Small article concocted by yours truly and very inspired by Mons Mining of the Bal des Mines 1974, thanks to "Ambiorix"
A little history
Our
purpose is not, in what follows, to a historian, we only want to trace the history of our beloved faculty. We will very briefly, emphasizing perhaps a little more about the facts that belong to a distant past. That the reader will be so indulgent!
- 1. Happy event in Hainaut.
1830! Belgium is free! The first effort of our first king and his government is doing to the organization of the state and its army, because our freedom is not yet assured. But this is not enough to sustain the new state: one must still allow for independent economic life and for that, train managers. This is what everyone seeks.
Jean-Baptiste Thorn, first governor of the province of Hainaut going to think, to his step. The Borinage has certainly mine very developed, but it is the trailer from the outside when confronted with incidents of exploitation or steering problems. Governor Thorn does not hesitate: October 10, 1836, he moved to the Provincial Council for the establishment of a School in Mons Hainaut Mines From October 20, the agreement is granted provided that the state subsidizes the new institution and that the city provides the premises. These conditions are quickly met, and November 1, 1837, the school opened at No. 5 rue des Ursulines, the former hotel of the family Fouleng. She would remain there until 1879!
The task was not completed so far: one had to give this newcomer a mission, a program and men able to teach and manage.
a mission! Living intensely problems in his province, the governor was not in trouble to fix: "The school was to train good extractors mine managers trained for our plants, machinery manufacturers and Works public, heads of factories, etc.. and, moreover, to give all those who by their social position are expected to take part in industrial speculation, a positive statement in their ability to assess and monitor operations. "(Journal of Mons.)
Men! They presented themselves without delay and were quality!
soon as he heard the establishment of the School, DEVILLE Adolphus Bartholomew, then assistant to "Central" in Paris, this is accepted and received the mandate of president and professor of mechanical and civil constructions. He was soon joined by his former student GUIBAL Theophilus. We find these two men, united by a common ideal, fighting for their schools. If they succeeded, it was not without difficulty, because the obstacles were many: admission requirements, programs, views of those who would get the money, among others.
A program! And first program admission! He had to know {(arithmetic, metric system, elementary algebra, geometry, linear drawing and the principles of the French language. It was not much and he had to move further away during the years of trial and error, from 1837 to 1844.
With bases as rudimentary, there could be no question universities to train engineers: the school merely instruct good "foremen" and she put in two years. It was also coupled with the Industrial School in Charleroi, whose ambitions were not higher. What we wanted above all was practical training or practice oriented toward the immediate return: it seems the most urgent!
Despite the modest ambitions and "largesse" during the entrance exam, the school struggles along for seven years. Judge for yourself: in 1837, 35 pupils in 1844, 14 students, "It could not attract the thunderstorm. Fortunately watched DEVILLE: mixed winds and cons, he would develop his school.
- 2.Années adolescence (1844-1890)
If the school had been established, although one suspects it is because the sense that it would be profitable for the industry. From the moment she met with limited success, he had to find voices calling for his removal: a provincial advisor made the proposal during the meeting of 5 July 1844. The energy of the Governor and Thorn Devillez avoided the wreck: the proposal was rejected and the program was even developed beyond what had been its promoter wanted. From
year 1844-1845, we complete the study for three years to raise and separate the Chairs of commercial law and customs legislation of the political economy. That's when the school was renamed " School of Commerce, Industry and Mines of Hainaut. "So, while the population rose from 17 to 41 students, but in 1851 it dropped to 19. That's when the separation takes place with the Industrial School in Charleroi. Therefore: the number of students rises to 78 in 1856.
A milestone was reached in 1857, we create special courses in chemistry, metallurgy and assaying, and a little later, that of industrial chemistry. The climb continues: 110 students in 1859! The following years will experience ups and downs, because the school follows with two or three years late, the evolution of the industry coal. In 1865, when Devillez was appointed Chief Special, there are more than 65 students. We are 72 in 1870 to create the special course of construction machinery and railways was going to illustrate Leo Halley. The conflict between France and Prussia reduces this number to 54 in 1871, but nobody thinks to remove a school that has been proven.
Development is now uninterrupted. In 1873, new course, the operating railway. In 1874, the euphoria is: there are 127 students. In 1876, the period of study is extended to four years: the institution feels cramped in its local Rue des Ursulines;
1879 should be a memorable year for us, because it sees the presence in the local street Houdain. Guibal, who had retired in 1877 had not the joy of teaching, but his memory would however be perpetuated in stone, at the same time as that of his friend Devillez.
The last years of the rectory of Devillez were still fertile because it was in 1880 and in 1881 drafted a new regulation that is making the graduation of engineering studies to complete four years. By 1880, the faculty is undergoing profound changes with the addition of young elements Proponents of higher mathematics who wish to leave the school other institutions of the province the formation of "foremen" in industry, for them it was necessary that the School dispensât purely depth scientific knowledge necessary for engineers that already formed. Despite its disagreement, Devillez had the great merit of not oppose the renovation to be pursued, however, the work of his successor, a "new wave" Macquet Augustus, appointed professor in 1881.
