Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-08-16

school. This may be illustrated as follows:
Suppose two boys enter elementary school
at years of age, and remain there until
they are 9; and then that a continues in
the elementary school of the first rank. "A
continues the elementary instruction al
ready referred to, and completes it at IA. b
Immediately begins the study of Latin in a
gymnasium or real-gymnasium, or of a
modern language in an ober-realschule, b
also pursues history, mathematics, language,
and other studies in a way proper to an
extended educational career By the time
he arrives at the age of IA, it is clear that
his educational path has diverged widely
from that of "A 1t would be quite i'm
possible for A to overtake him at the
stage at which he has arrived.
This divergence Of the educational
opportunities of A and b is planned to
conserve the social qualification. 1t is a
marked contrast to our educational system,
planned to promote social mobility. Ours
is intended to enable any person to lift
himself to any plane to which his ability,
character, and industry entitle him to as
spire, no matter how humble his birth or
how limited his means. To that end,
education in the United States, both
elementary and secondary, is free, and in
most of the states, higher or university
education is also free-and complete
articulation Of elementary, secondary and
highly education is arrived at.
Il have said that no career is open to the
graduate of the elementary school in
Germany. This is so true that, no matter
how much an elementary school graduate
may distinguish himself as a common
soldier in this horrible war, he can never
rise above the rank of subaltern. To be-
come lieutenant is for him impossible,
and of course the higher grades of the
military profession are absolutely closed to
him. Inasmuch as entrance to all profess
sions-indeed to all careersLdepends in
Germany on a general education followed
much as the general education required for
entrance on vocational education leading
to a career is closed to the poor and lowly,
it will be seen that the German school
system, as system, is wholly inapplicable
to democracy like ours.
Besides elementary and secondary
education the German school system pro-
vides elementary vocational education
for the masses, that is, for the graduates of
elementary schools; but this vocational
education is intended to make them more
efficient on the plane within their social
stratum. 1t is carefully planned so that it
shall not enable them to rise to a higher
plane No matter how skilIful and intelli-
gent an artisan becomes, he remains, save
in very rare instances, a subordinate in the
body polite, his stand (station in ife)
having been determined in his early youth
Demand Obedience to Authority.
Within the school system much thorough
work is done on each plane; but | need
hardly repeat that it is not the intention to
make access to a career easy and natural
through education as in the United States
In the United States it is our intention to
afford equal educational opportunities to
all, to place no artificial obstacles in the
way of their social, economic, or political
elevation, such elevation to follow naturally
on proved capacity to render the service
required.
THE methods of teaching in elementary
education are not intended to develop these
fundamental characteristics of free men.
The discipline is authoritative, and not
infrequentIy harsh. In both instruction and
discipline children are subject to external
direction and guidance only. Habitual
obedience to authority is the aim in both,
not, as in our schools, growth in self
reliance and sef-direction.
Il repeatf the effect of the educational
system OF Germany is to train the masses
to be docile subordinates, and intellectually
to train them only to the point, where they
recognize their. dependence on the classes.
Their condition is not unlike that of the
slaves in slavery times in the United States,
with the exception just mentioned, namely;
that while the slaves had no adequate con-
ception of their dependence on their
masters, the German masses are trained to
full understanding Of their dependence
on the classes" Very truly yours,
PAUL H. HANUs.
Fired by Lightning.