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The Lycée Chaptal, formerly the Collège Chaptal, is a large secondary school in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, named after
Jean-Antoine Chaptal Jean-Antoine Chaptal, comte de Chanteloup (; 5 June 1756 – 29 July 1832) was a French chemist, physician, agronomist, industrialist, statesman, educator and philanthropist. Chaptal was involved in early industrialization in France under Napole ...
, with about 2,000 pupils. It was taken over by the City of Paris in 1848 after the founder ran into financial difficulties. The pupils were expected to go on to careers in commerce or manufacturing. The curriculum was innovative for its day, with emphasis on French rather than classical studies, and on modern languages and science. At the first it was primarily a boys' boarding school, but it is now a co-educational day school. The present buildings were completed in 1876. Notable alumni include
Alfred Dreyfus Alfred Dreyfus (9 October 1859 – 12 July 1935) was a French Army officer best known for his central role in the Dreyfus affair. In 1894, Dreyfus fell victim to a judicial conspiracy that eventually sparked a major political crisis in the Fre ...
,
André Breton André Robert Breton (; ; 19 February 1896 – 28 September 1966) was a French writer and poet, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of surrealism. His writings include the first ''Surrealist Manifesto'' (''Manifeste du surréalisme'') ...
,
Jean Anouilh Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (; ; 23 June 1910 – 3 October 1987) was a French dramatist and screenwriter whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1944 play ...
, Daniel Hechter and
Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa ( ; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. In 2021, he was found guilty of having tried to bribe a judge in 2014 to obtain information ...
.


Foundation

Prosper Goubaux (1795–1858), a writer and professor of the
University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...
, had founded the ''Pension Saint-Victor'' in 1844. It provided board and lodging for students at the '' Collège Bourbon''. Goubaux saw growth in industry, commerce, agriculture and applied sciences, and saw that parents wanted their children to be prepared for these occupations through special studies. However, contemporary state education ignored these needs and was solely concerned with classical literary studies. Goubaux wanted to create a college for the sons of the prosperous middle classes, from whom would come the heads of the great commercial and industrial enterprises. It would teach boys to understand their times, and to appreciate the great achievements of modern civilization, while also being aware of literature and the arts. The idea of vocational education, and of replacing study of the classics with courses in French, modern languages and science, was revolutionary. At the time, most learned men thought that a classical education gave a solid, moral basis. Without it the only end in life would be to make money. Goubaux asserted that models of virtue and heroism could be found outside the poems of Virgil and Homer, and that the study of science and of all of creation was more valuable than the study of Livy or Tacitus. In France, surely public education should also include the study of France, the French language and French literature. Abel-François Villemain, the Minister of Education, said "A French college in France, never!" The city of Paris proved more open than the state to the ideas advanced by Goubaux, and allowed him to open the establishment called at first the ''École municipale Francois Ier'', changed to ''Collège Chaptal'' in 1848. Courses began on 7 October 1844. The school was supervised by a board composed of the director, Prosper Gobaux, and six members of the municipal council. It was located on a site between the Rue Blanche and Rue de Clichy. The school did not conform to the normal pattern of state schools. In its lower, or preparatory classes it gave elementary primary education. In its middle classes it gave advanced primary education, and in its upper classes it gave scientific secondary education. There were also elements of classical secondary education, since it gave some Latin classes.


