Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-08-13
The Schools Of Germany.
A Dresden letter SAYS:

A Dresden letter says:
The best schools in Europe arc
found in Bavaria, in Saxony, and in
Prussia, and the best in these coun-
tries are found in Munich, in Dresden
and in Berlin. In these cities the
schools are conducted with primary
reference to mental developement,
and, as means to this end, the sub
jects Of study are so classified and
taught as to lead to the acquisition of
knowledge in a scientific manner. l
notice. as 60 about to the different
school rooms of a large educational
institution, that they are as we'll sup.
piled with tho means of illustrating
every topic that is taught. In one
school-room, in which botany is stud
led, saw the plants for analysis, all
growing in pots, which were arranged
on shelves about tho room. In an
other room, where zoology is taught,
the students werc supplied with spec
linens Of the objects they are rcquir-
ed to study, and these specimens arc
30 arranged that they arc always be-
fore the student as he studies, or near
him to be used rs illustrations as he
rccitcs. The teachers do not require
rules to be committed to memory at
first, and then all mental operations
to be performed in a blind obedience
to the rule, but they require tho rule,
or general principle, to be derived
from an observation which the pupil
is led to make for himself.
In tho study of language the pupil
is led to the principles of construction
by C. study of const- uctions he has
himself been lod by his teacher to
| make, and language is in no case to
bo used by the pupil until he possesses
the ideas and thoughts which the
language expresses. The teacher of
geometry first teaches by object les
sons the principles upon which geo.
mctrical reasoning depends; then the
pupil 10 led to tho solution of problems
by means of his own reasoning, in
which he himself makes an applica-
ton of tho principles he him self has
learned. The pupil is trained to OBJ
serve by observing, to reason by rea-
soning, and to do by doing. In the
principal German schools have visit.
ed, the teachers have for the primary
objects of theif thoughts, as they
teach, the wants Of the human mind.
The German mind is naturally meta.
physical. There is, accordingly, in
all plans of German education, a
thorough classification of subjects of
study. The schools are graded, and
the different grades are related to one
another in accordance with tho plans
of study. In Bavaria, Saxony and
Prussia there are schools called Volks
schools, or peoples schools, in which
Il 9 common branches of learning are
taught, and which all the German
youth are required by law, ia attend,
from the ago of seven to ten years in
some States, and from six to thirteen
in others. "
Tho law is popular with all classes
and is rigidiy enforced. The com.
mon people, as we'll as the upper class.
es, all give . cordial support to the
common schools. At 8 O'clock in the
morning the streets Of the city are
filed with pupils Of the primary
Schools and students Of the highel
grades, each with his satchel of books
tied to his back, marching oheerfuliy
to bis appointed place for study
|, After 8 o'clock no children. of school
age arato be found away from thei,
CLASSES. Each parish of a town must
have at least one primary or elemen
, tary school. and most towns, in addi
tion to these elementary schools, have
atleast one upper burgher school, a'
tits called. 49,. >,s~ slm% i.
, The German children. at school al
appear neatly dressed, and, what
: what ! am sorrysto say 10 net Away
, true in my own country, these. chill
b dren are trained to good manners
Fl When q stranger enters d school
3 room, the children all rise and. remain
: standing un,ilths stranger is seated
i sS