Mr. Coleman, in his European Agriculture, after giving a brief description of Mettray, as an agricultural institution, remarks: "When one looks at the innumerable herds of children, turned, as it were, adrift in a great city, not merely tempted, but actually instructed, stimulated, and encouraged in crime, and observes them gradually gathering in and borne onwards on the swift current with increasing rapidity to the precipice of destruction, until escape becomes almost impossible, how can we enough admire the combined courage, generosity, and disinterestedness, which plunges in that it may rescue some of these wretched victims from that frightful fate which seems all but inevitable? I do not know a more beautiful, and scarcely a more touching, passage in the Holy Scriptures than that which represents the angels in Heaven as rejoicing over a repenting and rescued sinner. It is, indeed, a ministry worthy of the highest and holiest spirits, to which the Supreme Source of all goodness and benevolence has imparted any portion of his Divine nature. "If we look at this institution even in a more humble and practical view, as affording a good education in the mechanical and agricultural arts, its great utility can not be doubted: and much good seed will be sown here, which, under the blessing of God, is sure to return excellent and enduring fruits. "I should have said before, that there is connected with the institution a hospital which was a model of cleanliness, good ventilation, and careful attendance; all the services of which were rendered by those indefatigable doers of good, the Sisters of Charity." AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL REFORM SCHOOL OF PETIT-BOURG. THE Agricultural school of Petit-Bourg was founded in 1844, by the society for assisting poor children and youth, foundlings, abandoned children and orphans, in France, and especially within the department of the Seine and Seine-et-Oise. The society of which Count Portalis was president, is located at Paris; and the school occupies the ancient property of M. Aquado, at Evry-sur-Seine; which includes a large château and its dependencies, and a park of about 150 acres, bounded partly by walls, partly by the railroad of Corbeil. The estate is beautifully situated upon sloping ground on the river Seine. Water is brought to it by extensive works, from a distance of several miles. It is conducted plentifully into the kitchen-garden, (ten acres, inclosed with high walls and intersected with ten other low walls for montreuil espaliers,) after which it enters large basins which serve for swimming-baths, and to supply the wash-rooms and other domestic uses. Paved or sanded yards, alleys of horse-chesnuts, ploughed land, large and beautiful meadows, and copses, afford opportunities for exercise, sufficient for all purposes. In the kitchen-garden are a poultry-yard, a small piggery, and a building with eleven front windows, containing good cellars, and in the basement story, apartments used in the working of the kitchen-garden, and for workshops for trades not noisy. The first story is occupied by the laundry, the drug shop, the room for convalescents, the infirmary, containing 16 beds and warmed by a stove, and by apartments for sundry persons employed in the institution. In the upper story are several cells for punishment. Within the same garden, a large building, formerly used as an orangery, has been fitted up for the use of the pupils; it contains a spacious dormitory, which will contain, if necessary, 160 children; there are also two school-rooms, one for the assistants and the other for the pupils, and a wardrobe. The large apartment is arranged to serve successively for a sleeping-room, school-room, refectory, and covered play-ground. By a simple, easy, and rapid manœuvre, all the furniture of the room disappears as if by enchantment; the tables rise close to the ceiling, and while the movable posts supporting them are placed in receptacles where they do not obstruct the room, the hammocks which were near the windows are moved close up to the wall, and those in the middle of the room rise to hide and ventilate themselves in the garret, by means of trap-doors. The idea of this arrangement was borrowed from the agricultural school at Mettray, and is to be found in the school of Val d'Yèvre and in other establishments of the same kind. The dormitory contains four rows of hammocks, and two aisles, at the ends of which are the more elevated hammocks of the overseers; who by this means can see all that passes in all the beds of the children without trouble. It is lighted during the night, and ventilated by apparatus like that used in most of the prisons of Belgium. Above the dormitory is a garret which serves for a drying-room; and connected with the same building is a shed, which is used as a repository for farming tools, and for stables and cow-house. The château is occupied in the basement by apartments for schools and for the family of the director. The first story is partly occupied by sleeping-rooms for the pupils. The kitchen and its appurtenances, the pantry, the wash-room, the milk-room, &o., are in the cellars, which are of great extent. At the time of our visit, (September 2, 1849,) the number of scholars was 130. It was about being increased to 250, by receiving a number of young criminals, acquitted in court as having acted without discernment, but detained under the 66th article of the penal code. This addition has since been made; the young prisoners have taken the place of poor and orphan children, and consequently the establishment at Petit-Bourg must now be reckoned among the reform schools. The information collected by us relates to the first period of organization; which fact should be recollected in reading what follows. The scholars at Petit-Bourg may be divided into two classes; 1. poor children and orphans, placed here by the hospitals and asylums at an expense of $24 a year, besides clothes; 2. boarders, paying $70 the first year, and $50 for each subsequent year, always besides clothes. The