Cousin, Victor

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

koo-zan', Victor (1792-1867), an eminent French educator and philosopher. Cousin was the son of a Parisian watchmaker in the famous Quartier St. Antoine. He saw stirring times in the days of his youth. When of suitable age he attended the Lycee, or Latin school, in his part of the city. Later he entered the normal school of Paris, in which he became an instructor in Greek. During the intolerant days of Louis XVIII the normal school was abolished, and Cousin, who had acquired quite a reputation as a rising philosopher, was thrown out of his position. Losing no time on this account he took up his studies in earnest; traveled, mainly in Germany, and published several treatises. After seven years, a change in government restored him to his work, and he became professor of philosophy in the University of Paris. His lectures were brilliant and earnest and gave a new impetus to the subject. In 1830 Cousin's colleague, Guizot, became the head of a new ministry, and he was invited to leave his lecture room for a membership in the council of education. Thirty years before, the French Revolution had promised France adequate public schools, and it now became Cousin's privilege to draft a bill establishing such a system, and to plan and work for its development. Abstract philosophy and the pleasures of scholarship were laid aside. Cousin traveled again extensively, investigating the systems of schools in Europe. Two reports, one on the State of Primary Education in Several of the States of Germany, Particularly Prussia, another on Public Instruction in Holland, attracted world wide attention. They were translated into English. Reprints were distributed at state expense in Massachusetts and New Jersey . Without doubt these reports were the beginning of a popular belief in the superiority of German schools. Cousin was the recipient of many honors and distinctions, but he was kind enough to say, "None has touched me more than the title of Foreign Member of the American Institute for Education." Victor Cousin is now most frequently quoted as a philosopher; but his claim to renown will rest finally on the service he was happily enabled to render the cause of public education.