History

Goubaux ran into debt when a partner absconded with the school's funds. In 1848 he persuaded the City of Paris to take over responsibility for the school, while he continued as director. The study of Latin was introduced in 1850. That year the 6th year program was introduced, designed to prepare students for entry to the ''
grandes écoles Grandes may refer to: *Agustín Muñoz Grandes, Spanish general and politician * Banksia ser. Grandes, a series of plant species native to Australia * Grandes y San Martín, a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain ...
'' such as the ''
École Polytechnique (, ; also known as Polytechnique or l'X ) is a ''grande école'' located in Palaiseau, France. It specializes in science and engineering and is a founding member of the Polytechnic Institute of Paris. The school was founded in 1794 by mat ...
'', ''
École Centrale Paris École or Ecole may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by Secondary education in France, secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing i ...
'' and '' École des Mines de Paris''. Subjects included technology, industrial economy, law and administration. In 1853 the courses were codified and defined in detail. Latin was definitely established in 1853 to meet the needs of the
baccalauréat The ''baccalauréat'' (; ), often known in France colloquially as the ''bac'', is a French national academic qualification that students can obtain at the completion of their secondary education (at the end of the ''lycée'') by meeting certain ...
of sciences. Pupils were required to study that language if they wanted to continue beyond the fourth year. Goubaux died in 1858 and was succeeded by M. Moujean, who directed the college until 1887. It was during his tenure that Chaptal became firmly established as one of the leading public educational establishments in France. By 1867 the school had 1,055 pupils. In 1868 the educationalist
Matthew Arnold Matthew Arnold (24 December 1822 – 15 April 1888) was an English poet and cultural critic. He was the son of Thomas Arnold, the headmaster of Rugby School, and brother to both Tom Arnold (academic), Tom Arnold, literary professor, and Willi ...
wrote that the college had 1,000 scholars, of whom 600 were boarders and paid £40 per year. It was one of the two great municipal schools of Paris, the other being the ''École Turgot''. The ''École Turgot'' was a day school, mainly for the sons of small tradespeople, while the ''Collège Chaptal'' served children of more prosperous parents. An 1868 description said, The original premises were irregular in plan and too cramped for the student body, despite additions and rented properties on the Rue Pigalle and Rue de Clichy. In a session at the Hôtel de Ville on 10 July 1862 the college's board of directors agreed on a move to "spacious gardens" of in the area between the Boulevard des Batignolles to the north, the newly opened Rue de Rome, the Rue de Bernoulli and the Rue Andrieux. The architect Eugène Train (1832–1930) was selected to build the new school following specifications defined by the city. Construction started in 1866, but was interrupted by the
Franco-Prussian War The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...
of 1870. Work resumed in 1871 and was completed in 1876. In 1869 changes were made to meet the needs of pupils destined for commercial careers. Students who had not studied Latin could now continue into their fifth year with senior commercial studies. 6,587 youths were educated at the Collège Chaptal between 1867 and 1877. Of these, three quarters engaged in trade, 7% in manual labor, 2% in the liberal professions, and the remainder went on the university in France or abroad. There were more than 1,300 pupils by 1878. The school was prosperous, with fees covering expenses. An 1880 description of the school said it was very similar to the best German ''
Realschule Real school (, ) is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia (''realna gimnazija''), the Austrian Empire, the German Empire, Denmark and Norway (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), F ...
''. The regular five-year course covered religious instruction, mathematics, physics, natural sciences, French language and literature, modern languages, history, geography, industrial and artistic drawing, music, gymnastics and military exercises. A sixth year prepared students for the Polytechnic or other school that demanded advanced knowledge of mathematics. The college ran educational trips in the vacations where fifty of the top pupils were taken by a professor to visit an important center of industry or other interest, funded by the Paris Municipal Council. In 1879 the Chaptal students visited
Le Havre Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...
. The ''Ghilde Les Forgerons'' (Guild of the Smiths) was founded in 1911 by a group of young activist intellectuals who were pupils of the Collège Chaptal and had a common interest in art. They were led by Luc Mériga (pseudonym of Maurice Liger). Magdeleine Paz was a member. The ''Ghilde Les Forgerons'' was active until 1919, and dissolved in 1920. Moujean was succeeded in 1887 by Ernest Charles Coutant, formerly director of the École Jean-Baptiste-Say. The college retained its unusual organization that let it give both primary and secondary education. The building was planned for 1,000 pupils, but had 1,300 in 1877, 1,500 in 1900 and 1,900 in the 1980s. This growth was made possible by the decline in numbers of resident students, so dormitories could be transformed into classrooms. Before becoming the ''Lycée Chaptal'' in 1945, the municipal college was administered under a special statute, with highly qualified teachers, and included classes to prepare students for admission to the ''
grandes écoles Grandes may refer to: *Agustín Muñoz Grandes, Spanish general and politician * Banksia ser. Grandes, a series of plant species native to Australia * Grandes y San Martín, a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain ...
''.


