New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-13
PRAISES j. S. SCHOOLS
Rank with Worlds Best, Says
German Authority.
NOT C0NCEITED'
DR.. Kerschensteiner, of Munich,
Thinks We Are Too Ready
to Adopt New Ideas.

After all the criticism that has been
heaped upon the Board OF Education Tor
its management OF the public schools.
Superintendent William II. Maxwell
sends to the wspapers fattering ex-
! tracts from report published in the
''Suddenteschc Monatshefte" and written
by DR.. Kerschensteiner. Superintendent
Of Schools in Munich, Bavaria.
Dr. Kerschensteiner, who Is considered
one of the highest authorities on elc-
mentary education in Europe, thinks
American schools compare with the best
i'm the world lie has just completed
series Of articles giving his views Of
American schools
BY way Of introduction, DR.. Kerschel-
steiner says:
These buildings arc invaded by tho
noises Of the street and wedged in be-
tween rows of four stored and five
stored tenements. whose entire fronts
arc dsfgured by unsightly fire escapes.
There are no proud facades, no monu-
mental entrances. no grass plots extent
ing in front Of them. no gables with fres
Goes or sculpture that engender in one
desire TO take a peep behind the cur
! tain.
And yet, like magnet. one OF these
inornate, unadorned school buildings
drew me toward it again and again. IN
fact. it Attracted me more than did the
museums and collections Of this giant
city. ] left IL invariably in a devotional
| frame of mind"
The Munich educator refers 10 the ap-
pointmont Of members OF school boards
| by Mayor. or their election by the peo-
pie direct. He describes a meeting held
| by a committee OF the Board of Educa-
ton at which he was present and at
which citizens not members of the board
expressed their feelings freely. Dr.
Kerschensteiner claims that while such
! freedom and such privileges may at times
be harmful and obstructive. yet the &C
tive participation of a whole people in all
school matters will prevent a perna-
nent overthrow or prostration of the pub
lie schoo, system
I'm the mother tongue Or. Kerschen-
steiner writes "(EnGlish literature, com
| position, spellngD. in music, physical
training, geography and history. the aims
are about the same as In Germany, only
with this difference-that the well sup
| piled school libraries and the free supply
of histories. Biographies and good readers
give tho children a far better insight into
literature than the poor readers and pitt
fuI class Libraries do in Germany.
I'm drawing and in nature study and
science the aims are also the same. but
in the United States, in the nine cities
visited, wrong methods In the case Of
| drawing and insufficient equipment in
| nature study and science prevent the
schools from reaching their aims. This is
| all the more remarkable because IL was
/ not true OF the high schools that articu-
! late with the elementary schools
ION the contrary, the drawing methods
| in the high schools were such as to make
/ il possible TO carry out the aims; and the
/ equipment in many schools for nature
! study. for biology, for physics and for
chemistry surpassed in appropriateness,
in abundance and in use anything that /
have ever seen in the many countries,
not excluding Germany, that I have Wis
tied.
In arithmetic and geometry the aims
In the American schools are higher than
they are In German schools, and ! must
say that in the schools in which OBJ
served the instruction in the upper classes
they accomplished the work set for them.
The better class OF schools in the large
cities are technically in most branches as
modern as any good school in Germany
II may, indeed. be said OF the American
that he is too easily induced TO adopt new
IDEAS He IL always willing 10 learn. &C.
begin anew If an undertaking has proved
a failure and he does that not only in
his daily life. not only In business, but
also i'm his schools. He adopts the good
wherever he finds II: he is not conceited,
although he does consider his schools
tho hest -