, 1888-10-26
SCHOOLS ON THE co sTrNENT.
Germany stands Ahead-Austria and
Italy-BelGIum.

Germany stands Austria and
Italy-BelGlum.
GERMANY stands ahead of all other ma
items in the excellence of its primary and
secondary schools. The well known
Realschulen. many of which now COM
prise ten classes and are coordinate with
the gymnasia, afford an education which
is perhaps the best possible general prep
aration for commercial or trade pursuits.
II these schools the classical languages
are not taught and the time thus saved is
devoted to modern languages and science.
Il addition schools of m are found
in nearly all the large towns of Germany.
There are certain differences between the
systems Of commercial education and in
deed of education generally as adopted in
Bavaria, Saxuny and Prussia. The mer-
camille schools are well attended and they
are practically independent of government
aid. Several Of the real schools have
n commercial department, but besides
these there are in Germany seventeen
special schools of commerce, the leaving
certificate of which is recognized as con
ferr1ng the right of one years military
service; min middle schools with u less
extended curriculum, and a large number
of evening schools, which are attended by
clerks, merchants apprentices, and other
persons engaged in mercantile houses.
With the view of meeting the require
ments of young men who desire to attend
special courses of instruction on COM
mercial subjects some of the polytechnic
schools of Germany a arranged courses
of lectures, which are intended for those
who are seeking places under the govern
ment in the customs and excise offices,
but are followed by other students who
have received their early education at n
gymnasium or realschule and whose cir
cumstances enable hen to spend a year
or two at college before commencing bust
ness.
In Austria-Hungary there are nine high
h of commerce, eleven intermediate
schools, and forty-two schools intended
principally for clerks. There is nothing
that calls for special notice in the subjects
of instruction in these schools. The course
of study is very similar to that in the
corresponding schools of Germany. The
most important of the high schools is
in Vienna and is known as the and
academic. 1t gives two courses of in
struction, the one occupying three years
and the other two years. The subjects of
instruction are nearly the same as those
of the French high schools.
In Italy the subject of commercial edu-
cation is receiving careful attention. The
system of bifurcation commences imme-
diately after q child has the elementary
school. Those intended for industrial pur-
suits pass on to the technical school
(scuola ~tecnica) and thence to the techni-
cal institute. Others pass through the
corresponding classical schools to the uni
versity. The technical institute CORE
spends to some extent with the higher real
schools of Germany, u each institute
contains three or more separate depart
ments, in which the institution is special
lied with a view to different branches of
industry. There are sixty-five technical
institutes in Italy, in many of which there
is a department entirely devoted to com
mercial education.
In Belgium there are numerous middle
schools, the object of which is TO prepare
yonths for commercial pursuits. The
fact that the children of the middle classes
are destined, for the most part, to earn
their livelihood in trade or commerce is
recognized in the general scheme of inter
mediate education adopted in Belgium,
and the course of school studies is ar
ranged accordingly.-Phihp Magnus in
Contemporary Review.