Building

Eugène Train designed a complex with three colleges – lower, middle and high – each arranged round a court. The colleges had separate entrances on the Boulevard des Batignolles, Rue de Rome and Rue Andrieux, and each had its own classrooms, study rooms and one or more amphitheaters. The colleges were connected by covered galleries to shared facilities in the center including the refectory, gymnasium, drawing rooms and lecture halls for physics and chemistry. The facade on the Boulevard des Batignolles included the administrative offices. The buildings were modern, with radiators for heating, ventilation, water tanks and gas lighting. Giandomenico Facchina contributed mosaics. The facade on the Boulevard des Batignolles combines Romanesque and the Renaissance elements. It is over in length, flanked by square towers, The decor includes multi-colored geometric brick patterns, serrated cornices, wrought iron work and carved reliefs representing Trade, Industry, Science and Art. The pediment of the main entrance is crowned by a bust of
Athena Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretism, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarde ...
. The design was not a complete break from the barracks-style schools of the period, but Train had tried to make it more welcoming and modern. The finished building was praised for its design and appearance, and for achieving good quality at low cost. In 1881 the library was moved into the chapel and in 1885 a large gym was built on the Rue Andrieux. Since then there have been relatively few changes. The chapel was replaced by a concrete building holding the documentation and information centers, with a second gym in the basement. The building that holds the drawing rooms was raised by one floor to create dormitories. The college was designated a historical monument in 1992 and is indexed in the
Base Mérimée The ''Base Mérimée'' () is the database of French monumental and architectural heritage, created and maintained by the French Ministry of Culture. It was created in 1978, and placed online in 1995. The database is periodically updated, and conta ...
, a database of architectural heritage maintained by the
French Ministry of Culture The Ministry of Culture () is the ministry (government department), ministry of the Government of France in charge of List of museums in France, national museums and the . Its goal is to maintain the French identity through the promotion and pro ...
, under the reference .


Rankings

For the years 2008 to 2014 the lycée ranked 8th out of 109 at the departmental level in terms of quality of education, and 106th at the national level. In 2015 ''L'Étudiant'' gave the following rankings compared to selected schools for the 2014 course:


