214 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
lization, French and general geography, grammar, literature, ethics, psy- 
chology, law, modern languages, sometimes, but not always, the elements 
of Latin, mathematics, geometry, natural history, physics, chemistry, 
ste., and drawing, singing, sewing, and gymnastics. 
Without dwelling on each of these subjects, I must say, however, a 
word about some of them. The teaching of letters is in such a way as to 
develop and enlarge the minds of the girls, to stimulate their thought and 
torm their judgment. With these views, the old methods of teaching have 
seen put aside in our lycées. The teaching of history, for instance, is no 
more the study of chronology of kings, the enumeration of battles and dates, 
ut the study of the great events of the life of nations, with their causes, 
‘heir effects, and the lessons they give. The study of geography 1s no more 
she memorizing of a dry list of mountains, rivers, towns, ete., but, being 
sonnected with the study of the soil, climate, products, scenery, and char- 
acter of the inhabitants, it has become a living and interesting science, 
which calls less to memory than to reasoning and imagination. The same 
spirit has transformed the teaching of grammar. Instead of requiring 
from the pupils, as formerly, a lot of exercises on conjugation, parsing, and 
liagramming—without quite neglecting them, for they are useful in a 
way, we try to teach language chiefly by reading of classics, explanation 
of the most beautiful pages of prose or poetry, and lessons of historical 
grammar ; that is to say, the history of our language and of its transforma- 
tion through ages. They have also to translate some works of old French, 
as the ¢ Chanson de Roland,” La Conquéte de Constantinople,” by 
Villehardouin, ¢¢ Les Mémoires de Joinville,” ete. 
This naturally leads me to the teaching of literature. We attach a great 
importance to it, not only because of all studies this has the greatest 
influence for development of the mind, but also because the best way to 
learn how to write is to learn to appreciate and love the works of the 
great writers. 
Literature is tanght even in the primary classes, but is studied more thor- 
oughly in the secondary classes, when the girls are about twelve years 
old. Then they are given a general idea of our literary history; they read 
sketches and full works of the best authors, as “ Télémaque,” by Féneclon; 
-he Fables of La Fontaine ; < Esther,” ¢ Iphigénie,” ¢¢ Les Plaideurs,” of 
Racine, etc. In the third year they attend lectures on French litera- 
sure from its origin until the present day, read some of its chefs-d’euvre, 
Jeliver short lessons or commentaries on the principal authors that they 
study, and write compositions on literary subjects. They are also given a 
general outline of ancient literature. In the following period, from fifteen 
to seventeen years, they study again, but more thoroughly, French, 
Greek, and Latin literature ; also German or English, according to the 
modern language that they learn. So their literary training is almost com- 
plete. It must be well understood that the teacher does not try to make 
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