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been recommended, by circular of Aug. 4th, 1826, to promote, as far as possible, the attendance of scholars at public worship, without however exercising any constraint or painful control. With regard to the commencement and close of vacations, a regulation from the department, of April 2d, 1853, declares that the duty of the Sabbath or of holy days should not be interfered with by obliging scholars to travel on such days, but as it did not attain this object, it has been set aside again. Participation of teachers and scholars at holy communion is not recommended, except at private boarding-schools; in the other schools, whenever it takes place, it is limited to the voluntary attendance of those scholars whose parents do not reside at the place.

Gymnastics.-Instruction in gymnastics has been formally recognized again, by cabinet order of June 6th, 1842, as a necessary and useful part of the education of boys, and as a part of the means of public instruction. Gymnastics should therefore be added to the parts of instruction, and connected with all public institutions, be placed under the superintendence of the directors, and care should be taken that physical exercises be had to a proper extent, with due simplicity of object and manner. The instructions given on the royal central gymnastic institute are in close connection with the system at present introduced into the army for the military training of soldiers, and due value is ascribed to the fact that proper practice in gymnastics at school promotes the military efficiency of the nation. The introduction of gymnastics into the organization of schools met with no difficulty in smaller cities, of small distances and with vacant ground; but in larger cities, particularly in Berlin, it was difficult to introduce this branch, notwithstanding all the enthusiasm manifested in its favor. As the regulation of June 6th, 1842, makes the participation in physical exercises solely dependent upon the free consent of parents or their representatives, gymnastics, notwithstanding the attention given by the teachers, are attended by not one-fourth of the scholars of large schools, the place for exercises being three miles distant and the homes of scholars scattered throughout the whole city.

Stenography.-Instruction in stenography has been introduced during the last twenty years, chiefly after the system of Stolze, and by the influence of its adherents, and has moreover been practiced at higher schools or by single scholars in private courses, and many patrons of city-schools have furnished means for its introduction as a side branch of instruction. Also the House of Representatives, on account of the many (thirty) petitions presented in favor of a faculty for stenography, has (June 27th, 1862,) recommended it to the favorable consideration of the Government. The Department of Instruction has not yet consented to the introduction of this mechanical art into the plan of lessons, it being serviceable for particular purposes only, but have permitted the use of class-rooms for private lectures.

In some schools the same teachers conduct the instruction of scholars through several classes; though this arrangement leads to a more exact

knowledge of the abilities and disposition of scholars, it soon becomes a tiresome monotony for them even under the best teacher.

VI. REAL-SCHOOLS AND HIGHER BURGHER-SCHOOLS.

It is not our province here to speak of the object and aims of realschools, but of their history and condition in Prussia. The name was first used by Deaconus Chr. Semler of Halle, and in 1738 the royal government and the royal society of sciences established a real-school for mathematics, mechanics and agriculture, which however had but a short existence. More importance was acquired by the school founded by J. Julius Hecker in Berlin, (1747,) after many futile experiments, and even dwindling down into an elementary school for a time, by being at last organized by A. Spillecke, since 1822 director of the Frederic William gymnasium, with this object: "To combine the demands of a finished general education with practical training for civil life." The Prussian gymnasiums had always for their object the fundamentals of a finished education, but the spirit of the age now turned away from old, well tried means of instruction, and looked for the success offered by the so-termed real sciences, at least for pupils not intending a collegiate education. The following chronological review gives further details. The expectations built on these schools by the public among mechanics and tradesmen, were not fulfilled. The real-gymnasium, formed in 1829 out of the old Coeln-School at Berlin by the efforts of the mayor of the city, Von Baerensprung, gradually transformed itself in 1849 into a regular gymnasium, with little modifications in the plan of instructions, and real-schools readmitted the study of ancient languages in a more extended form. Moreover, with equal privileges, attached in 1832 to the satisfactory final examinations at these schools, of entering the postal service, that of architecture or the military profession, etc., there existed a great variety in the amount of learning acquired at individual schools, particularly at those of provincial cities. Still greater inconveniences resulted from the final examination being in some branches equal with that at gymnasiums, and the uniform privileges of classes, for it happened that students from real-schools, who had passed the final examination there, entered the upper division of class III, where, with a total want of knowledge of the Greek language, they only satisfied the requirements of that class in other respects. Therefore a reorganization of these schools became necessary, which was effected after calling for the advice of the provincial school-boards, by the order of instruction and examination for realschools and secondary burgher schools, of October 6th, 1859. A memorandum on this (published by Wilgaud and Grieben) contains: a, for realschools, 1, the plan of instruction and inner organization; 2, the regulations for final examination; 3, wherein real-schools differ from gymnasiums, and the privileges of the former. (B.) The same for higher burgher-schools. In explanatory notes we find: "The real and higher burgher-schools have the object to prepare, by scientific education, for

