The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-02-24
Mistellaneons.
The Prussian School System.

One Of the New York papers contains
a letter from Berlin, giving au account
Of the Prussian school system, its or.
ganization and method, and several
other particulars of valuable and 10.
te:esting character. In Prussia the
primary school is the school of the
masses, where rich and poor alike send
their children. The attendance is com.
pulsory; iu the cities there is no charge
made whatever. but in the provinces
the payment Of a small monthly SUN is
required. From this primary school
the pupil goes into what is called mid
die school, or, "into school preparatory
for the gymnasium, if he wishes a
classical education; otherwise, if he
wishes, into school preparatory for the
real school, 10 which latter he receives
training to fit him for the study Of the
lower professions, as mechanics, com.
merce, architecture" &c.
The primary school is the foundation
Of the entire Prussian system, aud ex.
traordinary care and attention aud con.
staut study aud Improvement have made
that foundation almost as perfect as it
is possible for il to be. No teachers
are admitted to il who have not been
trained 10 the normal schools provided
for their instruction and the special
aim OF the teachers is, it appears, (and
this will sound very strange to Ameri.
cans, to @'introduce such skill into the
methods Of teaching that no pupil will
be Obliged to study at home to master
the usual tasks" These primary ,chools
are divided into three grades, the boys
aud girls constituting a separate diyis.
ion Of each grade, with separate school
quarters. Reading, writing, reckoning,
aud religion for both sexes, 10 all TWEEN.
ty six reeitations weekly for each pupil.
The whole time iu school is FIVE hours
per day for four days 10 the week, and
three hours on Wednesdays and Satur
days. 10 schools Of the second grade
geography aud drawing for the boys
are added to the above list of studies.
and "womanly works" for the girls. la
the third grade schools, history, natural
science, aud geometry-thirty two re-
citations per week--are taught
Religion we are told, ii, put first
in all the studies, aud is pursued to an
extent that would be deemed highly
theological in the American school sys
TEN" The instruction covers the main
points in Bible history, aud is usually
given orally. A good deal OF atteution
is devoted to composition, and the child
is taught to disseet and compare sen
tences. The instruction in arithmetic
and geometry is about the sarle us 10
our schools two hours per week are
devoted to mature knowledge" which
is left 10 great measure to the discre.
tion Of the teacher, aud comprises rudi
meutary knowledge of the vegetable.
animal, and mineral kingdoms. "Geog
raphy," the writer says, sis taught 10
peculiarly sensible manner, always 10
connection with history. Taking the
two together, the primary scholar learns
about Charlemagne, Barbarossa and the
pre- Reformation maGners aud customs
(even back to the battles with the Ro
mans, the rise of Brandenburg, her
twelve electors and the Prussian kings /"
The "womanly works" alluded to
comprise sewing, knitting, hemming,
patching, darning and making linen,
eight hours per week Tor one grade and
six for the middle. When the pupil,
at the age Of fourteen, presents himself
for confirmation, the officiating clergy.
man must be satisfied of his proficiency
IN the above branches, otherwise he Is
rejected. II he passes the examination
he is henceforth free, and compulsory
education is at an end. The state re
leases its control over him; but if the
pupil desires to 20 on, there are schools
with fixed courses and preordained fees
open to him. In the Catholic provinces
the Catholic theology is substituted for
the Lutheran, both religions being equal
before the law.
The above is, iu brief, the education
which the Prussian government insists
every one Of its citizens shall possess.
We have alluded to it mainly for the
purpose Of showing what other coun
tries are doing in the matter Of cduca.
ting their citizens, thereby preparing
them for the different avocations iu the
busy scenes in life, aud enabling them
to grapple successfully all the advan
tages that education presents. Thou
sands of children, yes, we might say
millions Of them, are growing up in the
United States without any education al
all. who might be an honor to this great
nation, who in their ignorance will die
ucknown, more an object Of pity than
anything else. Compulsory education
should be engrafted on the statue law.
of every country. We would have less
crime, aud fewer jails to FL! and smaller
taxes to pay, weae it done.
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