Figure 1.--. |
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Almost all private schools in France are catholic schools. The French Catholic schools which are by definition private schools, are not entirely private in the American sense of being entirely apart from the state-controlled system. Private schools in France are referred to as an école libre (free school). This means that it does not depend on the State. Private schools can be lay but in fact most are confessional, mainly catholic. Catholic schools are particularly prevalent in the departments of Vendée, Bretagne, and Alsace. Even though they are private schools, they are very largely paid for by the State though there may be some small fees charged to the parents. Most of the curriculum and what now is pretty much controlled by the State like all the other schools. It's just that they have a strong religious dimension (with priests often providing the pastoral/counselling side of school life, which would be unthinkable in the ordinary state schools). The catholic schools also had much stricter discipline standards. In the past, the Catholic schools also required uniforms while the state schools did not, other than smocks in elementary schools. Many Catholic schools had quite strict uniform standards in the 1950s and 60s and, at some schools, even in the 1970s. Some of these schools required the boys to wear short pants. Blue shorts and white kneesocks were adopted by several schools. The Catholic schools by the 1990s have generally relaxed uniform standards, especially those regulations which once required the boys to wear short pants.
Private schools can be lay but in fact most are confessional, mainly catholic. Most private schools in France are cathholic schools. All catholic schools are private by definition. There are also some other schools with religious affliations, including Jewish and in recent years Islamic schools. There are also a few private schools without religious afiliation. Orivate schools of course charge fees. Suich fees can be quite high. The Catholic schools tend to have lower fees because of the support of the Church and their ability to attract staff that are often willing to worl for low salaries. The fees at Catholic schools generally depends on the parents' income. This means that a private Cathlic school education is avaialble to children from a wide social spectrum and not just to affluent families. The Catholic schools contend that no one was ever refused income because parents could not pay the fee. The extent of secular private education in France is unavailable. It is likely that in France some private secular schools or even fundamentalist private schools have been established, but the authors have few details.
A French reader tells us, "The nuns taught the girls and also the younger boys and girls in kindergarden.
These nuns are coming from several Congrégations
In kindergarden the boys and girls are together . That was not always the case in the state kindergardens.
The catholic boys schools (primary and secondary ) are taught by Catholic friars called " Frère ". They aren't priests. All come from the " Les frères Saint François de Salles " brotherhood. They are very cultivated persons, often much more as we could found in public sector. As well, secular teachers ( men and women ) also taught sone courses."
The French Government provides funding even to private schools, although there may be some small fees charged to the parents. This means that private schools are much more accessable to French parents than in many other countries.
Until recently there were sharp distinctions between state and private schools.
Pre-World War II: I do not think that before the War there were agreements between the ecoles libres and the government. At the time you attended a Catholic school to get an extra religious education (it is not
so true now). At the time the école publique was very strictly lay and opposed to religion) and you had to pay at least something in an era where money was scarce.
Post World War II: Most of the ecoles libres and so most of the catholic schools now have a covenant with the government i.e. they apply rules common with the public schools (non-discrimination, "liberté de conscience" i.e. to believe or not in any God) and they received subsidies.
There is a partial parallel in France with the so-called "voluntary aided" sector in
the United Kingdom, like the grammar schools
many academically capable British boys once attended. Some of these schools still exist, but the "11+ exams" to select the most capable students. These schools are now entirely funded by the local education authority, but retain some degree of autonomy over its internal affairs (but in that case an ancient Anglican foundation).
As with the state sector, there are both primary and seconfary private schools. Some schools offer both primary and secondary education. Many of these schools are called "colleges"
I have little information on uniforms instituted at catholic elementary schools. Apparently there were no elementary school uniforms as in British schools, but many Catloic schools required the students to wear smocks.
Many Catholic secondary schools also did not require uniforms. Several Catholic secondary schools during the1950s-70s had uniforms of sweaters, short pants, and white knee socks. The shorts and white knee socks, however, became less common in the 1980s. Although several schools retained them for the choristers.
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Some older catholic schools were called colleges or other similar term. Some were referred to as an ecole libre, even though they ooffered both primary and secondary instruction. This did not mean a college in the American sence, but rather a secondary school. Nor did it mean a college in the modern French sence, that is a kind of junior high school. Some colleges had a broader program including some elementary school classes as well. I have only limited information on French colleges, some available information from the 1930s and 40s suggests that uniforms were not commonly worn. Boys during this period commonly wore there suits to school. The younger boys wore short pants and the older boys longg pants, a few older boys wore knickers or event shorts. Some of these colleges did introduce uniforms, I believe in the 1950s, but cannot yet confirm this. Blue sweaters and shorts and white kneesocks were adooted by some of these schools.
HBC at this time has very little information about French military schools. I know they existed in the 18th century as Napoleon attended one on Corsica. As to just when they firsrt appeared I am not sure of. They were, however, some of the few French sdchools to require uniforms. I'm not sure who ran these schools. Presumably schools for younger boys would have been private schools. As they are French schools, the church, especially before the Revolution presumably had a role.
Boarding school has never been a rite of passage in France as in England. Few French children have attended a boarding school. France schools are generally only day schools. There are a few, generally exclusve, boarding school. Some children also do board at largely day schools. Generally French children only board if they cannot do otherwise, such as rural children who do not live near a school. In fact,
Saint-Francois, one of the schools assessed in detail by HBC had and still has a dormitory, to allow
children from remote spots of this part of the country to attend school. Some public colleges and lycées also have boarders for the same reason.
Catholic schools are particularly prevalent in the departments of Vendée, Bretagne, and Alsace. I am not sure why this is.
Most of the curriculum at private schools is esentially controlled by the State like all the other schools.
The attraction of private schools to French parents is not only that most have a strong religious dimension (with priests often providing the pastoral/counselling side of school life, which would be unthinkable in the ordinary state schools). The catholic schools also had much stricter discipline standards.
Catholic and some other private schools in the past have required uniforms while the state schools did not, other than smocks in elementary schools. Not all private schools have required school uniforms, but some did. The uniforms varied somewhat. We note some boys wearing vlazers to school in the 1930s, sometimes with a military-styled cap or beret. Many Catholic schools had quite strict uniform standards in the 1950s and 60s and at some schools, even in the 1970s. Quite a few Catholic schools had a uniform of a blue sweater, white or light blue shirt, blue short pants, white kneesocks, and black shoes. Usually there was no cap or tie. I believe this uniform was adopted in the 1940s, mostly after World War II (1939-45). We have noted only a few examples of this uniform before the War. Some of these schools required the boys to wear short pants. Blue shorts and white kneesocks were adopted by several schools. Since the 1970s, many schools that had uniforms have dropped the requirement. The Paris student riots in 1968 were a factor here. The Catholic schools by the 1980s have generally relaxed uniform standards, especially those regulations which once required the boys to wear short pants.
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France has quite a number of boy choirs. Some are orgnized at private Catholic schools, often called colleges. Others are organizd around community churches. Most have adopted a uniform used by a number of private Cathloic colleges, a blue sweater, white or lihjt blue shirt, blue short pants, white kneesocks, and black shoes. An example is the acclaimed Les petits chanteurs à la Croix de Bois. They wore this standard uniform without a tie or cap. In the past they wore a sort of beret like the Scouts, but only in the street or in travel and during the cold weather. We have noted a few French choirs wearing caps ("toque" or "calot") or berets, but not very many. We have not noted any French choirs wearing ties.
Here we will collect individual accounts submitted by our French readers as well as litterary accounts are an anlysis of available images. Submissions in French or English are welcomed.
Private school uniform: The 1930s
Private catholic schools: The 1950s
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