The educational study presented here is an attempted synthesis of work carried out over the past two years by different people each of whom in his or her own special field of activity has enquired into the means of implementing a policy of permanent education. Although I naturally assume entire responsibility for the final text, the latter must, however, be regarded as the culmination of collective work. Huguette Flamand and Fram;ois Lebouteux have together with myself been responsible for the development of the project in all its stages. We have benefited from the contributions of Messrs. Amiot, Antoine, Balcon, Berbain, Mrs. de Boissieu, Mr. Boulanger, Mrs. Castaguo, Messrs. Cousin, Durand, Elie, Guigou, Hautenauve, Hum­ bert jean, Mrs. Knecht, Messrs. Littoz-Baritel, Malglaive, Perriault, Miss Remy, Mr. Schmidt. With their agreement, their texts, a list of which is given in an appendix, have been integrated into the study without specific mention. Others who have been kind enough, at our request, to assume the thankless role of adviser and critic at various stages in the course of this work are Mrs. Puybasset, Messrs. Caspar, Girod de l'Ain, Migne, Palmade, Pechenart and Sicard-Alliot. I thank them all here, hoping that I have in no way betrayed their intentions and think they will find in this text a faithful reflection of their ideas and the echo of their own concerns. Finally, we have benefited from the many contacts which we were able to make in France and abroad.