Alphonse Lavallée

Alphonse Lavallée : Nantes business man born in 1791 with Savigné-l' Bishop, founder on his personal fortune of the School central of arts and manufactures, so known today under the name of Central School Paris.

Alphonse Lavallée made of the studies of lawyer, then becomes administrator of companies. He becomes shareholder of the newspaper the Earth , newspaper of the liberal opposition and inspiration saint-simonienne.

Alphonse Lavallée projète in 1827 to create a school which could train civil engineers, " fabriques" and works medical officers;. At that time, the others French Universities train especially scientists or engineers working for the State. The Polytechnic school, which was founded in 1794, in particular specialized in the soldier fields and administrative and is not capable to provide managers of company. The will is to organize in a permanent way a formation of men ready to carry out the practical and concrete application scientific developments in all the branches of the producing activity. The step will propose moreover, and an innovative way, to institutionalize in a school of formation the bond between the scientific research and the development of the industrial techniques.

Alphonse Lavallée then meets Jean-Baptiste Dumas with the Athénée, center of conferences on sciences and the techniques which is also a gathering place of the liberal opposition to government (heads of undertaking, scientists, etc). One finds there good number of readers of the Globe . At that time, one discusses a project of industrial school there.

Two projects are in fact under discussion in the mediums of the Athenaeum: the first, designed by Binet of Holy-Proof, a Physicist normalien, plans to set up a small structure of about fifty pupils on the basis of National university and installed in the buildings of the State. Lavallée has a project plus visionary: he recommends a school from 300 to 400 pupils, independent of the State. Thus, it calculates, on the basis of 750 franc per annum and by pupil, one can assemble the autonomous operation of way. Itself is ready to put the funds of first establishment. The scientists who unite with them, Theodore Olivier, Eugene Peclet and Philippe Benoit, join with this idea which, taking into account the political context, is much more realistic. They then profit from one of the rare moments of relative governmental liberalism of the reign of Charles X: of Vatimesnil, which is Minister for the State education, is very favorable to the idea and supports it. Indeed, the State having the monopoly of teaching, it is necessary to obtain an authorization of the University, which is granted by a decree dated December 23rd 1828.

The central School of arts and manufactures, whose Alphonse Lavallée is the first director, is inaugurated on November 3rd 1829 in the Hotel of Juigné to Paris (current museum Picasso). The choice of the name of the school is explained by the administrative terminology of the time and the thought saint-simonienne. An ordinance of 1819 had created the Council of the factories and manufactures. There existed also advisory rooms of arts and manufactures and an Advisory committee of arts and manufactures. The " term; centrale" testify to the Saint-Simonian project which considered the development of a high level school in each central city, i.e. principal, of province (only the Lyons central Ecole will be created on this principle also). The new school forms " civil engineers spéciaux" , i.e. able to build factories, to restructure the old ones, to be enlightened advisers of the heads of undertaking, " directors of usine" who will receive the general formation necessary to the industrialist, " capitalists educated, able to choose with intelligence their speculations… " , " professeurs" who will diffuse the teaching received at the School in the departments of whole France " in favor of the foremen and ouvriers" chiefs;.

The School saw education rights (what supposes that except for some stock-brokers, the establishment recruits primarily children of easy families). The promoters see large: 147 students are registered as of the first re-entry of 1829. They followed all a secondary formation; some prepared the contest of Polytechnique. To attract the good graces of the Parisian scientists like provincial and the heads of undertakings, Lavallée proposes to distribute 111 half-purses to future pupils who will be chosen by the principal learned societies of Paris and the areas. And, in fact, the school has the favors of the industrial world and scientist: the council of improvement of the central School is composed of considered scientists, of bankers of businesses and powerful industrialists (Philippe Benoit also forms part of it, him which finally gave up teaching there to continue to direct its cabinet of engineers).

Although recognized by the State, the school does not receive any financial aid from it. She does not survive the disorders of her time - Three Glorious (July 1830), cholera epidemic (1832) whereas Lavallée is falls ill, Révolution of 1848 - which thanks to the strong personal involvement and financial of her principal founder. After the death of Theodore Olivier and although the school is prosperous, Alphonse Lavallée forms in 1855 the project grâcieusement to yield it to the State to ensure perenniality of it. This proposal, supported by Prosper Mérimée, then senator, is approved on June 17th, 1857 by Napoleon III.

Alphonse Lavallée in particular had the field of the castle of Segrez with Saint-Sulpice-with-Favières (the Essonne). His/her son (see low) there conceived the arboretum castle.

Alphonse Lavallée is buried with the cemetery of the Père Lachaise in Paris.

Medallion of Alphonse Lavallée to the Lachaise Father.

the Alphonse Lavallée is a red Cépage which belongs to the Raisin S of table, i.e. it does not take part in the wine makings. This type of vine was developed by Alphonse Lavallée, wire of the precedent.

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