Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 211 The First Textbook War!

Chapter 211 The First Textbook War!
Although the winter of 1879 was cold, the political climate in Paris was sweltering because of a decisive victory.

With Archbishop Gibo's unexpected shift in stance, the conservative camp was completely split, and the republican forces gained overwhelming dominance in Parliament.

In late January, the new Education Act was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate almost without any suspense.

The wording of the bill is almost identical to previous rumors:
First, implement a free public primary education system;
Secondly, it stipulates that all children aged 6 to 13 must receive education;

Third, religious education was completely excluded from the public school curriculum, and replaced by a completely new "moral and civic education".

This means that the Republic has finally systematically and institutionally wrested back from the Church the power to shape the minds of the next generation of French citizens.

The efforts of Jules Ferry, the Minister of Public Education and Fine Arts, over the past few years have yielded a landmark breakthrough.

The renowned educator and staunch republican Ferdinand Edward Bisson was officially appointed as the chief editor of the new public school curriculum.

He will be responsible for assembling a team to write a new set of textbooks that embody the spirit of the Republic, to replace the old textbooks controlled by the church.

------

A few days later, one afternoon, Albert de Rohan mysteriously led Lionel to a secluded little garden in the Sorbonne.

His face beamed with barely suppressed excitement: "Leon! Leon! Fantastic news!"
My father! He succeeded! He's been appointed chairman of the editorial committee for the French Reader!

Upon hearing this, Lionel was taken aback at first, then realized what was happening—

This was a "secret" that Albert had revealed before inviting him to the Count of Rohan's ball last year.

I never imagined it would actually come true...

The brand-new French Reader may become the source of literary enlightenment for millions of French children in the coming decades!

Its influence is enough to shape the literary taste and ideological foundation of a generation or even several generations.

Being selected for a work signifies a historical recognition, and its value may even surpass commercial success; it is a symbol of a writer entering the hall of classics.

Lionel smiled and congratulated Albert: "Congratulations, Your Excellency!"

Albert rubbed his hands together excitedly: "Yes! Father is overjoyed! Think about it, Leon! What does this mean?"
In the future, every French child who opens their textbook to the first page will see a chapter selected by my father that represents the essence of French literature!
What an honor!

He abruptly stopped and looked at Lionel with fervent eyes: "Don't worry, Lionel! The Roon family will never break our promise! Besides, your work is excellent enough!"

Lionel's heart skipped a beat; no writer could remain unmoved upon hearing such news.

If his works could be included in a French reader, placing him alongside La Fontaine, Hugo, Molière, and others, it would be considered one of the greatest achievements of a writer.

It would be even better if we weren't required to memorize the entire text then...

Albert leaned close to Lionel's ear: "My father told me to tell you—you can at least nominate one! Choose the one you're most confident about."

Lionel was taken aback, and his mind began to race with calculations.

Since the "French Reader" is a primary school textbook, the only suitable options are "The Old Guard," "My Hometown," and "My Uncle Jules."

Among them, "The Old Guard" shows compassion for the underprivileged; "Hometown" depicts social changes and nostalgia; and "My Uncle Jules" reveals the fickleness of human relationships and the coldness of human nature...

After a while, he took a deep breath: "Let's submit whichever one is suitable to the committee..."

Albert was stunned: "What's wrong? You don't seem that excited..."

Lionel smiled slightly and patted him on the shoulder: "Go back and tell Count Rohan that everything is decided by the committee. I know nothing about it!"

Albert was completely bewildered and could only reply, "Okay... then..."

------

The day after the news of the Count of Rohan's appointment was published, an unsigned short commentary quietly appeared in an inconspicuous corner of Le Gaul.

The short review's title is quite sensational: "A Shortcut to Genius? On the 'Extraordinary' Treatment of Some Young Writers."

The article, written in a seemingly objective but actually bleak tone, states:

[...It is understood that His Excellency Count Rohan, the newly appointed chairman of the editorial committee of the French Reader, has a close relationship with a young writer, Mr. S, who has recently gained fame.]

Mr. S is known for his depictions of the customs and lives of people from other provinces and the lower classes. His talent is certainly commendable, but he is still relatively inexperienced. Whether his works can stand the test of time remains to be seen.

However, unconfirmed reports circulate that due to his remarkable 'good relationship' with those in power and his 'clear-cut' stance on certain sensitive issues recently, his works may receive surprising favor—as many as three of them have been selected for the upcoming 'French Reader'!
If this is true, it inevitably raises questions about whether this is a victory for literary value or a reward for political opportunism.

When did the sacred halls of education become banquet halls for rewarding 'cooperative attitudes'?

This report instantly overturned the relatively calm literary scene in Paris.

Everyone knows who Mr. S is referring to.

At first, it was just a small group of whispers.

While people were surprised by the number "three articles," most thought it was probably a rumor or the usual exaggeration by Le Gaul.

Lionel Sorel has always had a good reputation—he's probably not that scheming.

However, what happened next exceeded everyone's expectations.

As if by prior arrangement, several conservative newspapers reprinted the short commentary and published their own more scathing reviews.

The doubts grew like a snowball.

"Twenty-two years old? Three works selected for the French Reader? What were Racine, Corneille, and Molière doing at that age?"

“The Old Guard, Hometown, My Uncle Jules? These are all good stories, but are they enough to enlighten generations of French children?”
"Shouldn't some of Mr. Daudet's works be given more priority? 'The Last Lesson,' 'The Siege of Berlin'..."

"The Republic needs new literary idols, but being too eager for quick success and instant benefits may ruin this young man and tarnish the purity of educational reform!"

"It is said that he had a 'tacit understanding' with certain factions on the 'Choir' issue? Was it all premeditated?"

A storm of public opinion suddenly descended.

When Lionel woke up, he found his name had swept through all the newspapers in Paris in a different way.

Praise and appreciation have disappeared, replaced by overwhelming doubts, jealousy, and blatant attacks.

Soon, even worse accusations were slapped on one after another—

"A lackey of the republican government"

Ferry's literary henchman

"Speculators who use their pens to advance their careers"

……

Various labels were lavishly attached to him.

The delicate balance and brief tranquility he had achieved through his dealings with the church via "The Choir" were shattered at this moment.

Both republicans and conservatives maintained a strange silence—