New-York tribune., 1878-07-06
THE PARIS EXHIBITION.
ew1ss rDTrC,T1ON ILLUSTRATED.

PUBLICATIONS.
tFroN Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEI
PARIS, juno 13.-As might have been expected
one of the fullest and most conspicuous exhibits IN
the Swiss section Of the Exposition Is that
of public instruction comprising primary. sec
oudarv and superior education. The cNhiblt
comes chiefly from six CantouS-Naud, Neu-
ohAteI aud Geneva of the French division, and
Zurich Basel and Bern Of the German. The inStl-
tutions belonging to the confederation as whole
have asO sent objects of interest aud there Is
much from individuals III the shape OF text books
and furniture. The Swiss system of public nstruc-
ton resembles our own in many things, bat most ot
all in the freedom with which The local schools are
managed by local officers In that puroNt oi all
pure democracics, the Swiss canton, pubhc
education is in the hands Of the people
Of the districts and cOmmuncs Before lS'I' inns
control was unrestricted bus at the revision OF the
federal constitution IN that year, power was gwen
to the central authority to prescribe minimum OF
instruction 10 be given by the cautonal schools.
This was done to bring up some of the haltng Can
tons As TcinO and the GnsOnS, parts of which We're
very backward in matters OF education. IhlS
slight change however does not affect the general
principle of local control. Each canton has
its separate Department Of Public Instruction.
with It's minister at the head lis council OF educa-
ton its districts and its communal. where the de-
tails OF administration are worked out with Judg-
ment, as wei as care and precision.
The organization Of the Zurich schools will serve
rs an example Of the system prevailing in all the
Cantons Here, elsewhere, the schools are OF two
classes. primary and secondary. The course IN the
primary schools compTehendS the studies prescribed
by the STATE. though II is not confined to these
studies. There is no charge for tuition, hut pupils
furnish their own books aud materials. Attend
ance is compulsory for all children OF six years
and upward. The course Is six years IN
length and at its close those who wish
may enter the secondary school without an
examination If the higher t:ainiHg Is moi desired
OF if pupil is unable to give the necessary ulne'
he may enter the " 6coe complimentalre,' where hc
receives instruction for short periods three days IN
the week. in branches bearing upon has present OF
future occupation. After the "t'c.e comlhmcn-
tairo come, the fcole de chant with only one
session week which finishes the modified course
OF instruction.. For the distribution of primary
schools the canton Is divided into districts and the
districts into communos each Of which has daily
school and commission IL charge of 1t, com
pasod of five members, chosen 10y general
ballot The schOOlmaStcr has voice.
though not a vote. in the dehbera-
tions of this body. Above it stands the district COM
mission. with which it is IN direct relations, and
winch in turn, reports to the Director OF Pubic IN
struciion a member of the ConScll OF state, lie Is
himself assisted by council Of education winch
has general supervision of the school>oi the Canton
and can SUSPEND the masters of schools The eN-
pcnse of the school is paid by the CommuneS, with
some assistance from the State. Each Commune
must form permanent schuol-fund the school
revenue. consists of the interest Of this fund
the suLypution of the state, and tie sch'
fines TIE last are levied on the parents ,
scholar, for absence or tarduess-m excellent
method Of transferring part OF schoo. discipline to
the pupils own homc.aEd striking at the root OF TINS
form of irrcgularty Masters are appointed fora term
of sin years. and one is allowed 10 every hundred
scholars The canton provides for q retired list on
half pay which optional after thirty years OF SER
vice and by a small tax on th" masters salaries is
able W thoui extra expense to establish system OF
life insurance.
The secondary schools are distributed in cir
cls.. prescribed Iv the council of State. a
school can be founded at any place where
fifteen scholars can De guaranteed for three
VI, There are three glasses, but fourth
and h.ai,r c,a,, Is provided if He demand warrants
IT. TIE schools are generally uuTrl Each school
has a particular fund, and its administration is ID
the hands of a Commission Of Secondary
schools" chosen by the inhabitants OF the circle.
Here "a, Iu the Communal Commissions, the master
hasa part ~ the deliberations. The master must
school year of f5rty y-our weeks pretty severe re-
Quircueut when u is considered chat the course in
cludcs tir following very wide range of subjects {:
religion, grammar, French, arithmetic algebra
through equations Of the first degree, geometry,
magnet i,u aud electricity, geography, Swiss history
and constitution, singing, drawing and caAgraphy.
Besides tuc primary and secondary school each cir
Gle has an Industrial scooo for girls, and each COM
mune may establish technIcal school At the
former girls are taught knitting, sewing, fancy
work and cutting. At the tc ,hnical schools slight
fee is required. and instruction is given in drawing
mechanics. pbysics and chemistry, German, ad-
Nanccd French and arithmetic.
ZURICH IN ADVANCE or THE OTHER CANToNs.
The system Of administration in the other cantpEs
is similar to that of Zurich butit must not be sup
posed that in all Of them ID is carried ont as widely
or as perfectly as here. The great prcpoudcrance
of the German Protestant element 93 per cent of
the whole popu atiOn Is enough to account for the
great number of Tree popular schools Iu this canton
OF the others Bern, Naud and Geneva are the most
advanced. Accordingly, these four cantons are
most prominent at the Exposition Zurich has
large volume with plans, elevations and pictures OF
schoO-houscs. varying in SIZE from the little
building OF the rural village OF ChHnhedOr 10 the
extensive and elaborate school on the Llnth EscheT
Plafz in the capital of the Canton. There also
tull cOIcctOns OF the apparatus anu "lpI'"H'V7 VI
the secondary schools, including Typographical
models, drawing instruments, laboratory, ap-
paratus, and notably, elaborate maps in relief OF
Swiss topography and geography. One Of the
Normal schools sends volumes Of freehand and
mechanical drawing by students, the former eo-
pecally Of a high degree of excellence.
The Canton Of Geneva is the only one which sends
a full exhibit Of kindergarten Here the system of
FIGbel may be carried to its extreme,
with its manifold appliances Of blocks and s cks,
beads rings, and pasteboard. However great may