In 1882, many courses go to new owners and we Assistant Course extraordinary power in general physics. Finally, in 1886, a year before the anniversary, the laboratory was inaugurated special power: it is far from the poverty of early days!
1887! Worthy crowning a memorable year for fifty years of rectory and teaching Adolphus Bartholomew Devillez. 30 October 1887, the Duke d'Ursel, governor of the province, representing Leopold II, the Rector calls the insignia of Commander of the Order of Leopold and entrusts J. Alardin, President of the General Society of students, our first flag and said: "On behalf of the King, I you present this flag as a symbol of unity and commitment to your school and Homeland L .. The two wars that our country has had no known Das deny this saying!
Devillez retired in 1889 and can be proud of her work: she will live. It will still
joy to see him succeed in 1890, after the interim Mr. Lambert, Divisional Director of Mines, Augustus Macquet. The school will take a remarkable boom, but will not attend Devillez: in 1891, he joined in eternity his old comrade in arms Guibal, died September 16, 1888.
- 3.The Golden Age
In succession it collects, receives a school Augustus Macquet dynamic, eager to grow again. He will try to bring the same level as the special schools of major universities and even in front of them in a scientific perspective. 69 in 1889, students will increase to 314 in 1900! Now
School precedes the industrial development and does not suffer as strong as before the blow-cons of economic crises. Despite the years 1900 to 1903, the population will still be 286 students in 1905.
1905 experienced a new reorganization: the studies are now clearly specialized, depending on the nature the coveted degree and duration will vary from three to five years depending on the degree.
Macquet Augustus had also tackled the task early in his rectory. In 1891 he makes mandatory the elements of differential and integral calculus, in 1894, further strengthening of mathematics. He wanted in fact the studies are the same as in the best schools academic special, so that there is no argument to challenge its engineers to the benefits of the laws of 10 April 1890 and July 3, 1891 Convocation academic.
is in this spirit that carried out the examination reform Admission (1898) and the technical courses. They are developed at the Ecole des Mines du Hainaut much and sometimes more than similar courses in Liège, the number of assignments is such that one can speak of overwork. And the School remains true to its tradition while increasing purely scientific knowledge, maintain the level of practical knowledge without which no good engineer! In 1903
are created during the electrochemical and electrometallurgy; parallel, the Rector of the organization grows laboratory exercises in mechanics. At that time, the reputation of our geology professor. CORNER, exceeds far beyond our borders and this is no difficulty, under his leadership, we create an engineer geologist. as it exists in Liège since 1900. Just to get an additional year for mining engineers and mining engineers and industrial arts.
The listing of all titles granted by the faculty would be tedious; retain already then, it takes five years to become a mining engineer, metallurgical engineer, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer.
School is attended by students of various nationalities and its engineers are everywhere welcomed with open arms if we believe a statistic in 1902, of 298 engineers attached to the coal country, we count 181 from 114 from Mons cons of Leuven Liège. Better, a former Saint-Etienne (France) consider our school as a model of gender and does not hesitate to publish it.
- 4. The address of the inter-war period (1920-1940)
Turning to contemporary history, we can be briefer.
Closed from 1914 to 1920 by the decision of the occupying authority, the school knows then a period of transition, even if it is not as bright as the previous one, sees no less than several innovations. Include: the birth of an institute of metallurgy and, in the rectory of Jules Vernaux, the creation of a section of electro-mechanical whose success will be rapid.
- 5. Age "Lehaie" (1945-1974)
The previous period saw the construction of laboratories Dolez Boulevard, after 1945, a new builder will be.
owed his modesty suffer, we can not overlook the wonderful work of our former President, Mr. Pierre Houzeau of Lehaie .. We owe him a series of impressive buildings: the Nuclear Research Centre Street Brisselot, our wonderful student mentioned that it is our sincere wish to perpetuate his name for future generations, and finally, the laboratories of the streets of Savings and Joncquois Street.
As far as studies, there is movement: the section of the operational techniques and the engineers architects are already realities, and we do not know that we reserve our "bosses" today. Already we present a commotion in our programs and, even if those who are we succeed on the benches of our venerable "house" shun the effort, we believe that the Faculté Polytechnique de Mons, that name since 1947, will live because she deserves it and we can not erase stroke of a pen 136 years of history. Would it be in vain that our sovereign has given back to itself (the federation of students), 4 October 1962, his second flag.
- 6.Jusque Today (1974-2008)
- 7.Conclusion
is our history; Is not she beautiful as a fairy ? A tale that would be written with faith, commitment, sweat and whose fairy call themselves Devillez, Guibal, Macquet Dumon etc..
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