Eugénie Luce

Eugénie Allix Luce (1804-1882) was a French educator, who founded the first French/Arab school for Muslim girls, the Luce Ben Aben School in Algiers, Algeria, in 1845.

Departure from France

Eugénie Luce moved to Algiers in the 1830s, where she became a governess. She left behind her husband in France.

Luce Ben Aben School Eugénie Luce started the Luce Ben Aben School, in 1845. offering a European-style education. Girls learned French, Arabic, arithmetic, embroidery, geography, and sewing. The school was funded by the French Algeria government until 1861, after which it became a trade school. Instructors taught embroidery and other subjects in order to educate the girls in traditional Algerian crafts, at a time when these crafts were being replaced by machine-made imports. These goods were exported throughout Algeria, as well as Europe and the United States.

In 1858 Luce had over 120 pupils ranging in age from four to 17. in France, where she died in 1882. After Luce's departure, her daughter, and then her granddaughter Madame Ben-Aben, continued to run the school until the granddaughter died in 1915.