Notable alumni

* Cyril Abiteboul (born 1977), racing car engineer *
Jean Anouilh Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (; ; 23 June 1910 – 3 October 1987) was a French dramatist and screenwriter whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1944 play ...
(1910–87), dramatist *
Dove Attia Jules Dove Attia (Arabic-language, Arabic: جول دوف عطية) better known as Dove Attia (born in Kingdom of Tunisia, Tunisia on 8 June 1957), is a musical producer and television personality. Beginnings Dove Attia is a French citizen bor ...
(born 1957), music producer *
Zo d'Axa Alphonse Gallaud de la Pérouse (28 May 1864 – 30 August 1930), better known as Zo d'Axa (), was a French adventurer, anti-militarist, satirist, journalist, and founder of two of the most legendary French magazines, ''L' EnDehors'' and ''La Feu ...
(1864–1930), journalist * Didier Barbelivien (born 1954), lyricist *
Jean-Louis Barrault Jean-Louis Bernard Barrault (; 8 September 1910 – 22 January 1994) was a French actor, director and mime artist who worked on both screen and stage. Biography Barrault was born in Le Vésinet in France in 1910. His father was 'a Burgundi ...
(1910–1994), actor, theatre director *
Patrick Baudry Patrick Pierre Roger Baudry (born March 6, 1946, in French Cameroon, Cameroon) is a retired lieutenant colonel in the French Air Force and a former CNES astronaut. In 1985, he became the second French citizen in space, after Jean-Loup Chrétien, ...
(born 1946), astronaut *
André Breton André Robert Breton (; ; 19 February 1896 – 28 September 1966) was a French writer and poet, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of surrealism. His writings include the first ''Surrealist Manifesto'' (''Manifeste du surréalisme'') ...
(1896–1966), writer *
Philippe Bouvard Philippe Bouvard (; born 6 December 1929 in Coulommiers, Seine-et-Marne, Coulommiers) is a French television and radio presenter. From 1977 to 2014 he hosted the French radio program ''Les Grosses Têtes'' on Radio Luxemburg RTL (French radio), ...
(born 1929), TV presenter *
Henri Cordier Henri Cordier (8 August 184916 March 1925) was a French linguist, historian, ethnographer, author, editor and Orientalist. He was President of the Société de Géographie ( French, "Geographical Society") in Paris.Bernard Cottret (born 1951), historian *
Alfred Dreyfus Alfred Dreyfus (9 October 1859 – 12 July 1935) was a French Army officer best known for his central role in the Dreyfus affair. In 1894, Dreyfus fell victim to a judicial conspiracy that eventually sparked a major political crisis in the Fre ...
(1859–1935), officer (see Dreyfus affair) * Mathieu Dreyfus (1857–1930), industrialist * René Dubos (1901–1982), microbiologist * Marie-Louise Dubreil-Jacotin (1905–72), mathematician * Alexandre Dumas, fils (1824–1895), writer * Pierrette Fleutiaux (born 1941), writer * Eugène Freyssinet (1879-1962), civil engineer *
Abel Gance Abel Gance (; born Abel Eugène Alexandre Péréthon; 25 October 188910 November 1981) was a French film director, producer, writer and actor. A pioneer in the theory and practice of montage, he is best known for three major silent films: ''J'ac ...
(1889–1981), film director * Aristide Gromer (born 1908), chess master. * Daniel Hechter ((born 1938), fashion designer * Paul César Helleu (1859–1927), artist *
Michel Houellebecq Michel Houellebecq (; born Michel Thomas on 26 February 1956) is a French author of novels, poems, and essays, as well as an occasional actor, filmmaker, and singer. His first book was a biographical essay on the horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. H ...
(born 1956), filmmaker *
Charles Koechlin Charles-Louis-Eugène Koechlin (; 27 November 186731 December 1950), commonly known as Charles Koechlin, was a French composer, teacher and musicologist. Among his better known works is '' Les Heures persanes'', a set of piano pieces based on th ...
(1867–1950), composer * Richard Lahautière (1813–82), journalist * Michel Lang (1939–2014), film director * André Joseph Lefèvre (1869–1929), politician * Lucien Lévy (1892–1965), radio engineer and radio receiver manufacturer. * Jean-Louis Le Moigne (born 1931), engineer *
Raymond Loewy Raymond Loewy ( , ; November 5, 1893 – July 14, 1986) was a French-born American industrial designer who achieved fame for the magnitude of his design efforts across a variety of industries. He was recognized for this by ''Time'' magazi ...
(1893–1986), industrial designer *
Salvador de Madariaga Salvador de Madariaga y Rojo (23 July 1886 – 14 December 1978) was a Spanish "eminent liberal", diplomat, writer, historian and pacifist who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Nobel Peace Prize and awarded the Charl ...
((1886–1978), diplomat *
Paul Morand Paul Morand (13 March 1888 – 24 July 1976) was a French author whose short stories and novellas were lauded for their style, wit and descriptive power. His most productive literary period was the interwar period of the 1920s and 1930s. He was m ...
(1888–1976), author * Philbert Maurice d'Ocagne (1862–1935), mathematician * Léon Ortiz (1868–after 1901), anarchist, burglar and notable illegalist * Magdeleine Paz (1889–1973), journalist * Alfred de Pischof (1882–1922), aviation pioneer * René Quinton (1866–1925), physiologist * Jean Ramadier (1913–1968), colonial administrator * Bernard Roy (born in 1934), mathematician *
Nicolas Sarkozy Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa ( ; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012. In 2021, he was found guilty of having tried to bribe a judge in 2014 to obtain information ...
(born 1955), politician *
Jeanloup Sieff Jeanloup Sieff (November 30, 1933 – September 20, 2000) was a French photographer. He was born in Paris to Polish parents. He was a photography student of Gertrude Fehr. He is famous for his portraits of politicians, famous artists, landscapes, ...
(1933–2000), photographer *
Jean Yanne Jean Yanne (; born Jean Roger Gouyé ; 18 July 1933 – 23 May 2003) was a French actor, screenwriter, producer, director and composer. In 1972, he won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film '' We Won't ...
(1933–2003), actor


Notable teachers

*
Henri Abraham Henri Abraham (12 July 1868–22 December 1943) was a French physicist who made important contributions to the science of radio waves. He performed some of the first measurements of the propagation velocity of radio waves, helped develop France's ...
(1868–1943), physicist * Jacques Ancel (1879–1943), geographer * Charles Angrand (1854–1926), mathematician and artist *
Athanase Josué Coquerel Athanase Josué Coquerel (16 June 182024 July 1875) was a French Protestant theologian. Life The son of Athanase Laurent Charles Coquerel, he was born in Amsterdam and studied theology at Geneva and at Strasbourg, and at an early age succeeded h ...
(1820–75), theologian * Georges Dumas (1866–1946), doctor and psychologist * Pierrette Fleutiaux (born 1941), writer * Émile-Félix Gautier (1864–1940), geographer * Charles Victor Naudin (1815–99), naturalist and botanist


Publications

* * * *


Notes


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lycee Chaptal Educational institutions established in 1844 1844 establishments in France Chaptal Buildings and structures in the 8th arrondissement of Paris