these higher vocations of life, for which academic studies are not required. Therefore the practical requirements of the time are not a measure for their organization, but the object to develop the mental faculties of the young intrusted to the care of these schools, to such a degree as to enable them for a free and independent realization of the duties of life afterwards. They are not technical schools, but, like the gymnasium, they work by general means of education and for fundamental knowledge. There is consequently no opposition in principle between gymnasium and real-school, but a relation of mutual completion. Both divide among themselves the task to offer the elements of complete instruction in what pertains to the different professions and vocations of life." A division has become necessary by the progress of science and the development in the relations of public life, and real-schools have herein adopted a coördinate position to the gymnasium.

Real-schools of the first and second order are distinguished mainly by having introduced the study of Latin, according to local demand, with the technical branches; further by limiting the course of classes III, and II, to one year, and reducing the requirements in some branches of examination to a lesser degree, in accordance with which the demands on these schools, their teachers, means of instruction, and endowments, are inferior.

The plan of instruction for real-schools of the first order, is the following:

PLAN OF STUDY FOR REAL-SCHOOLS IN 1859.

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Several real-schools of the second order exclude the Latin, of which the two at Berlin, named "technical schools of the city," are the most prominent; they increase correspondingly the lessons in German, French, mathematics, arithmatic, natural history, and drawing.

Real-schools connected with gymnasiums under one director, must have, in common with the latter, besides a preparatory department, only classes II, and I. Common order of discipline-teachers, school-house, instructions in singing and gymnastics, religious worship and other exercises-has always been of good influence on the real-schools.

The name of "higher burgher-schools" had been adopted by many real-schools previous to 1859; since then, those are included in that denomination which have only five classes, including the second, but beyond that are organized completely after the regulations for realschools. The testimonial of final examination entitles to admission in class I, of a real-school of the first order, and to the privilege of military service of one year.

VII. GENERAL MATTERS.

The chronological table of Higher Schools, which we furnish hereafter, will show in what periods of time, and with what rapid increase in late years they have been created and developed, and what zeal has been manifested by State, communities, and associations. The increase of population and the growing desire for education augment the attendance at Higher Schools in a degree still entirely out of proportion with their number. Though a number of scholars which director and teachers can not look over at a glance, is certainly an intolerable condition, yet a general law fixing their number in classes and for the entire school, has not been enacted. In general it is a rule for gymnasiums, which is exceptionally applied at some with great inconvenience, that in classes I, and II, not above forty each, and in the other classes not beyond fifty; in the upper classes of real-schools thirty in each, in the middle classes forty, in the lower classes fifty, should be admitted. The lesser number for real-schools has been adopted, because apparatus for demonstrative instruction would become unprofitable to a great many scholars. With a greater number of scholars in permanent attendance, parallel divisions of classes must be arranged. A community can obtain the consent of the department for establishing a higher school, after furnishing satisfactory evidence that the elementary schools of their locality are insufficient, and that ample provision has been made for school-houses and endowments. Many communities have thought it a special honor to erect splendid school-edifices.

