Arizona republican., 1904-07-25
InduetrfaI Education in Germany.


 The system of industrial education in Germany. which has attained q high state of development, is made the subject Of an interesting report by United States Deputy Consul Meyer at Chemnitz This Is the first of a series of consular reports on specialized edu- cationaI facilities which have contrib uted so largely to the phenomenal sue cess of the German empire in manu- factures and comm
 At the base Of the German educa- tionaI edifce lie the Volksschulen, or common schools. Attendance at the VoIksschule is compulsory between the ages of six or seven and fourteen.
 When the young student reaches his tenth year a very important age has been attained from the point of view of education. At this age his parents must decide upon the general form of education which they desire their oif- spring to receive. Their means and po- s.tion in life will largely determine the decision as to whether it will merely be a primary education Gin the VOlks- schule), a secondary education Gin the Hohere Schuls>. or a higher education Gin the H0chschule). If primary ed- ucation is decided upon the child con tinues in th eVo!kSschule. If a secon- dary education. Oy perchance a higher education Is 10 be given, then the tenth year TnaF&s the time when the chtd leaves tAs rolksschule and enters some secondary tnStitution such as a. Gymnasium. HeaiEymnasium, or Ober- RealschHle; Os Progymnasium, Real PrOgymnssi1Er, OF ReIIschule; or a trade or technical school of secondary rank; or q pssva tns itu ion wh ch has been ranked bT the state as a sec- ondary school. The secondary. schools offer courses cs either nine or six years.
 While the chi]S Is pursuing his course in the secondary school another dec.s- ion must be made which involves not only the means cf the parents, but al- 60 the Rat1Esi GYtitudes and abilities of the chUa. E$ the means are limited, then very likely e course in a, seconda- ry scAooi with e 6 years course will be pursued by tas child after the attain mezt of BGe Ssnth year, or probably a coH9se in sfa6c sChooI or secondary technical EehOs1, in preparation for some profession sa middle life, such as nH aN-f CT, CT lower engineer or mechanic. If sufficient means ate at hand, then the son will lbc prepared for d higher edu- cation, which will be either classical (GymnagiumJ, leading to some higher profession, like theology, medicine or law; OF semi-cIassical, Realgymnasi- um), also leading to some higher pro- fession; or non-classicaI (ObeT-ReaI- schule), in preparation for a business career, for course at some industrial high school, or, less frequently, for medicine or law.
 The age of fourteen, the year at which the VoIksschule is as a rule con- pleted, marks another turning point in the educational career of the child. The boy may enter either a general continuation school (allegemeine Fort bildungsschule) in which are repeated and expanded some Of the most nec- essary studies of the Volksschule, or he may enter enc of the two classes of industrial continuation schools-a gen. cral industrial continuation school (gewerbliche Fortbndungsschul or commercial continuation school Ckauf- mannisohe Fortbildungssch schule).
 German, drawing and arithmetic are the three great branches taught in the continuation schools, though more ad- anced work in geometry, physics and chemistry is given in a few of the best schools To these students must be added instruction in subjects such as possess a particular value to a local andutry or industries. The commercial continuation schools distinguish them