Chapter 1140: The Lovesick Heart
Actually, Dubuisson’s timing was perfect.
Developing a comprehensive educational system was no simple feat.
For instance, Joseph had been secretly organizing a team to draft the core curriculum for nearly a year and a half, only recently finalizing the official versions.
At the time, preparatory schools throughout Europe—providing basic education for children under twelve—still relied on the Bible as their primary textbook.
This was true not only for parish schools but even for the most prestigious private aristocratic academies. At best, a conscientious teacher might supplement the lessons with works like the Homeric epics.
Consequently, many children remained unable to read or write even the simplest sentences after a year of study, though they could all recite scripture with practiced ease.
Furthermore, Joseph discovered to his dismay that the French language lacked a standardized phonetic system.
The most advanced methods used a century-old letter-name system. For example, to learn the sound /b/, children had to memorize the name "bé." Before even touching a word, they had to struggle through phonetic combinations that were often longer and more complex than the words themselves. The learning curve was agonizingly steep.
To remedy this, Joseph introduced standard phonetic symbols from the future, instructing a panel of linguists to compile them into manuals and create dictionaries utilizing the new system.
The series consisted of six volumes, carefully graded by word frequency and grammatical difficulty. By incorporating phonetic transcriptions, the material was far more scientific and efficient than the traditional biblical approach.
Simultaneously, Joseph commissioned a Primary School Teaching Guide based on modern pedagogical frameworks.
While professional curricula existed for secondary education—such as those once compiled by the Jesuits—this was the first comprehensive system for early childhood enlightenment in all of Europe.
The full set of textbooks, workbooks, and teacher manuals had just been finalized when Viscount Dubuisson’s school was completed.
Joseph had originally intended to select several private aristocratic schools for the pilot program, but Dubuisson’s non-profit model was far better suited for testing the compulsory education framework. In the end, it was the children of the common folk who became the first to benefit from this modern primary education system.
As he stepped into the first classroom, Joseph couldn't help but frown.
The only decent piece of equipment was a slate hanging on the wall—presumably the blackboard.
As for desks and chairs, there were none to be found.
He turned to Dubuisson. "Where are the students supposed to practice their writing?"
"With those, Your Highness," the man replied, gesturing toward a stack of twenty wooden boards piled neatly in the corner. He stepped forward, picking one up to demonstrate.
Essentially, the children would sit on the floor, using the boards on their laps as makeshift desks.
With construction costs limited to less than 6,000 Francs per school, such austerity was inevitable. In truth, most church schools in France operated with similar conditions.
Joseph suddenly realized that the 6.5 million Francs he had earmarked for the nationwide rollout of compulsory education might be woefully insufficient.
Men like Dubuisson, willing to invest in basic education without seeking profit, were rare. Eventually, the French government would have to shoulder the lion's share of the burden.
He let out a soft sigh and looked at the Viscount. "I shall personally donate 10,000 Francs to purchase a proper set of desks and chairs."
These four New Elementary Schools were the models for the entire system; they needed to be as perfect as possible.
Dubuisson’s eyes lit up with joy as he pressed a hand to his chest and bowed. "Your generosity is boundless, Your Highness! You truly are..."
"Think nothing of it," Joseph said, waving off the praise. "Tell me, how is the enrollment proceeding?"
"To be honest, it is slightly lower than I anticipated," Dubuisson admitted. "Currently, the school in the Saint-Antoine district has 110 children confirmed for next month’s start, while we have only recruited about 70 here. The other two schools are seeing similar numbers."
"So few?" Joseph asked, surprised. That was barely a third of the schools' capacity.
He had expected the novelty of the new schools to create a surge of interest. He had even instructed Dubuisson to run advertisements in the Paris Business Journal.
"Well... as you know, the church schools do not charge tuition. Furthermore, many families rely on their children to work and bring in extra income; they are reluctant to spare them for study."
Joseph responded immediately. "In that case, we shall provide two loaves of bread daily to every student. The government will reimburse you for the extra expense through tax credits."
The awkward reality of the New Elementary School was that it couldn't offer direct free tuition yet. That would immediately signal to the Church that the state was moving onto their turf, and they would likely discover the government subsidies.
For now, the Church still held immense influence over the French educational system. Until a viable replacement was fully established, Joseph needed to maintain a delicate peace with the clergy.
"That will certainly help," Dubuisson said, though his expression remained somewhat conflicted. "But I fear many will still choose the church schools."
Habits were not easily broken. Moreover, the people of this era were deeply devout; many believed attending a church school brought them closer to God.
Joseph nodded slowly. "Let us try this first."
He was already calculating how to accelerate church reforms.
'If I can redirect the church tithes into the education fund, I could build enough schools to house every child in the country within months.'
Once compulsory education took root, France would rapidly develop a high-quality workforce of millions, vastly increasing industrial efficiency.
Historically, Prussia had relied on a comprehensive national education system to overtake others in industrialization. Their victory in the Franco-Prussian War was largely credited to this foresight.
But in this timeline, France was destined to lead the way by at least thirty years.
Afterward, Joseph toured the rest of the district and discussed plans with Dubuisson for the Royal Family to fund additional New Elementary Schools in other regions.
As he stepped out of the school’s bakery—which served as the canteen—he signaled Eman to prepare for their return to Versailles.
It was then that he noticed Mademoiselle Clary, who had been following quietly behind Dubuisson. He offered her a warm smile. "Viscount Dubuisson, when do you and your fiancée intend to wed? I should like to offer my congratulations in person."
Dubuisson blinked, startled, and hurriedly waved his hands. "Your Highness, Mademoiselle Clary and I are merely friends. In truth, her fiancé is..."
He trailed off, glancing back at Clary.
The young woman bit her lip and stepped forward. She dropped to her knees, gathering her courage. "Your Highness, I know this request may anger you, but I beg of you... please allow me to travel to Elba Island."
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