'For the last forty years a certain number of exhibitions or
scholarships (bourses) have been offered by the City of
Paris for competition amongst the scholars of elementary or
primary schools, which give to the successful candidates a
right of free education in the higher class schools. The
number of scholarships which are offered varies. In 1848
there were twenty-nine; in 1871, fifty; in 1874, eighty; and
in 1877 the number was raised to a hundred. Competition is
open to all elementary schools, whether taught by the
Christian Brothers, or by lay teachers of no religious order
or society.

'The result, taking the thirty years from 1847 to 1877, has
been that of 1445 exhibitions gained by scholars, 1148 have
been won by boys from the Christian schools, and 297 by
those from other schools. Or to take the last seven years of
that period, during which every effort has been made by the
Government, at a lavish outlay, to promote the efficiency of
the secular schools, the results, though the numbers are not
quite so disproportioned, yet show a marked superiority in
the schools of the Christian Brothers. Out of 490
exhibitions, 364 have been adjudged to their pupils, and 126
to those of the secular schools.'

Well done, Christian Brothers! You have preached an admirable sermon to
all those who take an interest in the education of children upon those
comprehensive and deep-reaching words of Christ, 'Take no thought,
saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal
shall we be clothed?... But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.'

FOOTNOTES:

[4] 'The policy of the late Chamber with regard to religion, education,
and the army had very much greater weight with the electors.... The
persistent threat held out by certain Republicans to destroy the Church,
either by a hypocritical fulfillment of the Concordat or by the forcible
separation of Church and State, has been skilfully used by their
adversaries amongst the peasantry, who dread nothing so much as having
to pay their cure themselves. The Government was so well aware of this
fact, that in some of the departments the Catechism was ordered to be
recited in the schools during the last week before the elections, though
only two months earlier the teachers had been strictly forbidden to