Three professors of the school.
The delegates from the public departments are appointed by the respective ministers; the members of the Academy, the examiners, and the professors are selected by the Minister of War. The real management of the school, so far as the course of instruction is concerned, is in the hands of the Conseil de Perfectionnement; it will be seen that of the 18 members composing it more than half are entirely independent of the school, and are men of eminence in the various public services for which the instruction at the Polytechnic is preparatory. One of the chief duties of the Council is to see that the studies form a good preparation for those of the more special schools (Ecoles d’ Application) for the civil and military services; and the eminent character of its members gives great weight to the recommendations they make to the Minister of War.
The annual expenses of the school, as extracted from the Budget for 1869, are as follows:—
| Francs. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pay of staff, professors, &c., | 331,850 | |
Instruction, maintenance, examination ofcandidates, clothing, books, &c., | 321,073 | |
| Francs. | ||
| Outfits for 30 new pupils at 600 francs each | 18,000 | |
Allowances (premières mises) to 25 exhibitioners onadmission to the military services at 750 fr. each | 18,750 | |
| 36,750 | ||
| Maintenance and repair of buildings, | 30,000 | |
| Total sum charged in the schoolsestimate, | 719,673 | |
Add regimental pay of 28 officers andnon-commissioned officers employed at the school, | 85,515 | |
| Total expenditure | 805,188 | |
| Deduct repayments from pupils, | 237,000 | |
| Cost to the State, | 568,188 | |
| Or about 22,720l. | ||
The chief changes that have been made in regard to the course of instruction since 1856, may be summarized as follows:
1. The more elementary portions of chemistry and physics which are required in the entrance examination, but which were formerly repeated at the school, have been omitted. The course of instruction in these subjects is now confined to the more advanced portions which do not enter into the entrance examination.
2. The mathematical courses have in some points been slightly curtailed, and the number of lectures in French literature and German have been diminished. By the modifications thus made in the programmes, it has been found possible to shorten the whole course of study and to increase the length of the vacations.
3. The subject of “Military Art,” which formerly entered into the final examination is no longer taken into consideration in determining the order of merit of the pupils. In this respect the course of instruction may be said to have even less of a military character than formerly. Topographical drawing is the single military subject which has any influence on the final classification of the pupils, and this only to a very slight extent.
4. History has been introduced as a subject of instruction. This change was made in 1862. The course comprises general history, both ancient and modern, but more especially the history of France in modern times. The introduction of this subject appears to have arisen partly from a feeling that an acquaintance with history was a necessary element of a liberal education, and partly from a wish to meet, to some extent, an objection often made to the Polytechnic course of instruction, that it was too deficient in studies of a literary character. History, however, like military art, is evidently still regarded as a subject of only secondary importance and has no influence on the final classification.
5. A diminution has been made in the number of examinations during the course, by the suppression of one of the half-yearly examinations by the professors (interrogations générales, as distinct from the interrogations particulières) in each year. Further reference will be made to this point when speaking of the examinations at the school.