New-York tribune., 1871-06-13
SCHOOLS IN GERMANY.
-7rE PRUssIAY SYSTEM OF POPULAR EDUCA-
TON.
COMPULSORY scuooLING-oRGANIZATI
Is TAUGHT.


German scholar dates bis educational history. TIC 20
nminations on these occasions are public, and ano
,Dlv epportunity for the observation OF sch'o.V
machinery as at other times all visitors even p,
euts are vigorously excluded At She Easter ts,os
every school above the primary, public OF ttcted
an annual report, which tho proSranne laia
This report contains the OF s'uu9 ,s of the
down the questions used in the exainln
previcus year "a matter Of public oo,,n,s f
pupils freedom from military ser'V .cbors that may
the educational careers OF any DC" go, ,-oco.ions
have entered 'ne scnoo' t school within the year.
% ,., a.. I1f -, - NOT the school regulations ana
their rationale md finally ions $50 80 -. - ~,
fntended 70 show the cat'i'-V' ~ ,.y-- -,
- =, -, sometlses the people, sometimes ohIy
,,s - vary widely, Of course, IN amhty ana
- ,ore me Illustrates the intense German
49, ~. time by urging tho study Of German liter
- 1 history sin more extensively, TO the exclusion
:. x,-,sb and Preach, while aRosher treats OF the
~, e snes" for so large pages, to be contlnued'
t year These reports give exact statement OF the
ork reGuircd OF scholar in the middle schools,
svmnasa and real schools; and notes from them
tempered with careful study Of the Prussian school
discipline and by intercourse with practical educatlon-
,sts here may be OF value the American public,
especially IN view recent discussions regarding the
rroncr tasks for school children such review would
is incomplete however, without PREDATORY notice OF
thu German primary school the only common school, in
the American sense where rich and poor alike send
The school OF the the primary school, attend
anee uuon wiichis compulsory and in the great cities
free OF costs in the provinces Afforded az the norunalIe
Of perhaps I've cents month per child From the pri-
mary school pupil 50 into middle school or into
school preparatory for the gymnasium, II be wishes
classical cdacation otherwise II ne wishes into school
preparatory for the real school, IN which latter lac re-
ceves training him for the study Of the lower pro
fessons as mechanics engineering, commerce, aschi-
lecture, etc
To trace upward then, the course Of German child,
we must begin with the primary school. Here, un-
dOubtedy has the system been brought TO its greatest
perfection teachers ud.aitted 10 practice who
have drilled by long IN the sennarios
normal schools provided for their instruction in the
art Of teaching 1t is the aim Of the school authorities
to introduce such ski into lie methods of the primary
schools that pupil viii be obliged TO study at home 10
the usual tasks the parents in many being
poor and their children early devoted 10 toll that
homestuay would be impractcable. This point deserves
attention by American educators who generally Of
opinion that that teacher is the best who inspires and
requires the most "cipbertug" and mental digging"
around tho family altar Ths primary schools Of Berlin
divided into three grades the boys and girls consti
tuting separate division OF each grade with separate
schoOlQuarters. The Of study is the for
every school, and lie concded with by the private
schools Of that grade Ts is another feature OF the
Prussan system its supervision s private schools
These schools not discouraged but must submit to
the regulations OF study and discipline and throw
the public schools In fact their fees are regulated
By. have the sanction OF. the school authorities
such supervision protects the people from being
preyed upon by educational pirates while it at the same
time brings the public Institutions into sharp coEpet
tior with the skin OF real individual enterprise. II
presses public svnding, but not private talent To re-
turn TO the primary school, find that the course Of
sudy for the lower grade comprises reading writing rock
onng singing, and re ou FOR both sexes-n all 93 reci
tRtions weekly for each pupil the whole time in school be-
A. ham - L. l. 4N,na
hours on Wednesday and Saturday. The second grade
have the came, wirn The addition Of geography and
drawing for tho boys and "wOmally works " for the
girls and the third class highest department Of the
primary school, still further, history, natural science,
and geometry, 90 rectations per week.
"Relcon Is put all the lists Of studies and IS
pursued TO on that would DC deemed highly theo
logical in the American school system In Inc Berhn
IAhrplan teach pan) this study occupies with the girls
ak OF the 80 weekly recaons, the boys In the upper
rade being afforded only four. The instruction covers
the main points Of history, the prayers OF the
Lutheran liturgy and church songs, with practical texts
ocrnal passages tho parallels, and Luthers catechis
and usually given orally or direct from the BDle e
s and qualifications OF the teacher being depended
upon for such work. vel as for the instruction in
snging, when occupies two hours week Reading anu
writing taught in both the German and the Latin or
English letter. In the OF the language iseu the
child is early taught dsSect and compose sentences
Arithmetcal instruction extends TO denominational
numbers fractions, interest proportion and partner
Ship the girls going high the boys and the time
consumed in no case amounting to that given 70 re-
ngon" The elementary relations Of geometrcal lines
and forms taught IN the upper grade and upper half
Of the middle. Otherwise than this, two hours week
are given 10 mature kno wedge" progress in which
must largely depend upon the teacher, so indefinite are
tho Instructions II Is to comprise at least rudmeptry
knowledge OF the vegetable, animal and mineral king
dOms, the principal products of different parts OF
the world their reat 20 commerce and the trades,
etc. Geography is taught in peculiarly sensible mar
ne This science, in its rudimeHts is expressed by the
word HeimdfISEisde " knowledge Of home" and Is
always taught as ii should be, in connection with his
tory Taking the two studies together, the primary
scholar learns about Charlemae, BaTbarosa, and the
re-Relormaton customs even clear back
the battles with the Romans, and Tacitus's story
the rise of Brandenburg her electors aud the Prus
sian kings The "womanly works. commended TO
the girls and in which they have to pass examination
comprise knitting, sewing hemminC patching darning
and the marking Of lnen-eight hours week for the
upper grade and six for the middle. This is a brief
sketch OF the work required Of the teacher and scholar
IN the public schoOlthe school which the municipality
and Church especially provide the 70 which, TO
the equivalent OF which, every parent is compelled
under penalties TO send his children. When the
thd after the age OF presents ITSELF is the regula
tion (uess conscientious scrupes nterPose), for
hrnstiOn in the Lutheran Church. the confirming clergy
be assured Of its proficiency in the branches
prescribed else the candidate is rejected II the child
passes the examination and confirmed II s henceOrth
from compulsory education. If 1t Is boy and the
military authorities should afterward find that he could
not read write they woud be apt 10 ask expana
ton OF the priest, interviewer is the educational
system with the Church on the hand and the army
on the other In Catholic parishes the Catholic theology
and Church take the place Of the Lutheran IN the
schools the two Churches under the Prussan Constu-
tOn standing equality.