Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-03
GERMAN SCHOOLS.
Some Reasons for Their Superiority
in Scholarship.

The schedules of German schools are
arranged with q view to changing more
'apidN from enc subject to another,
hus providing for that variety which
he youthful mind Graves, and also on
be principle that the harder subjects.
such as mathematics and grammar,
which require more concentrated attcn-
ten, are put at the earlier hours OF the
lay. when the mind is fresh, to be fol
lowed by history, the reading of Latin.
French or English authors. and finally
at the end of the school day. by the
wholly technical subjects, such as
:rawing, singing AMI gymnastics
The aim of the German teacher is
also 20 teach AS much as possible in
class, especially in the lower forms,
and to reduce as much as possible all
outside work. He is assisted i'm this by
4 classroom we'll equipped with desks
IN which the boys can keep all their
school books. together with the writing
material. 50 that they can be set to do
written work at any time under proper
conditions 1t is true that there are
not as many blackboardS as in an
American classroom, hut the German
N'''' '''i iitltiS " tijfdi 10 tllt ear
rather than to The eye. to the head ra-
ther than ia the fingers AS a result
the boy is encouraged to do most of his
work in class: he has to study at home
only what, in The way of cabllaries
or para3ignis, he has not been able to
learn in class
The currculums Of the German,
schools are largely responsible, of
course, for their superior scholarship
should like to call attention to the fol
towing points:
Languages are begun at a much ear
Her age than with us In a gymnasi-
rn Latin begins at the age of nine,
french at the age of twelve and Greek
at thirteen. In a realschule French or
English is begin at nine and The 9th
err modern languages at twelve. thest
being the ages best adapted for the
study OF languages. They are begun
with 4 large number of rotations a
Week. Latin with eigh. and sometimes
ten. Greek with six. Frencvh with five
or Tour As the elementary study Of
languages is largely a matter OF mem
DRY the lessons ought to come 50 often
ana at such short intervals that the
enid mas no chance to forget from one
recitation to another
linen natural sciences are taught
throughout the Whole school course
that is 70 say, in the lower forms or
grades botany, zoology and physiology
IRE taught by an elementary descrip-
I'VE method adapted to tine age of the
mid and appealing to bis interest and
Imagination: the mere exact study of
fE%SiIs and chemistry being begun at |
me age Of sixteen. when il can be based |
Do the bows greater general ana mat,t |
knowledge.
History and geography. generally |
coupled, are credited throughout the
'chooi course with three or four recita |
ions week. German boys learn some !
HinS about physical and political geo |
'rapi|. about ancient and modern. ma
loilal and universal history; whereas
I is quite possible for an American bow
% pass through school and college
without ever having studied American
history
inc place of the yernacular in the
'erfnan curriculum r. vol evpr.esel
y the dictum generally acted UPON
nat German : to be the center OF all