publique, p. 315.
[266] Dittes, op. cit. p. 272.
[267] See Jacotot et sa méthode d’émancipation intellectuelle, by Bernard Perez. Paris, 1883.
[268] Enseignement universel. Paris, 1823.
[269] Cabet, Voyage en Icarie. Paris, 1842.
[270] Considerant, Théorie d’éducation rationnelle et attrayante du dix-neuvième siècle. Paris, 1844.
[271] Cours de philosophie positive, second edition, 1864. Vol. VI. p. 771.
[272] The principal educational works of Dupanloup are Éducation, 1851, three volumes; De la haute éducation intellectuelle, 1855, three volumes; Lettres sur l’éducation des filles, 1879, one volume.
[274] Cournot published in 1864 a remarkable book under this title: Des institutions d’instruction publique.
[275] See the Essais de philosophie et de morale, by E. Bersot, and also Études et discours (1879).
[276] See especially the well-known book of Bréal, Quelques mots sur l’instruction publique en France.