number of this last class is 30. The age of admission is generally set at eight years; the time of staying in the school may be as long as 5 years. This length is required, in fact, by the interest both of pulpit and school; by imparting mechanical skill to the former, and thus enabling him to repay part of the expense borne for him by the latter. The officers of the school are fourteen, viz. : A director without salary, having only lodging, board and fuel, washing, &c., for himself and family. This place is filled by M. Allier, who may be considered as the real originator and founder of the institution. paid $160.00 66 200.00 A carpenter, A wagon-maker, Two farm laborers, paid from $80.00 to $100.00 A cook, Two overseers, one at $80, and one at $40.00. Several women are also employed in different capacities, in the laundry, washroom, infirmary, on the farm, &c. All these persons receive lodging, board, and general maintenance. They wear no particular costume, and may be married. The pupils arrive at half-past four in summer, and at half-past five in winter. Their bedtime is, nine in summer, and eight in winter. Each pupil has his own wardrobe, marked with his number. The dress is a blue blouse for work, a Scotch blouse for Sunday, and gray linen pantaloons in summer. In winter, the pantaloons are of cloth of the color of yellow earth, and under the blouse, a waistcoat with sleeves, of the same material with the pantaloons. Instead of wooden shoes are worn, in summer, laced boots, and in winter, clogs with wooden soles. The cap is of felt, varnished on the top only, and with the words "Petit-Bourg" in front. Each pupil has also a woolen overcoat for severe weather. Recently pantaloons have been introduced, made of two different colors, to prevent escapes as much as possible. The bedding consists of a hammock, containing a mattress and small pillow of grass, a sack, instead of sheets of linen or cotton, one cotton coverlid in summer, and two in winter. In the infirmary, the pupils have, upon an iron bedstead, a grass mattress, a woolen mattress, a coverlid of cotton and another of gray woolen, two common sheets, and a pillow of feathers. Besides the dormitory, there are other sleeping rooms, containing from 15 to 20 pupils. Each sleeping-room, is lighted all night, and has its monitor, who is chosen from among the pupils, and charged to preserve order and silence. Besides these overseers, an overseer on guard passes continually through all the sleepingrooms in succession, during the night. At eight o'clock in the morning the pupils have a piece of bread for breakfast; at noon and at night, soup, and one dish besides. They have meat three times a week, including Sunday; salt meat twice, and fresh meat once. Their only drink is water. The elementary instruction given to the pupils comprehends reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic. There is added a little land-surveying, geography, linear design, singing, gymnastics, swimming, and use of fire-engine. There is also a course of agriculture and horticulture for those pupils intending to become farmers. The religious instruction is given by the priest of the commune, who acts as chaplain. The pupils attend the village church, which is situated within the park inclosure. As soon as the pupils arrive at the school, they are employed for about a fortnight in the kitchen-gardens, or in the fields, to allow them to gain health and strength, in which they are often deficient. They are then admitted to the workshops; their occupation being selected as nearly as possible with reference to their especial aptitude for it. Several workshops have been established; of tailors, shoemakers, locksmiths, carpenters, cabinet-makers, house-painters. According to the agreements made with the foremen of these workshops, the labor of the children is disposed of to them by contract, and they account to the school for it, at a fixed price per day for each pupil. This price varies of course, according to the nature of the occupation; but it ought during the first year, to amount to an income averaging $16.00 for each pupil, and equal to one-third of the expense of their board and maintenance. This income the second year, ought to average $46.00; and to cover the entire personal expenses of the pupil. Afterwards, to the end of the apprenticeship, this income should increase so as to bring to the school a net profit equal at least to the advances of the first year. A part of this income should be laid up for a reserve fund for the pupil. The amounts applied to this fund should be entered in a book in the saving's bank, and it was supposed that the society would be able to add to it, from beneficiary funds, a greater or less amount, according to the conduct of the pupil in the workshops, his capacity, and his devotion to his fellow-pupils and to the school. All sums thus entered in the bank-book, should draw interest at 3 per cent., and should not become the property of the pupil unless he have observed punctually the agreement made between the society and his family. Departure before the time agreed upon, besides giving a right of civil action against the family, should deprive the pupil of all his rights to any sum in bank, and of participation in all other favors which the society might bestow upon him at the time of his going, such as wardrobes, tools, pocket-money, nomination of a patron, &c. These ingenious contrivances to receive the apprenticeship of the pupils, reimbursement of their expenses to the society, and provision for their future welfare, do not appear to have answered the expectations of their originators. The contractors have failed, or have not accepted the conditions attempted to be imposed on them. Consequently, except a few workshops of small importance, working entirely for the institution, agriculture is the principal and almost the only occupation of the pupils. At the time of our visit, the employments were arranged as follows: Farmers, 86; gardeners, 11; horticulturists, 5; tailors and menders, 10; shoemakers, 3; carpenters, 