The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-04
Education i'm Russia.


DIR. Theodore Vetter Thursday even
ing lectured in Sever Hall, Harvard Col
lege, on Education in Russia" The
longer man has lived in Russia, the
lecturer remarked, the less inclined he |
feels to express an opinion on that coun- [
try and its methods. The education of |
the children of the common people diff |
fers in one important respect from that |
of the children in countries Of Central |
Europe. The little boy is taught to
lift his hat as he passes church, or to
any priest whom he passes, or to knock
his head upon the marble at the altar
Children of noblemen learn more than
this of ceremony The question is often
asked how Russians are such excellent
linguists. He was inclined to deny that
| they had any special Unborn character
istics of that nature. The child of one
year has French nurse, then comes
German governess, and few years
later comes an English one. At ten OF
twelve years he speaks two or three for
| eign languages, and only has an impar-
feet knowledge of his own by converse
ton with grooms. After that the
| VI CUulCo as
hard to them as to any nation.
At twelve or sixteen years
they enter gymnasia or classical
schools. Girls, however, get their edu-
cation at home At the head of the
system of public education is the minis
ter of that department. He, with five
or six specialists, form the highest board
in the State There are twelve school
districts in Russia. The Caucasus and
some other parts of Russia are not in
cluded in these districts. and are still
in the military department. The minis
ter in each of these districts is repre-
sented by a curator. who appoints
teachers in the gymnasia and scientific
: schools, with the assistance of commit
tees. The idea of redistricting Russia
was started by Catherine II. The
present administration was introduced
under Alexander H. Yet, as stated
by one of the leading statesmen, if Rus
. STA had only one hundreth part of the
l. schools decreed by legislation she would
t. be perfectly happy. For a long time
l. the nobility were satisfied with the polish
gained by foreign travel, and therefore
u did not care to help on the educational
10 movements. In 1885 the clergy began
:; to take hold of the schools without sue.
D. cess. In 1917 we find i'll the whole En-
pire only $500 schools. 2,700 teachers
and 125, 900 pupils. In 1871, however
e there was one pupil out of one hundred
inhabitants. The common schools OF
the whole are not very successful, partly
= on account of having fot teachers super
4 anuated soldiers or suspended clergy
- men Even Tartars are, in elementar,
A knowledge, far ahead of natiy
4 Russians. The lecturer went int
= discussion of the gymnasla IL
detail, saying that they tit II
classical learning to an extent equal t
that required for admission to the sophie
7 more class OF the better American col
leces. Then there are various so-calle
Latin schools, one being founded il
Moscow in the seventeenth century. Tn
great fault of the system of education
N that classical education has been force
upon the people, though probably 1t /
N more fitted to do away with the super
ficialitv of Russian training than an
other system. The objection to it, how
~ ever, is that actual force has been use
20 to introduce thorough classical trair
nd ing, and that has induced distaste {
my the classics. A very thorough explant
ton was then given Of the scope of tn
at universities, of which there are nine
at each, except Odessa. having an attend
ance OF over eight hundred. At Mosco
Is use there are only 1900 students, anon
asst them $50 law and 1850 medical ST.
dents; $50 in this university do not pa
and the tuition, which is 100 rubles. TT
amount OF $50, 900 rubles is given aw;
t in scholarships. Moscow was found'
day in 1855. Every able-bodied Russian
. required to serve six years in the arm
s .ian and to be ready to serve for nine yea
, Of after that. Graduates OF the sixth We
an of the gymnasium are required to ser
icE six months, while anyone.who has taxi
ime the academic degree only has to ser
mo- three months, 50 that there is mantle
A' advantage in joining the higher instit
tions. The doctors degree at the I'll
versity is rarely attained before the a
Of thirty, and often aften ten years
lecturing, and represents much origin
investigation. Boston Journal.