 The same year, he founded the Royal Free Drawing School (now the National School of Decorative Arts) which taught drawing skills, free-of-charge, to the sons of families from the lowest classes of society.The aim was both to train artisans and artists so as to improve the quality of the Parisian luxury goods industries and handicrafts, but also to teach poor youths a trade and keep them from roaming the streets and disturbing public order.For the first time in history, he conducted a survey of the quarries beneath the city, many of which threatened the foundations of buildings.