3; cutlers, 3; painters, 2; cooks, 2; clerks in offices, 3; in infirmary, 1; in steward's office, 1; total, 250. The domain includes about 250 acres, of which 10 are in meadow; about 100 acres besides are leased, at $30 per year per acre. There have usually been about 25 horned cattle; but a murrian which recently appeared among them has obliged the administration to sell them. There are 12 horses. The most lucrative and most useful branch of cultivation is that of the kitchen-garden, part of whose products are sent to market. The garden itself, which is a large one, seems to be well laid out. Irrigation is practiced in it, as by the market-gardeners at Paris. The sale of flowers, fruit, and legumes, furnish a principal revenue of the establishment. There are handsome green-houses, containing over 14,000 pots. The moral and disciplinary regulations of the school, are described in the report of M. Allier, the director, to the general assembly of May 11th, 1845, at the Hotel de Ville of Paris, contain some excellent provisions. Unfortunately the absence of the director at the time of our visit, and the shortness of our stay, rendered it impossible for us to ascertain whether this excellent system had been exactly followed. But below is such information as we have extracted from the above-mentioned report, or received from the assistant who directed our visit. The pupils are classed according to their conduct, in four divisions, viz. : Division of probation. 66 "amelioration. Division of reward. 66 • As a means of stimulating their emulation while at work, a sub-classification has been adopted, which consists in arranging the pupils, in each workshop, into first, second, and third divisions. Each of these divisions has a little flag of a particular color. To belong to the first division is the highest ambition of the members of the other divisions. The same amount of work considering their relative strength, having been distributed to the pupils, and the time necessary for performing it being carefully calculated, the pride of each little group is set in action, and there results a pleasant strife to conquer in the game, which is silent as a game of chess, and as absorbing, and which, besides the honor of victory, does not lack material inducements; for a certain prize is delivered at the end of every month to the first division, and encouragement to the second. "It is pleasant," says the reporter, "to see with what earnestness and good-will the children ply the plane, the hammer, the file, the spade, the rake, and look around to see where their comrades and adversaries are; for not only is there a struggle between two divisions, but also between the individual members of each division, for the first, second, &c., place in the division. The first in each division is the standard bearer. "In this manner the hours pass rapidly away without punishment. At the end of the task, joy shines in the eyes of the victors, and the shame of the vanquished seems impatient for the revenge which shall give them the standard or the place of honor. “At each judiciary meeting, good marks are also given to those who have done their work quickest and best, and bad ones to those who have labored ill or slowly. It often happens that the children gain an hour or two, by finishing their tasks before the appointed hour; this time they may dispose of at pleasure, in play, in working in other shops, in reading or drawing, &c.; but they usually ask for more work, or kindly assist their slower comrades, for the purpose of preventing the bad marks to which the latter are liable; for where the honorable rivalry of labor ends, there brotherly love begins. "This system, which puts into action the powerful motives of interest and pride, while it preserves fraternal friendship, needs no commentaries. It is simple and true, because it is taken from nature. To judge of it, all that is necessary is to look at one's own heart and to question one's self." The pupils assemble once a month for the special purpose of electing by ballot the monitor-general of the school and the monitors of the separate workshops. This operation is performed without any intriguing, and it has been remarked that the best scholars are chosen unanimously, or by an immense majority. The director, however, reserves a veto upon this choice; although he has very seldom been obliged to use it. The appointment of monitors by their peers is copied from the appointment of elder brothers at Mettray; as is also the appointment of a jury to try offenses committed by the pupils. The pupils usually accuse themselves, and affix, according to circumstances, the maximum or minimum of punishment. These spontaneous condemnations are submitted to the approval of their brothers the monitors, who revoke or confirm them; and are then carried before a supreme tribunal, of the officers, assistants and foremen of workshops, who give a judgment in the last resort. Although a little new and prompt," says the report formerly quoted, "our justice is none the less real justice, and tends daily to lessen the number of culprits and of those condemned more than once. It has this advantage; that the guilty can not claim to be innocent, nor to be too severely punished; for both monitors and we ourselves most often interfere to mitigate penalties, and sometimes to pardon, limiting ourselves to a reprimand. "Meanwhile, if (which is very rare) any pupil denies the accusation brought against him, then public information becomes the duty of all pupils having cognizance of the fact charged; that no culprit may escape who aggravates his offense by a lie, and that no innocent person may be punished. In this case an inquest is held, before which the overseers and witnesses are heard. Accusers and defenders arise for the occasion among the pupils, and from monitors and assistants who decline voting upon the judgment pronounced in first instance by the monitors, and finally by the tribunal of assistants." The punishments are as follows, in the order of their severity: 1. Simple reprimand. |