The Grand Education Petition, 1815
A Petition advising His Majesty and His Majesty’s Government to implement the following suggestions providing for the Restoration of Educative Practices, Institutions of Learning, after mal-governance, and the Better Education of those within the Kingdom of France
WHEREAS a need exists for the expedient address of the mal-governance by illegitimate governments of the respected and prestigious institutions of learning and of abuses suffered by the people of the Kingdom owing to a lack of education, this Petition, seeking to encourage far-reaching reform of the existing system and thereby restore educative practices at both new and old institutions of learning, is hereby put to the Chamber for Consideration to advise the following measures to His Majesty and His Majesty’s Government:
§ I. Administration
I. The University of France is hereby abolished.
II. The responsibility for the upkeep of standards and morals within institutions of learning shall lay with the Board of Education. The Members of the Board of Education are suggested on the basis of merit by the President of the Board of Education to His Majesty, who shall appoint them - these members shall be representatives of the Institutes of Learning and Religous Education.
III. The President of the Board of Education shall report to His Majesty and His Government on the state of standards and morals within institutions of learning and shall set general governmental standards of and logistical support for education in France. The President of the Board of Education shall be appointed by His Majesty.
IV. Education for Service in the Armed Forces shall fall within the combined the purview of the Board of Education and the Ministry of War.
V. All Institutions of Learning shall be legal entities.
VI. All Academies and legal equivalents renamed Universités or Grandes Écoles.
VII. All Lycées and legal equivalents shall be renamed Collèges Royaux.
VIII. All legal equivalents of the Écoles Populaires shall be renamed Écoles Populaires.
§ II. Universités et Grandes Écoles
I. The Government shall be obliged to fund the construction and upkeep of a number of Universités and Grandes Écoles (henceforth collectively referred to as Tertiary Institutions of Learning) within the Kingdom, which shall act as the highest institutions of learning of the Kingdom and educate persons preparing for service within the French Government, the Roman Catholic clergy or for service to the French society at large.
II. Any Tertiary Institution of Learning disbanded or disturbed by Revolutionary Governments shall be fully reconstructed and their property fully restored by the Government.
III. Universités established under this Bill shall maintain powers over their curricula, although they are required and supported to establish respectable faculties of law, medicine, humanities and theology. They are further required to teach in accordance with the Roman Catholic tradition, especially with a view to the satisfactory training of clergymen.
IV. Grandes Écoles established under this Bill shall maintain powers over their curricula, although they are required and supported to establish respectable faculties in various fields of science, chemistry, engineering and mathematics.
V. Special Grandes Écoles shall be established or maintained under this Bill in the fields of military education, agriculture, practical skills, service for the French Government and business and they shall maintain the required autonomy to educate their students.
VI. The adequate funding and regulation of the Tertiary Institutions of Learning shall fall under the direct responsibility of the Board of Education.
VII. Tertiary Institutions of Learning may offer education to those not seeking placements within the clergy upon the resolution of their studies at their own discretion.
VIII. Should Tertiary Institutions of Learning see fit to offer education to those as outlined in Paragraph II.; Article VII., they may do so at a cost equal to that of the expense caused by such a pupil; namely, reimbursement of the cost of food and lodging, as well as the cost of providing all necessary materials for study.
IX. The Tertiary Institutions of Learning may offer scholarships to students falling under Paragraph II.; Article VII., to exempt them of such reimbursements if these students are of exceptional character and ability or otherwise deemed able to greatly assist the French Government, Clergy or French society at large by Tertiary Institutions of Learning or Collèges Royaux.
X. The cost of educating those pupils intent upon a career in the clergy shall be paid for by the Government.
XI. Universités shall be responsible for providing pupils as outlined in Paragraph II.; Article VI. with a position in the clergy of the Kingdom upon the completion of their course if education at the establishment is to be deemed within the standards of the Board of Education.
XII. Should a pupil intent upon a career in the clergy see fit to terminate his studies at the Université prior to the completion of his course of study, or should such a pupil not assume a position within the clergy within the six [6] month period after the completion of his course of study, he shall be liable to reimburse his Université costs as detailed in Paragraph II.; Article VII.. The exact terms of such financial arrangements shall be set at the discretion of the individual Université and case.
§ III. Collèges Royaux
I. The Government shall be obliged to fund the construction of a number of Collèges Royaux (henceforth referred to as Royal Colleges) within the Kingdom, which shall act as the second highest institution of learning within Kingdom and educate persons in ancient Greek and Latin, history, rhetoric, logic and elements of mathematical and physical sciences for further education at Tertiary Institutions of Learning, service at Royal Colleges or Écoles Populaires, or for service to the French society at large.
II. Any Royal College disbanded or disturbed by Revolutionary Governments shall be fully reconstructed and their property fully restored by the Government.
