Elite elementary education under the Ancien Régime
he "small schools" of Port-Royal, which existed from 1637 to 1660 in Paris and the surrounding areas, were a renowned institution of elementary teaching. Jean Duvergier de Hauranne, also called Saint-Cyran (1581-1643), was the driving force behind this institution. As a result of his ties with the nuns of Port-Royal, the outbuildings of their monasteries often served as the first sites for his educational project. For various reasons, many of which were polemic in nature, the classes moved several times and were rarely held in a single location. It should be noted that Saint-Cyran was a friend of Cornelius Jansen (Jansenius) (1585-1638), the bishop who developed the highly controversial Jansenist doctrine. Attendance at the "small schools" remained modest: between 10 and 50 boys between the ages of 7 and the end of adolescence per year, for a total of 100 to 150 students for the 23 years this institution existed. Most came from fairly wealthy families, although donations provided for the education of a few poor students.
The originality of the "small schools" lay in the fact that each teacher was constantly responsible for a group of four to six children. He was responsible for providing perfect Christian instruction as well as rigorous intellectual training. The child was cut off from anything that could hinder his education. The fact that children spent a good part of the year in a boarding school far from home and the limited number of students per class served to control unhealthy influences. Moreover, the setting attempted to reproduce a nurturing family atmosphere. The essential idea of this type of education, provided at a remove from the world, was to provide the best possible training for solid Christians who would exert a positive influence once involved in society.In the "small schools", the best educated the best. They served as "small colleges" which ensured access to the larger colleges. An ambitious elementary training program was extended to include secondary education provided by means of methods developed by the teachers of the "small schools". Basic courses were complemented by in-depth study of Latin, various living languages (essentially Spanish, Italian and Greek) and the Classical authors. The study of other matters was intended to enhance the understanding of major works. This was the case for geography, history, applied mathematics (astronomy, topography, mechanics, etc.), rhetoric (the art of developing an idea) and philosophy.
Men known as the Solitaries or the Messieurs de Port-Royal (gentlemen of Port-Royal) taught the Petits Messieurs (little gentlemen). The solitaries, including both priests and laymen, were hermits in a sense, living in a community in keeping with the religious spirit of Port-Royal. Some of these men were highly educated and had prestigious professional backgrounds. Although not all of the teachers of the "small schools" were extraordinary, they were not in the least ordinary, as demonstrated by Jean Racine (1639-1699), famous playwright and former student of the "small schools". Ironically, the theatre was a forbidden discipline at the "small schools". During the course of his career, Racine was welcomed at the royal house of Saint-Louis, at Saint-Cyr, to present a few plays with the Demoiselles. This remarkable boarding school for the daughters of impoverished nobility, which operated from 1686 to 1793, is a fascinating example of elitist education.
For more information about the educational work of the "small schools", you can read Les Petites Écoles de Port-Royal by Frédéric Delforge, published by Cerf (Paris) in 1985.
This is the final history column on education under the Ancien Régime. A new column will be posted on April 8, 2003.