AMERICAN PREFACE.
Vll
lish People.” That tlie advocates of populär scientific education
will, at an early day, obtain wliat tliey desire, cannot well be
doubtcd. 1 Tlien, with a full development of the public scbool
System established in 1870, tbe educational equipment of England
will be complete and exceedingly eflicient.
ART-INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION IN FRANCE.
First fniits of systematic English art-education soon began to
manifest themselves. At the Universal Exhibition, held at Lon
don in 1862, the advancement in English art-manufactures, sinee
1851, was clearly shown; and the French, ever sensitively alive
to their industrial interests, took alarm. Such great results so
soon achieved, what miglit not be expected in the future! France
saw, indeed, that it was not safe to rely upon prestige, however
distinguished: she saw that to stand still was to go to the rear;
she saw that to maintain her position, so long indisputably held,
at the head in art-manufactures, she must advance. The next
year the Emperor appointed a large and able Commission, wliich
was divided into sections, to investigate the subject of technical
education in general, and of art-industrial education in particular.
In 1865 this Commission submitted an elaborate report, showing
what the Situation was at liome and in all parts of Europe. They
declared tliat “ drawing, with all its applications to tlie different
industrial arts, sliould he considered as the principal means to be
employed in technical instruction.” They made sundry recom-
mendations for the advancement of art-education, of drawing in
particular, which the}- believed sliould be made more scientific,
more uniform, and more general, if France was to retain her
industrial supremacy. They would liave less of individual eaprice,
and more teaching in harmonj- with sound and fixed educational
principles. The government proceeded at once to act upon the
advice of the Commission; and the art-instruction of France,
which had so long been the best in Europe for industrial purposes,
was in various points reconstructed and made better still. Steps
were taken to provide better teachers, better appointed school-
1 In 1873 the total nuinber of “science classes,” ander the Supervision of
the Science and Art Department, was 3,810, in 1,238 sehools. Number of stu-
dents, 44,012. Bnt the work is not systeiuatieally done yet.
