EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES IN FRANCE 367 



worth while for a student of art, intending to remain a year 

 in Paris, to become a member immediately upon arriving. The 

 fees are ten francs initiation and twenty francs membership 

 annually. 



The second advantage is that offered during the summer 

 months by the Alliance Franqaise, 186 boulevard Saint-Germain, 

 to students of the French language. Two series of courses are given, 

 the first during the month of July, and the second during the month 

 of August. Students are able to secure diplomas at the end of the 

 course after an examination upon it. The fee for either course, 

 which embraces, besides a large amount of instruction, lectures, 

 etc., many desirable privileges, is twenty dollars. The Alliance has 

 been wonderfully successful in Paris, and hundreds of students and 

 teachers pursue these courses yearly. This success has encouraged 

 the projectors of the movement, aided by the government, to start 

 a similar movement in the nature of a propaganda outside of 

 France. The object is to encourage the pursuit of the French 

 language and literature and to attract favorable attention to 

 France. Some idea of how successful the movement has been in 

 this country may be got from the fact that at the present time there 

 exist here and in Canada more than two hundred Alliances Fran- 

 caises, or branches, groups, as they are called, of the central organi- 

 zation in Paris. Moreover, some of these groups are very flourish- 

 ing, the one in Boston, for instance, having annually for several 

 years more than four hundred members. This group in particular 

 has been very ably managed by Professor de Sumichrast since 

 taking charge of its interests in 1900. Lectures and entertain- 

 ments in French, all of a high order, are given fortnightly. During 

 the years 1901, 1902, and 1903, the Boston group, at its own ex- 

 pense, sent over to Paris, each summer, a teacher in the public 

 schools to enjoy the advantages offered by the Alliance in Paris. 

 It is well to be familiar with the work of the Alliance Francaise 

 when preparing, whether here or abroad, to make a study of French 

 life, literature, and language. In this way it is quite possible to 

 keep abreast of what is going on in a rather extensive circle of 

 French interests. Both Frenchmen and Americans of distinction 

 are connected with the organization, and directly or indirectly 

 may be of signal service to a student. Perhaps the simplest way 

 to get posted quickly is to send for the Bulletin officiel de la Federa- 

 tion de 1'Alliance Francaise aux fitats-Unis et au Canada, 1402 

 Broadway, New York City. 