The scholastic year commences, varying with different provincial or local custom, at Easter or Michaelmas; with all Catholic institutions, and pretty generally throughout the Western provinces, at Michaelmas; with Protestant schools at Easter. In the former, the admittance of new scholars and removal to higher classes takes place generally but once a year, in the Fall season. Though annual courses of instruction are considered more practical, from a didactic and pedagogic point of view, the administration has as yet not introduced a general uniformity, in consideration of local circumstances. Where the admittance of scholars is not limited to one term in each year, as for instance in larger cities, it takes place at Easter and Michaelmas, from which two removals into higher classes necessarily result.*

*We here append a note on attendance in classes, taken from that excellent work on secondaryschools in Prussia by Wiese: "A general law on the number of scholars in classes and entire schools does not exist. It is generally accepted that in classes I, and II, not above forty, in the

Vacations.-The vacations depend upon the period of the scholastic year. By ministerial circular of Nov. 6th, 1858, their duration is fixed at ten and a half weeks per year. The longer vacations of four weeks of Protestant schools in the Eastern provinces fall in the month of July, and two weeks at the end of the Summer course; with most Catholic schools, and generally throughout the province of the Rhine, and in part in Westphalia, the vacation of six weeks comes at the end of the annual course. School-books and means of instruction.—According to instructions for royal consistories, of October 23d, 1817, the examination of school-books in use at the time, as well as the selection of books to be rejected or of new ones to be introduced, and the supervision in the publication of new school-books, was committed to this authority, submitting all decisions to the approval of the Department of Instruction. A general revision of all the school-books introduced was ordered by ministerial rescript of April 24th, 1837; but such liberty reigned in the use of the same, that not only directors, but single teachers selected after their own opinion. This caused the regulation of June 14th, 1843, which instructed directors to obtain the approbation of the provincial school-board for every new book to be introduced. The school-board, unless the book had been approved previously, reported to the Department of Instruction. Attention was called again to this regulation under date of April 28th, 1857, together with an instruction to work for greater simplicity and uniformity in the means of instruction, and with this limitation: "When the introduction of a book for one gymnasium or progymnasium in a province has been approved, other gymnasiums, etc., of the province can introduce the same without further consent; the same with regard to real-schools and secondary burgher-schools; but a book approved for gymnasiums and progymnasiums is not at the same time approved for real-schools and secondary burgher-schools." Special books or other means of instruction are recommended in circulars, without obligation to adopt them; all in use must be mentioned in the annual programme of the school.

School Programmes.-The publication of school-programmes is of old date. In these the director advised the public annually, inclosing an invitation to the public examination of the most important events in his school. A scientific or pedagogic subject of general interest was generally connected with it. Mutual exchange of these programmes among the different gymnasiums occurred rarely before 1822, in which year their exchange by all gymnasiums was ordered. Circular of Aug. 23d,

other classes not above fifty, should be admitted. With a permanent greater number, parallel divisions of classes must be arranged. The tabular summaries show how difficult it has been in many places to be confined to these limits." The tables are given, p. 466, and demonstrate an overcrowding, dangerous to the result of instruction. If in classes I and II, are fifty-three and seventythree pupils, as during the summer of 1863 in Lyck, or fifty-two and sixty-four, as in Brieg, in the first class sixty-one, as in Rossenberg, fifty-five, as in Zullichau, fifty-three, as in Glognu and Ratisbon; or in classes IV, V and VI, seventy-five, seventy-three, fifty-nine, as in Konigsberg; sixtyone, fifty-nine, fifty-four at the same; sixty-two, seventy-nine, sixty-three in Elbing; seventy and seventy-five in Tilsit; fifty-four, sixty-two, ninety in Culm; fifty-eight, eighty-four, one hundred and ten in Prenzlau; seventy-two, sixty-eight, seventy-one in Posen; seventy-five, sixty-nine, seventy in Bromberg, etc., then the maximum has been passed to a dangerous extent, and the endeavor of the administration to remedy this evil by a division of classes is but too just.

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