The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1864-11-16
Education and Schools in Ger
many.

Halle, IN Germany, IS not only no'cu
for its University, but for that immense
system or complication Of schools which
the good and pious Franckc established
about 100, and which is known under
the general name Of the Waseuhaus, or
Orphan Asylum. This institution, which
began with nine little poor orphanS, in
1894 or Whereabouts, III n private room
rof Frunckcs house, has extended to be
gigantic union Of schools, giving en-.
ployment to u hundred aud forty teach
ers, aud having in charge more than
thirty.three hundred children. Aud as
it now stands in the front rank Of Ger.
man educational institutions, | have,
during my stay in Halle, busted myself
in gathering there what hints | could
touching German education. And these
in loose form will try to convey in
this letter.
And Of this Waisenhaus will say
first that it is u little world in itself
You may try and conceive what must be
the necessary accommodations tor the
following departments. School rooms
for rty.,hrcc hundred children rooms
for hundred and thirty orphaus rooms
for nearly hundred children from
families Of rank; rooms for some hun
dreds Of other children who are sent
away from more humble homes as We
send children away to II boarding school +;
hall where hundreds dine together, aud
the rooms belonging thereto; large
library, apartments where many OF the
teachers live; 4 large gymnasium u
! printing house for Bibles, the printing
house Of the establishment, and the
book store the apo,hecary and the hos
pital. by no illustration which | can
draw from America, can | convey an
idea OF the Immense extent Of the build
in.s aud the display which they make.
wonder at it every time | see it, and
not mere at lis greatness and power than
at the remarkable display Of faith in
God in its founder. When the boys 80
by in the morning at 5 clock, passins
us they have to. under my window, the
street is black with them it sceus like
an ARMY Of infantry on the march and
when they come pouring out at the hours
Of dismissal, it is the greatest display o'
boy and girl lile with which l am dc
qualnted.
| do net find that superiority in the
German schools over our own which !
expected to lind. Doubtless there are:
and in,ircd there are, minor points III
which theirs excel ours, but the German
schools have been, it seems to me, very
much ovrrra,ed. But let this appear
from those special details which will
advance.
Ii in an American school, with our
newspapers standing arsus.eyed to see
every thing and report it to the world,
the violence which takes place in Ger
man school should occur, 1t would create
so much popular commotion that nothing
short Of the removal Of teachers would
qaict it. Of course, before the visitor
the violence is not 50 apparent; yet |
have seen boy struck with the clcnchcd
fist on the side Of the head, with be-
numbiug force, and | know that the
teachers kick the boys. and strike the
head, and, snap the nose, and pinch the
back of the neck in brutal manner. If
German schools are Of such distinguished
excellence, it is gained not by the help,
but in spite Of u system Of such gross
and injurious punishmcnts. as arc not
only hurttul to the health, but to the
character Of pupils and teachers. Well
considered, faithful furnishings on the
hand are not in vogue here: only pas.
siouate outbreaks Of violence, which
generally accomplish their object by
blows on the side Of the head. And Of
course, they are constantly occurring,
and the teacher is seen every few min
utes dartiug at some offending boy and
mal,rcating him, as Americans would
say, while the offender. would look de-
murcly for little time and then speed.
lily would be in danger Of the recurrence
Of the same barbarous penalty.
Order, in the schools Of Germany,
in truth, as is the case in every Euro
peau school which l have seen, is most
defective. No school Of respecta bic
order have l seen in Ireland, or Eng
land, or Germany. No one Of those
things which We either strictly enforce
uuder the sanction Of law, or develop
under the guidance Of duty, are here at:
tended to. Prompting is open and
shameless; whispering is universal
playing is general aud the teachers are
ever sending forth their unavailing hiss,
the signal for order, which hardly com.
mands even momentary silence. have
known of boys fighting in school, three
successive rounds, while the teachers
back is turned; and the noise which is