The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-29
Prot Shumway Tells Schoolmasters
Many Interesting Facts Concerning
German Schools and Students

ana the inattention So evident In our
classes In the course OF the morning. and
particularly In the afternoon. are not SO
noticeable in Germany.
The foregoing may he looked upon n q
4 1ong the external advantages ~ the
herman sys;cm. From the inside pOlnt
OF view the most significant fact Is tn,
efficiency Of the teacher. lie h the cen
tire of everything school buildings are
OF secondary Importance. Pictures, low
ers. statuary, art OF all kinds, for which
We are beginning to strive, are lacking
| 'n tho Teacher, however. you arc almost
sure to find "A strong and vigorous per-
sonalty. We put too much stress on the
| school equipment and TOO little on the
man. German teachers are better trained.
| They have had longer course. culmi-
mating In several years Of graduate study
! In which they have specialized in three ui
| four different fields.
We do not lay enough stress on general
| culture as "a prerequisite for teaching
"Algemoine Bidung' the great German
slogan, means a well rounded develop
! meut For "A year or two the German
| Student browses around in the university.
| The state examination which he takes at
! the last continues FOR three days and is
| general rather than specific in character.
Germany lays the greatest stress upon
| methods OF teaching Here We take into
| our high schools college men practically
|
| own method. This entails an obvious
| waste Of time. when a German passes
| his state examination he ls assigned
| for one or two years to observe In a gym
nasium After the classes con-
! ference takes place In which criticism of
1 the teacher - made When the cdnd-
| date IL considered TO have seen enough
good teaching. he is obliged himself at
| first TO teach before professors who are
! critics. This process goes on for one or
| two years before he gets his tnal permits
| sion to take "A regular class. Unless he
| makes good he Is thrown out. This seems
a great hardship. but the icrmans feel
| IL necessary to make this sacrifice The
German love OF thoroughness will not
| abide gucsswork
Another important figure in the Ger
| man school is the ordiuarius or klassen
| Lehrer--the class teacher. This man de-
! votes all his time TO one special class
He does not teach all the subjects, but
| his business is to know the boys. to visit
| their homes for example He has the
right to 20 into class rooms to observe
other teachers. Furthermore. he has
charge OF the correlation 81 studies. IL
sets the dates for all long compositions
or other long exercises. Here We have
not any one person who has this matter
In hand. with the result that our pupils
are likely 10 have on any one day UNI
usually heavy work
In this is registered not only the after l.
ance but the assignments. The class
teacher looks over what the various mas
tiers assign in order - see that ne one
subject Is calling for an undue "Npcud'-
;urc OF time An this Is q greA aid 10
the pupil Furthermore, tn the case .:
the absence OF a teacher or OF pupil
Il Is necessary only 20 consult the class
book In order to- see exactly what the
lessons have been and viii he.
sim another means OF better teaching
(. the fact that the same teacher in a
given subject retains tn" same pupils Tor
some years. one teacher in French. i"r
example, may have the same class FOR six
or nine years. The man comes To know
~ the boys and to learn what may b" eN-
pected from them. In our system We get
boys from three or four different men and
as many methods From the standpoiu.
OF the teacher this Is also better, for h"
has not only to teach the elements OF the
subject but the advanced work Hence
he is more Interested for he has more
variety to his field.
The employment; Of m,a or the tc'.N'
Ing Il boys lends Create v.Eor - ~
work We are often criticised for fcmt-
nizing. Up TO- ten 4 woman Il good f.!
bows. Tor they need certain Wotntr''
care. after thai, however, they need ne
influence of strong, v.rilc m"W " tn'-
age they are inpr, SSIouahlc and look fo'
r models \ woman cannot serve in 'ni'
wa. but a good man can inspire a hos
% be Tx" him.
In Germany NE tcache~ is f,s less g
quiz master tuau here. W. do too mn ~
. recitlug upon a given Lesson from ~
e hook ana too little real teaching. w
I are likely to assign q lesson 20 be dom
, AT home without word as To- the heS
r means Of approaching H. In history h'
in literature, especially. this is sometime
, absurd. Ten pages Of history Is not con
f.FtN..F al "a
. German schools IN" children are ias''
, mated hy their teachers History, for eN
annie. IS told as a story. The German
text books are mere skeletons. h!!ed gu
with the living word Of The teacher. IN
/, children before they 20 home know IN
, richness and the fulncss Of the inc'don
, and use their text books only TO rememb'
, the essential facts.
0 The Germans have also developed
e wonderfully skilful method Of dialogue
They are 20 intense IN their classroom
that they have ;he whole group Constants
alert for questions This tact keeps IN
, teacher 50 busy iuat he has no time z"
+ such futile details as marks What %
-, seeks to learn Il whether the boy know
the subject. and he dos this los ION
. stant.y going over H.
There are no examinations tor promo
g tion. The teachers get together and dis
o ! curs the pupil If they decide 'hIt he
, ! ittcd t. advauc" up me- goes II not. p
!, ! remains. Whatever tests are put are cN
. temporaneous
!. The Germans do rot have 50 many op
: | tlonal subjects. We have a feeling tina
= a child should be allowed TO choose fl
n himself. and we have gone TOO far In TIN
q matter. The child doesn't know what
best for Il; Sometimes the most diiiicuI
!. subjects are what are most needed. IN
:, old rigid system. after the trial We haN
:, made of the new optional system, seem
20 clearly the best after all. Children l
"a the choice OF studies ar" influenced p
- the vcrlest trihes--a friend takes the sub
!. ject the teacher is attractive, Ch.ldro
a cannot COrreiate. They drop subject
after a school year what, Tor example
', is "A year Of chemistry"
a The Germans have NOR" rigid typoS G
~ schools: and here Is IN" le"waN which "
If seek 10 effec; by so many optional studio
"A For classical training There 's ih' gym
e.. nasium. for a more sci-nt.hr course, Wit
Is the emphasis still upon the Latin, th''
j. = the Real schulz; FOR the modern Ian
,r vuages and for a greater amount or So
I; aucc there Is the phcr Real svAulc.
n \ distinct drawback to this is Tho fa'
10 that the child u forced 10 CnuOS" h
10 type Of school too soon. In order to NEE
m this disadvantage. however, the German
le have established the Reform schuion,