A military dictionary

by William Duane

The heads of colleges were enjoined to transmit, annually, to the secretary of the war department, an analysis of the various elementary tracts which they had perused, accompanied by comments and observations thereon, together with original suggestions of their own. 6000 livres, or 1250 dollars, were allowed out of the annual revenue of the military school at Paris, for the specific purpose of rewarding those writers who should publish the best treatises relative to the military education of youth; and when this intent was fulfilled, the surplus or the sum entire was appropriated to the purchase of books, which were equally distributed among the different colleges, each of which had a separate library for the convenience and improvement of the students.

The king left it to the discretion of the different religious orders, to select such persons, as were best calculated to undertake the direction of the colleges, and to chuse the different masters and professors. He reserved, however, to himself the power of displacing any of them, if, upon mature and correct representation they were found inadequate to the trust.

The four professors, belonging to the colleges in which the four successful candidates at the general examination had been educated, received four golden medals, each worth 150 livres, 25 dollars, as a testimony of his majesty’s approbation. The king’s likeness was on one side of the medal, and on the other was engraved, Prix de bon Instructeur; the good teacher’s prize. With the laudable view of collecting the best and most able masters, various rewards were imagined, and occasionally distributed among the different persons employed in the instruction of young beginners.

The different vacancies which occurred in consequence of the public examination that took place once a year, were regularly filled up at that period.

The secretary of state transmitted to the heads of colleges a list, containing the names of the young men that were to succeed.

Louis XVI. exclusively of the 600 students who were placed in the different colleges pursuant to the new regulations, restored the ancient foundation of La Fléche, which had originally been established by Henry IV. for the benefit of 100 poor boys, who were of noble families, and whose parents had rendered some service to the state in the civil, military, or ecclesiastical line. They were educated according to the bent of their talents and disposition, and fitted to any of those professions; provisions and regulations having been made in the college of La Fléche for these purposes, which differed from the general system pursued in the other military colleges.

Those boys, who at 13 or 14 years old, discovered a partiality to civil or ecclesiastical functions, left the subordinate colleges, and repaired to La Fléche. Their number was limited to five, who might annually be admitted in consequence of an order for that purpose from the secretary at war; which order was obtained by their parents, on a representation being made to him of their talents and dispositions, confirmed and vouched for by the inspector general, and by the heads and superiors of each college.

An extraordinary allowance was made by the king to enable these students to acquire a knowlege of law, and to become acquainted with every species of theological learning.

These students were never permitted to leave college under a pretext of seeing their friends or parents, however near the residence of the latter might be.

The heads or superiors of each college transmitted every quarter to the secretary of state for the war department, and to the inspector general of schools, a minute account of the actual state of the college, and of the progress which each student had made in the several branches of education. If any extraordinary occurrence happened, these communications were to be made forthwith, and at broken periods, without waiting for the regular expiration of three months. They were likewise instructed to communicate with the parents of such children, as were paid for by them, giving an account of their progress in education, and stating what they had written on that subject to the secretary of state.