The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-10

The Gernan.American schoels In the United
States.


The Gernan-Anerican Schools in the United
States.
The association of German American teachers,
which meets fortnightly In this city, have deter
mined to improve, not only the system of tuition,
but also the grade Of teachers in the country
Although they may have been and probably were
arrogant In this It cannot be denied that every effort
at Improvement In education IL commendable and
should be supported according to its merits. When
this association sent its first annual report to Mr..
Barnard, Superintendent Of Public Instruction at
Washington those who knew OF the fact believed that
1t would soon be given 20 the public. Almost four
months have expired since and not word OF It has
yet seen the light Of day In print An extract OF this
report is here inserted.
The German American schools may be divided-so
the report says-ntO three classes The first class,
beginning with the beginning of the immigration OF
Germans sprang from the desire to prevent the dis
ruption Of family ties, threatened by the fact that
the parents could not master the English and their
children forgot the German and learned to despise
1t as an inferior language, and often even joined
another church. These schools never reached
higher grades 1t being the clergy who necessarily
took charge Of them, and they sank 10 become mere
vehicles Of propagandsm OF each particular faith.
or this class Of schools there are nearly many in
the country as there are German religious congre-
Tue second class Of German-American schools
misunderstanding the report referred to for the
text-with those immigrants who left Germany after
the Inflated revolutionary efforts or $780, Among
them the mercantile classes were the majority, and
they knew the advantage of the knowledge or several
languages. The schools founded by them were prl-
vate enterprises, and confined themselves to the
teaching OF languages and Of those requirements ne
cessary for commercial pursuits exclusively. They
dd-as this report has it-forget the true principles
OF education and only pursued the Idea OF pecuniary
utility These schools have been IN existence III all
1882
The third class dates its origin with the beginning
of the immigration Of the political fugitives from
the vengeance OF their governments after the revolu
ton of ls4s. The most intelligent and educated OF
teachers in Germany were thrown hither by the
political events of that year in Europe. soon AFTER
schools were formed by them on shares, and the
rational system of education, according to the
doctrines of PestaOZZi and Of Diesterweg, was by
them introduced. The course OF instruction pre-
report insists to be the best in the word-was
adopted by them here as pattern to work after.
small number Of the private shoots OF the second
class, being among the best or their KIND, nave
joined in this moven ent
The report then goes on to explain the system OF
Pestalozzi; that it seeks the education OF the whole
man. and not only his perfection for technical pur
pose The mind as well as the body Is sought to be
developed and it aims at the elevation OF man for
all purposes. All moral powers OF the mind and
heart are brought in service for the advancement OF
the intellect 1t does not look down on the pupil as
II he was a thing without Will, which one can
mould into any shape desired, nor does it believe
that parrotke efficiency in reciting this or that
branch OF the lessons Is sutfcient To make q man.
On the contrary the report proceeds, this system
considers the pupil in the light OF free man
hood, containing oil the elements Of free and
| true man, which should be developed by edu-
! cation. The sef-activity OF the pupil Is sought
| to be awakened, The principle of self-obseryaton,
selfthougAt and self-acton Is aroused to make him
feel his own force, and at the same time to insti
into his heart the desire TO grow up morally true
| man. Hence, they say, learning should he made
easy and pleasure tllat all the power OF the youth
full intellect be awaACned and that the mind OF the
youth should itself take pride IN Its gradual growth.
TO attain to this II Is necessary, the report con-
be themselves what they would teach their pupils to
become and also u thorough method or system; and
! in both. the report claims, the German-Amerlcan
teachers eminently qualified. The report says
that the German sy stem OF education Is saving ol
both time and capital, because the pupils are 80 in
structed that after the first year they are 80 adj
vanced that they meet their teachers hal
way. This system is divided into divisions
| the institute for children, the "obect les
| sons - the phonetic method, the analytical
system in arithmetics and agebra-all these comprs
bur one continuous rule OF teaching. The report fur
Their claims that the pupils leaving any OF the sew
eral institutions called German American schools CA
speak three guages-English, German and French
and are apt 10 enter into any business their life ma
call them TO- and that, by the gymnastic exercises
the body, they healthy and strong, equal to an
exertiOn THIS OF course, Is given with the rescrvi
ton that there are exceptions, which the teacher
themselves admit in their report.
The report closes with the suggestion that the go
| as the want Of good instructors capable for the
duties, and who know the great weight which an II
strctOr Of youth has upon his shoulders IL felt NOR
| and more every day.