DEMIA, CHARLES. – Priest, b. at Bourg (Bresse) on 3 Oct. 1636, d. at Ainay (Lyon) on 25 Oct. 1689.
A pupil of the Jesuits and of the Sulpicians, he was ordained priest in 1663 and first devoted himself to missions. Returning to his native land, he became archpriest of Bresse and extraordinary visitor of the diocese of Lyon. In January 1667 he established the first free school for the indigent class, soon followed by others; when, twelve years later (1679), St. J. B. de la Salle founded those of Reims, Lyon already possessed twelve *Petites écoles*, six for boys and as many for girls. The teachers, in the founder’s mind, were to be priests, and the mistresses lived in separate communities or seminaries, at once novitiates and normal schools. He had drawn up for the *Petites écoles* model regulations, which also provided for manual work. The teachers made use of the services of monitors called “officers,” but retained the care of high supervision and instruction, following rather the simultaneous method than the mutual one. The *Congrégation des Soeurs de St. Charles* (with mother-house in Lyon) was founded by the priest D.
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