III. The Royal Colleges shall provide education a six year education for citizens from the age of 12 and those having completed this education shall be awarded a baccalauréat.
IV. Royal Colleges established under this Bill shall maintain powers over their curricula, within the standards of the Board of Education and in coordination with the Department wherein the Royal College is located, but are required to instill morals, discipline and loyalty in its students.
V. Special Royal Colleges shall be established or maintained under this Bill in the fields of military education, agriculture, practical skills, service for the French Government and business and shall maintain the required autonomy to educate their students.
VI. The adequate funding and upkeep of the Royal Colleges shall fall under the responsibility of the Department wherein the Royal College is located.
VII. Royal Colleges may offer education to those seeking a baccalauréat upon the resolution of their studies at their own discretion.
VIII. Should Royal Colleges see fit to offer education to those as outlined in Paragraph III.; Article VII., they may do so at a cost equal to that of the expense caused by such a pupil; namely, reimbursement of the cost of food and lodging, as well as the cost of providing all necessary materials for study.
IX. The Royal Colleges may offer scholarships to students falling under Paragraph III.; Article VII., to exempt them of such reimbursements if these students are of exceptional character and ability or otherwise deemed able to greatly assist the French Government, Clergy or French society at large by Royal Colleges or Écoles Populaires.
X. Special Royal Colleges shall be established to educate girls preparatory to their lives as women and mothers in French society and shall maintain the required autonomy to educate their students.
§ IV. Écoles Populaires
I. The Government shall be obliged to fund the construction of a number of Écoles Populaires (henceforth referred to as People’s Schools) within the Kingdom, which shall act as the primary institution of learning of the Kingdom and educate persons in the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic and societal cornerstones of morals, duty, discipline and obedience.
II. Any People’s School disbanded or disturbed by Revolutionary Governments shall be fully reconstructed and their property fully restored by the Government.
III. The People’s Schools shall provide a four year education, through the successful completion of which, attendees can enter Royal Colleges.
IV. People’s Schools established under this Bill shall maintain powers over their curricula, within the standards of the Board of Education and in coordination with the Commune wherein the People’s Schools is located, but are required to instill morals, discipline and loyalty in its students.
V. The adequate funding and upkeep of the People’s Schools shall fall under the responsibility of the Commune wherein the People’s Schools is located.
VI. People’s Schools must offer education to those French male citizens from the age of 7 to 12 seeking to fully enjoy and complete the education provided by the People’s schools.
VII. The fees of educating those pupils described under Paragraph IV.; Article VI. shall be paid for by the Government.
VIII. Should those pupils described under Paragraph IV.; Article VII. see fit to terminate his studies at a People’s School prior to the completion of his course of study, he shall be liable to reimburse his education costs as previously payed for by the Government detailed in Paragraph IV.; Article VII.. The exact terms of such financial arrangements shall be set at the discretion of the individual People’s School and case.
IX. The Teachers at People's Schools must at least have a baccalauréat or finished religious education. The areas of Morality and Religious Education can only be taught by those who have finished religious education. Every People's School shall at least have an adequate representation of religious educators present and employed.
§ V. Fiscal Appropriations
I. Any contributions towards the maintenance of an Institution of Learning through profits from property owned or ventures by said Institution shall be exempted from taxes.
II. If a Commune is unable to maintain People’s Schools, the Department wherein the Commune lies can be called to support the People’s School, until the Commune and/or the People’s School has completed the necessary reforms to resume its duties. This duty expires if the Commune and/or the People’s School is unwilling to complete these necessary reforms.
III. If a Department is unable to maintain Royal Colleges and possibly People’s Schools, the Government can be called to support the Institutions of Learning, until the Department and/or the Institutions of Learning has completed the necessary reforms to resume its duties. This duty expires if the Department and/or the Institutions of Learning is unwilling to complete these necessary reforms.
§ VI. National Division of Institutions of Learning
I. The exact number of pupils and general population per Institution of Learning is to be determined by committee appointed by His Majesty's Government, based on the findings of the commissions into the feasibility, efficiency and costs of such institutions.
II. The Board of Education shall be awarded the ability to establish Tertiary Institutions of Learning in line with the demand of the population, determined by the size of said population as of the 1811 census and on the determinations of the committee, mentioned in Paragraph VI.; Article I., on the number of pupils and general population.
III. Each department shall be awarded the ability to establish Royal Colleges in line with the demand of the population, determined by the size of said population as of the 1811 census and on the determinations of the committee, mentioned in Paragraph VI.; Article I., on the number of pupils and general population.
IV. Each commune shall be awarded the ability to establish People’s Schools in line with the demand of the population, determined by the size of said population as of the 1811 census and on the determinations of the committee, mentioned in Paragraph VI.; Article I., on the number of pupils and general population.