Show SEAT OF LEARNING IN OLD POITIERS one of Eu europia Euro ropes poa oldest institutions tut ions the university of poitiers rol tlora ono of lihi ropes oldest institutions of learning celebrated itu its live hundredth nn an niver sary recently in the little town of western franco france whose streets have echoed to tho the trend tread of more than 1 20 10 generations of students tho town Is all that a university to town wn should bo be relatively dinall it has infald inhabitants ta tits quiet untroubled by much industry esque lind rich in mellow old monuments of the past says bays tho national geographic society it iles midway between tho channel iannel cl and tho the and ant about labout id 75 miles inland from tho bay of tito english aro are really responsible for thu the existence of tho alty of Ilott lers charles VII created tho the institution in 1132 1 because paris hod had fallen into the hands of tho thin hag elsh who also controlled tho the university of parla tito french parliament had moved to shortly before lly by the close of the ho fifteenth century tho the new nely university had it a student body of approximately 1000 made up not only of frenchmen but also of Ita italians flemings scots scota ana aelmans mans tito most interesting structure in tho city la Is tho complo of st jean acan which Is credited with being tho the oldest christian monti monument ment in fit france it was built ns as it a possibly as early as the fourth century and wits was enlarged to servo serve as a parish church in fit tho the seventh century the alio floor of tho the stone beono structure la Is now about ten feet below the level of the bordering street it la is used as a museum mume tini of local antiquities three battles lialo done moro more than oil all else to make poitiers feinour all wore were fought at boino distance from tho town but nil all were given its ita name at abe first so called battle of poitiers in COT clovis defeated tho the at tho the second in charles arles martel saved christendom by j overcoming tho the mohammedan hosts and aha at the third in 1350 tho the british black prince defeated tho french king hing john 11 |