Gregor Girard (1765–1850) is a multifaceted Swiss personality: the first Catholic priest in Bern since the Reformation, a collaborator with Education Minister Stapfer, head of the Freiburg School, an expert for the Pestalozzi Institute in Yverdon, and an author of educational writings. As a pioneer of differentiated instruction and an advocate for education, he became a victim of restorative educational policies. Girard is among the most important and successful educators in Switzerland. He advocated for compulsory schooling in rural areas and for adequate education for girls. The Freiburg government feared this Franciscan priest, who practiced grammar as a school of thought, employed student-centered teaching methods, and had already gained a reputation across Europe during his lifetime. His reciprocal teaching – where older students teach younger ones – was banned in 1823 by Bishop Yenni and the conservative Grand Council. As a result, Girard resigned and subsequently worked in Lucerne on the development and expansion of the Swiss school system.

Girard is to be rediscovered on the occasion of his 250th birthday. As a liberal Catholic at the language border, he has largely been forgotten. This volume includes ten educational texts by Girard from the years 1798–1844. These texts demonstrate remarkable coherence and relevance. Program, practice, and publications are uniquely interrelated in Girard's work and coexist on equal terms.