Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-04-28
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF EUROPE.
The Various Methods of Public instruction arc
Interestingly Reviewed.

the News with a few elementary prIn'
eiplc, of,he system Of education ON The
Continent OF Europe. or rather the or
panization ofpubic schools.
] shall no, here attempt % comparison
with the "EduratIoual system OF either
Great Britain OF the United States. but
simply give few elementary principles
underlying the bases OF their system
Through the courtesy of thc Council oi
state or Minister Of Public Instruction
I'M Geneva ! obtained cards permitting
me to visit Us public schools and took
advantage OF the opportunity mat
which is said IN ihis connection will, in
general. have reference TO the Canton
or State of Geneva.
The public instruction here Is under
the superintendeucc OF the State Council,
with the aid Of thirty commissioner
The rector Of the university and thc
deans Of the several dlneren, depart.
ments have likewise the voice Of con'
ml,atiou. From the fac, that education
is obligatory upon all children between
the ages Of six and fifteen years it IS
necessarily free, the state being cHcum'
bered even with the furnishing of all
books and other necessary school sup
plies Tor the use Of is children. This
modification. however, ought to be
noticed. that il Is optional with the
parents whether they send their chill
dfen 10 the public school, to a private
school. or whether the instruction be
given al the home Of the parent But
In the two latter cases the mode OF to-
simction followed Is subject 10 the in
spcciion Of the State commission, and
ought to correspond with the program
by them arranged or be equivalent to o.
The instructors OF public schools arc APP.
pointed by the State Council and their
salaries fixed by the same body not
being permitted TO exceed nor fall short
OF certain sum, except IN special cases
With but very few exceptions, the sexes
la public schools are Invariably sgpar'
atcd-ihc girls In one school, the boys
Ia another. From this general rule,
however, we must except the different
departments of the university. Some
times, too, the sexes In the public schools
receive their Instructions IN the same
buildings, but IN separate departments
Of the buildings. was agrccably sur
pfiscd upon entering a class OF the
college. IA which the English language
was being taught, 10 see $50 many young
men rise simultaneously IN recognition
20 the entrance OF my companion and
myself The same act Of courtesy was
repeated upon our entrance TO the
superior school for the instruction OF
young ladies' at a recitation upon French
literature, with. however, this c0utraued
cxccpuon-itwas n body ol young ladies
who rose TO their feet instead OF Young
gentlemen.
The course Of public instruction com.
prehends, firstly, primary instruction,
secondly, intermediate or secondary IN.
siuction; lastly superior Instruction.
The primary instruction Is subdiy.dcd
into ,a) cc0icf DgidHfiHri, or schools for
the smallest Of children. ID primary
schools, (c) Complementary schools.
Lrf fr0kcS fg6lafiHef are again sub.
divided into an Inferior aud a superior
department. In the inferior department
children are received from the age OF
three to six respectively; hence the IN.
struciion Is no, obligatory, but seems 20
be designed ior the children Of parents
who are TO be away from home or az
work during the day, or perhaps for
those who would rather not have the
care oil their children. ID thus serves as
safe and instructive retreat tor the
little ones. The child Is occupied with
d
which serves as a development Of o.
physical aud intellectual being. In the
superior division Of this department the
child enters at the age OF six years,
where he remains I'LL the age OF seven,
and Is taught In connection with that
which ptccedes-rcadIng, writing, the
elementary principles oi calculation and
drawing, together with little songs.
The instruction given IN this department
Is entirely by lady teachers, aud Is the
true type OF kindergarten schools.
AZ the age Of seven years the child
enters the primary school. where he re-.
mains lor a period Of six yeam-unul
he Is thirteen. Here he Is taught read.
ing, writing and the French language,
as well as the elements Of the German
language, arithmetic. mental calcula.
ton, the elementary principles OF geom'
etry. geography, natural history, Gle.
mentary drawing, music aud gymnastics,
to which We may add manual labor for
the boys and ueedlework for the girls
The scholastic year embraces from forty.
two TO iorty-siX weeks OF study with
from twenty-five to thIrty-hve hours per
week. The scholastic yeag being divided
into two semesters, the child undcrEoes
an examination at the end Of each
semester
On reaching his sixth degree and the
age OF thirteen years, the pupil ON leave
ing the primary department enters the
Complementary school, which Is designed
for the completion of his elementary
education and embraces q period OF
two years, The instructions given aud
received al this stage will necessarily
depend upon the future aspirations OF
the pupil, also whether he rs iu the
city or the country. But whatsoever
may be his aspirations or the locality in
which he dwells he will De instructed
upon the elements of physical and
natural sCiencc-ii a boy, the instltu-
lions Of his country 10 girl, domestic
economy. The scholastic duration OF
this department embraces a period OF
from twenty-five to forty weeks, with
from ten to eighteen hours per week.
and, as in the primary department, the
pupil undcfguea lu examination 40 the
end OF each semester the results of
the examination mot Huly tnnanN ffnnn