France -- Civilization; France -- Politics and government; France -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Now, let us add to the monastic principle of celibacy the monastic and
military principle of obedience; the latter, in Napoleon's eyes, is
fundamental and the basis of the others; this principle being accepted,
a veritable corporation exists; members are ruled by one head and
command becomes effective.[6136] "There will be," says Napoleon, "a
corps of instructors, if all the principals, censors and professors have
one or several chiefs, the same as the Jesuits had their general and
their provincial," like the soldiers of a regiment with their colonel
and captain. The indispensable link is found; individuals, in this way,
keep together, for they are held by authorities, under one regulation.
As with a volunteer in a regiment, or a monk who enters a convent,
the members of the University will accept its total régime in advance,
present and future, wholly and in detail, and will subject themselves
under oath. "They are to take an engagement[6137] to faithfully observe
the statutes and regulations of the University. They must promise
obedience to the Grand-Master in everything ordered by him for the
service of the Emperor, and for the advantage of education. They must
engage not to quit the educational corps and abandon their functions
before having obtained the Grand-Master's consent. They are to accept
no other public or private salaried function without the authentic
permission of the Grand-Master. They are bound to give notice to the
Grand-Master and his officers of whatever comes to their knowledge that
is opposed to the doctrine and principles of the educational corps
in the establishments for public instruction." There are many other
obligations, indefinite or precise,[6138] of which the sanction is
not only moral, but, again, legal, all notable and lasting, an entire
surrender of the person who suffers more or less profoundly at having
accepted them, and whose compulsory resignation must be assured by
the fear of punishment. "Care must be taken[6139] to insure severe
discipline everywhere: the professors themselves are to be subject
in certain cases to the penalty of arrest; they will lose no more
consideration on this account than the colonels who are punished in the
same manner."[6140] It is the least of all penalties; there are others
of greater and greater gravity,[6141] "the reprimand in presence of an
academical board, censure in presence of the University board, transfer
to an inferior office, suspension with or without entire or partial
deprivation of salary, half-pay or put on the retired list, or stricken
off the University roll," and, in the latter case, "rendered incapable
of obtaining employment in any other public administration."--"Every
member of the University[6142] who shall fail to conform to the
subordination established by the statutes and regulations, or in respect
due to superiors, shall be reprimanded, censured or suspended from
his functions according to the gravity of the case." In no case may he
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