Thiers on these points: the superficial judgments on the religious education provided by the public schools, his comparison between the quality and results of such an education in Catholic boarding schools211 and the educational method used in such schools. Finally he elaborated on the features of a system of education which is not formally defined as preventive, but contains all of its features. First of all, the system of education used at the Senlis School is based on foundations shared by any authentic system of education. It entails commitment, discipline, responsibility; it is not permissive; it does not allow for uncalled-for family interventions; it demands the exact observance of the rules, quiet, silence, orderliness, punctuality and obedience.212
Secondly, it excludes the “military regime” of the State schools even though it does require of those who hold responsibility in the school that they have the following features: dedication, conscientious vigilance, zeal mixed with moderate indulgence and fatherly flexibility.213 The immediate goal of educational activity is, in fact, the protection of the pupils’ innocence. This is achieved through constant assistance which means an uninterrupted presence among them.214 But this assistance is expected to be “intelligent, prudent, tolerant, i.e, charitable”.This type of assistance aims not only at protecting innocence and preventing anything contrary to it, but at being solicitous about it and fostering it. This can actually happen when the following three means are used: vigilance exercised; principles instilled; being kept busy215
The last goal of this system of education is to form the human and Christian character of the young, to develop intelligence by means of classical and scientific culture. The religious principle stands out and above, and entails fulfillment of one's duties towards God, application to study taken as prayer and as a religious and saintly duty”.216
Education is carried out in a true family-like atmosphere and in a twofold sense: first of all,
collaboration and integration between family and school education are sincerely fostered. No teacher will ever claim for himself the gratitude, trust and love which bind children to their parents. At the same time, the school carries out its education, thanks to an authority which is like the extension of a father’s and mother’s authority. “If the school is not a family, then it is nothing at all”.217
Added to all this is the theme of love as a pedagogical principle and the theme of indulgence as a method.218
Love should take first place in educational activity. 'The Heart'.. yes! It is above all, and first of all, through the heart, with a loving heart, with a tender and generous heart that the teacher should carry out his important ministry”.219 No, the heart is not only expected to pour the oil which facilitates the heart’s movement; the heart itself must be the first mover... It is not enough to call upon the heart as an auxiliary tool, it must be the dominant principle: in a word, education is not the work of the spirit directed by the heart, it is actually the work of the heart directed by the spirit”.220
Indulgence is the expression of the heart and is made evident all along the various stages of education.
même auteur, (Paris: Pringuet 1851), 16. 427 pages.
211 Cf. Lettre à M. Thiers à l’occasion de son Rapport sur le projet de loim relatif à l’instruction secondaire, in P.-A.
Poullet, Discours, 233-264. To be able to speak of the quality and resultsof ‘religion’ in different institutes, he objects,
“one needs to know first of all what is meant by religious and moral education, or rather what is religion, what is moral,
where does one find the complete and pure truth which are the duties imposed by God.” (Ibid., p. 235).
212 P.-A. Poullet, Discours. 246-248.
213ibid. 248-249.
214 “Our first rule is to constantly keep the boy with us, near us, under our eyes” (Discours. 25).
215 P.-A. Poullet, Discours. 28-33.
216 P.-A. Poullet, Discours. 33-38,107, 120.
217 Ibid., 46-51, 63-70.
218 Ibid,. Respectively, 137-157 and 81-101.
219 Ibid., 138.
220 Ibid., 140-141.