School founded on Mont-Jura
Article written by the young Hippolyte-Léon Denizard Rivail, in 1825 [1]
“We always speak with renovated pleasure of those true friends of humanity, that sacrifice their lives, their tranquility and financial resources to alleviate their fellow citizens; these beings are so rare these days that they are very precious, and as in our times many people give themselves the title of philanthropists, and hide under that veil the most sordid egotism, it is necessary to know what the real philanthropy is, so that one can recognize those that only wear its mask, and that out of a hypocrisy, frequently studied over many years, have fun abusing the public, in order to take the most advantage in their own interests.”
“What I say relatively to these pseudo friends of humanity is only to point out, more definitely, those who really dedicate their lives to the happiness of their neighbors .In one of my trips to Switzerland I had the opportunity to visit a school founded on the true love of the public well being, and that should inspire the most vivid interest in all aspects.”
“Ms. C… founded that school in a village of Mount-Jura, where she resides. Her finances, although sufficient for her comfortable living, were not enough to provide for all needs of that kind of institution. However, she suffered by seeing an innumerable number of unhappy kids, abated by misery as much as their parents, getting addicted to all vices produced by idleness and vagabondage. She decided to take them out of their unfortunate situation and provide those poor children with honored means of existence, and also resources for the future. What an enterprise! What obstacles to overcome! However, she surpassed them all. When a virtuous soul resolves to do good deeds, she shall rarely fail. One needs courage and a firm will and she lacked none of them.”
“Helped by her small fortune and by some little resources, she gathered a certain number of girls whose only occupation was begging, and that now receives a very much taken care of education. When I visited her the school had about seventy students. The girls are sheltered, fed, bathed, and finally entirely supported in that house. The main occupation of the girls, outside schooling, is to make laces. From the revenue obtained, a part is invested in the support of the institution, and the remaining is available to the girls who produced it, and who quickly use it to help their unfortunate parents.”
“One day I manifested my admiration to Ms. C… for the change that was apparent in all her students, testifying how much surprised I was by the fact of her having been able to straighten up those characters, among whom she might have found some really rebel ones. Certainly, she said, I had great difficulty; there was characters showing all vices that misery and beggary entice; but with perseverance one can achieve the objective and I am plentifully rewarded by the efforts, when I notice that I did it – You must be really happy, I added, since up until now the events followed your plans – Oh! How can that be possible? I asked. She said: I feel that I have done little so far; and I will not be completely happy unless I have done everything in my power; unfortunately my means are very fragile; I wish heavens could second my dreams...”
“Virtuous woman, I thought when I left, you count your moments of happiness by the number of those that you make happy, while others don’t count them but by the victims of their greed!”
“Many of those young ladies obtained positions as teachers abroad, or have other jobs that give, as with their parents, a honorable perspective, for which they know how to show appreciation to their generous benefactor.”
Rivail.
[1] Le Petit Album de la Jeunesse, by Alexandre de Villiers. Paris 1825. Translated to English by the IPEAK team.