New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-01

way. and that the reading of the book is to be
urged upon all who are interested in educa-
tional affairs AS has been said, the authors
treatment of his topic is not merely statistlcal
and descriptive, but abounds In Suggestions
with regard to the sources Of German metnous
in German character and history and their
special adaptations to the peculiaritles OF the
German social and political organization. 10
put the result in a word the lesson that ne
teaches both by word and implication is that
the reformer ought to study first the ideals and
tendencies Of his own nation and then seek 10
fit educational methods more exactly to them
not to set up first an abstract educational
standard and then to expect to make the ma
tional genius and ambitions conform to IT, In
the German system he finds much that we
might adopt with profit. and many of his sug-
gostions in this direction are weighty: but he
is opposed to any attempt at mere limitation
THE European system" he rightly says, sis
distinctly class system, and in my opinion 1t
initiates directly against the lower classes"
It's spirit is that of class and of bureaucracy,
and the aim of it's culture is the refinement of
the intellectual rather than the practical mas
terry of the real world Rather than import
that aim and that spirit into our National life
might much better work out our salvation
with the most imperfect of the means which we
employ
Not the least interesting part of the book
is the chapter on the reform movement, which,
as is we'll known, is headed by the versatile
German Emperor. At bottom it is the same as
that which has arisen in France under the lead
ership of such men as NJ. Ribot-the attempt to
bring education nearer to the practical needs
OF modern life, and especially of vigorous and
developing nationality; to weaken the hold of
classical philoogy upon the secondary schools,
and TO check the exhaustion of the pupils
physical and mental vigor under the constantly
increasing burden of studies and examinations.
A vigorous expression of this demand for re-
form and also marked example of the ten
dency of reformers to look to the methods Of
other nations as a guide will be found in, the
volume by NJ Demolins Readers Of his much
discussed book on the Superiority of the
Anglo Saxons' will remember that he found
principal source of that superiority in the Eng
fish methods of secondary instruction. repre-
scented particularly by such a school as that Of
AbbCtsholme. In the contrast between the eff
fort in such a school to instruct the pupil by
natural" and practical methods to fit him for
actual life. to strengthen his individuality, to
make him the companion Of his teachers, to de-
velop manliness and to cultivate bodily vigor
and mental freedom, and the directly opposite
effects of the French system, he found the key
to French inferiority. The remedy which he
recommends in the present volume is practical
~. to import this type of English school into
France. IF to criticise his aims it
would be from the point of view of the unde-
STABILITY of the process Of mere imitation above
stated Criticism of this a priori kind, however
may we'll be omitted for NJ. Demolins, with
courage born of his convictions. has actually
established Verneuil, in Normandy, a
school of the sort that he advocates. The ex-
pertinent must be judged by it's results, and
these will be watched with interest.