I am reading a book, Cinque secoli di merletti europei, I Capolavori, in which there is a discussion about French lacemaking in which it makes the claim that the French Parliament saw the demise of the French lace industry as a result of compulsory education. p. 212. Speaking of the French Parliament's discussions about the failing lace industry in 1900 to 1903, the book says: "One of the reasons for this collapse, and all the members of parliament agreed about it, were the laws passed on 16th May 1881 and 28th May 1882 extending compulsory education to the age of 13, to the detriment of professional training." The claim is that apprenticeship is very long, 4 or 5 years, and must be started very early. At 13 the girls leave school and have not time to acquire the skills for lacemaking as they must go to work immediately, and so have to become housemaids instead. "The speech goes on to list the evident advantages deriving from an industry that could solve the unemployment problem, stop the depopulation of the countryside and, because it was made at home, hold the family unit together." So, I guess that not everyone sees the benefits of an education in the 3Rs. According to the French Parliament it made its victims unemployable, and destroys family life. Devon _lynrbailey@desupernet.net_ (mailto:lynrbai...@desupernet.net) writes:
I am glad the children eventually learned more than just lacemaking, as I think we are all firm believers in education. But in those days there was not universal literacy, so a lack of the 3 R's in lacemaking schools shouldn't be surprising. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, where we're having a rainy day. No drought here. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003/albums/most-recent
