6 Transactions of the Royal Canadian Institute 



of his wife and family. Everything was provided for in advance so 

 that, with a mind at ease, he could concentrate all his powers on his 

 science. On the instructional side the German university had parti- 

 cularly in mind the student of exceptional ability. It put no obstacle 

 in the way of admitting others. It was not a difficult matter to obtain 

 a degree. The arrangements, however, were made with a view to the 

 needs of the more highly gifted. These were trained co be research 

 workers and those who distinguished themselves most in research were 

 the ones who received preferment later on. The intellectually pro- 

 ductive men then enjoyed a certain prestige in Germany before the war. 

 This was overshadowed, however, by the factitious prestige attached to 

 the military uniform, and we know how the war-mad militarists of 

 Potsdam prostituted German science and purposed by its aid. to sub- 

 jugate the rest of the world. 



In France perhaps more than in any other country is intellectual 

 achievement honoured. An intellectual aristocracy, according to Pro- 

 fessor Le Chatelier, is essential to the French democracy. This means 

 that intellect is trained to the service of the State. In peace times 

 membership in one of the five academies which constitute the Institut 

 de France, a purely intellectual distinction, is the highest honour to 

 which a Frenchman can aspire. The Institut, it may be noted, through 

 its Academies disposes of considerable sums as rewards for notable 

 intellectual achievements. The Academic des Sciences in particular 

 has a long list of prizes which are awarded from time to time to scientists 

 who have solved specified problems or who have made advances along 

 certain lines in Science. Living, the creative thinker is regarded as the 

 glory of his country. When he departs this life his remains are buried 

 in the Pantheon with funeral rites which vie with those accorded to a 

 President of the Republic. 



In the boy of promise, too, France sees the future man and treats 

 him as a potential asset. He does not need to stop short in his education 

 because his parents are poor. There are bourses awaiting him from the 

 Commune, the Department, and the Government. Where his gifts 

 justify it, he will be provided with the best education which the country 

 can offer. In the advanced classes of certain of the Lycees as many as 

 75% of the pupils hold bourses. The Government maintains schools 

 of university grade for genius. Entrance to these schools is by com- 

 petitive examination and the number to be admitted each year is 

 limited. Such schools are the Ecole Normale Superieure and the Ecole 

 Polytechnique. In the £cole Normale literary and scientific studies 

 are both provided for. On the literary side the number admitted 

 annually is limited to 30, on the scientific side to 22. The number of 



