SECONDARY SCHOOL PROGRAMMES. 55 



elementary algebra is begun, and geometry is continued. In 

 classe de rhetorique (ninth year of the course), two hours a week 

 are devoted to recitations in solid geometry and cosmography; 

 and in the last year (classe de philosophic), four hours per week, 

 are devoted to a complete review of the work of the previous years 

 in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. 



It must be admitted that in this country the mathematical in- 

 struction, sketched above, would be thought to afford a somewhat 

 meager outfit for a young man intending to present himself for 

 examination at any of our American colleges,. with their present 

 mathematical prerequisites. It is also obvious that the French, 

 who, according to President Eliot, " are quite as skillful with num- 

 bers as the Americans," do not gain a skill in " ciphering " in the 

 classical lyce'e course. This proficiency is obtained elsewhere, as 

 will be further shown. The French are, indeed, not only skillful 

 with numbers, but are as a nation eminent for their mathematical 

 ability ; and their management of the much-vexed problem of the 

 relative time to be devoted to elementary mathematical branches 

 in the classical fitting schools commends itself to the serious con- 

 sideration of American educators. A comparative exhibit of the 

 classical lyce'e and Boston School courses clearly shows that it is 

 to the excess of hours of recitation as a whole, and in no small 

 degree to the holding of mathematical studies in abeyance, that 

 the French are enabled to accomplish what they do in the way of 

 bringing their boys to college at an early age. Give to the Boston 

 course, for instance, ten-per-cent increase of recitations, plus the 

 difference existing at present between the respective hours given 

 to mathematical studies in the lyce'e and Latin School courses, and 

 we have 1,426 hours. This is more time than is at present devoted 

 to Latin, in the Boston Latin School, during its entire six years' 

 course. It still more closely represents the difference in the re- 

 spective hours given in the two countries to modern languages and 

 drawing, with the hours of the entire course in philosophy added. 

 It clearly follows — reversing the point of view — that Harvard has 

 but to slightly reduce its requirements in mathematics to the 

 French lyce'e standard, to enable it to obtain from its matriculates 

 — those coming at least from the Boston Latin School — not only 

 the attainments in philosophy considered so desirable by its presi- 

 dent, but also considerable proficiency in such other branches of 

 the French programme as its honorable faculty may " elect " to 

 receive. 



With the present public sentiment, and especially in view of 

 the present requirements in mathematics on the part of American 

 colleges, it is not probable that we can look for a reduction in 

 mathematical studies in our classical preparatory courses to the 

 point exhibited by the programmes as existing in France. But 



