Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-06-04
AMERICAN TEACHERS
STUDY GERMAN SCHOOLS
By Karl H. Won Wiegand.


Press.)
Berlin, June 4-Thirty-two American
teachers representing the leading Am
erican trade schools and headed by L..
l.. Summer, have arrived at Munich and
will spend the summer studying the
famous vocational schools of that city.
The results of their study and investi,
cation will be embodied in report for
American educational authorities to-
gether with a practical application in
their home schools of the new features
learned in Munich.
The Munich vocational schools have
attracted worldwide attention al
though but comparatively recently es,
tablished. They provide "practical
education" in sharp contrast to the
"book-cramming" schools of Germany.
Instead of starting with books and
theories and examining the mind for
years, the Munich vocational schools
start boys in practical technical and
manual training in the trade or voca.
tion they choose and combine with it a
course in general education. Thus the
hands and mind are trained simultane-
ously for the trade or vocation to be
followed.
Brains Are cover Educated.
DR.. George N. Kerschensteiner,
known as "father" of the vocational
schools of Munich, declared in an inter
view with the United Press that now
adays brains were being over-edueat-
ed" to a point rendering thousands of
young men useless for practical work.
The German youth, he said, lacks prac-
tical education. German young men
seek "small but safe harbors" and pre-
fer small subordinate positions in the
employ of the state, when they could
do much better for themselves had they
been practically educated and not "ed.
ucated above and beyond" such work.
"From standpoint of practical ed
ucation and fitting boys for business
or to make their own livelihood, the
American schools are better than Ger
man systems with the exception of the
Munich vocational Schools" said DR..
Kerschensteiner.
"The American schools are equipped
so as to direct the inclination of the
scholars into practical channels. A love
for practical work is fostered in the
boys.
"German schools, generally speak
ing, drive away from practical activi.
ty instead of steering in that direction
How can anyone who for six years OF
longer in the higher schools have been
fed on nothing but books and work
find courage to enter a workshop and
work with his hands.
"What sums of intelligence are thus
lost to independent economic life. We
Germans have right to praise our
selves for having given to the world
public schools, but we no longer should
clothe ourselves in the toga of the Pre-
eeptor mundi. No people in the world
make such sacrifices for their school:
as do the Americans.
Discussing the lack of religious and
moral instruction in American public
schools, DR.. Kerschensteiner said he be
lieved that it deprived children of al
educational element truly valuable
when given by rightly imbued teach
ers.
Separation Gives Peace.
On the other hand, he said that tn,
separation of the church and state haC
given the American school system al
"untold peace under which progress il
education has been made which in tn,
same period of time no other civiliza
tion has to show.
The famous German educator som,
time ago made a tour of America fo
the purposes of studying its publ,
schools. He said that the better pub
lie schools of the larger cities wer,
equal to any of the German schools.
"The American educational system
in the main rests on German basis, ,
said he, "but contains characteristic,
tendencies developed in valuabl,
manner of which we apostles of peda
gogy know nothing"
Speaking of the visit to the Ameri
can teachers, DR.. Kersehensteiner said
II am much pleased that the American
teachers have come to Munich. thin
they will find something in praetiea
education even new to America.
"They will see how successfully
practical education combined with ger
eral knowledge works out. l thin
there are many features in these vocs