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VlHIT TO THK l'UHMO HCIIOOU OF MUNICH
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fuels hi ordor lo couiprcliund tho vast (111.
foronco between "school tonolilng" in
Germany and in tlio United States: lirsl;
tli ore are no " district schools", no " coun
try schools" here, as w understand tlieso
terms; all are village schools and, at the
sumo lime, graded, to a greater or less de
gree. Hence the multitude of questions
as to mixed and too numerous classes, va
riety of text-books, over crowded soliool.
rooms elc. seldom if ever aiise.
Secondly, eacn teacher (In Bavaria) has
served nine years' apprenticeship before
entering upon li is profession, five years
in the Normal School, and fouryeais as
Ohm- tfn'iccisew Practicality thai is.asas.
sistant teacher under the eye of (he princi
pal in some actual school, before being
admitted as a " full teacher." There is
positively no other road to the position
of teacher; and, besides (his long train
ing, many of the male teachers luivc com
pleted regular Gymnasia! and University
courses, and the females, some thorough
course in a ladies' seminary.
From this it follows thai the American
" itineracy" among common school loach
ers, vi h all the appendages and out
growths of the system, is unknown; for
example, county or other periodical ex.
aminalions, various grades of cerliticalcs,
frequent changes of teachers and meth
ods, even during a single year (Mich a
crying evil in our own system) (he Jang
ling, quarreling and frequent stupid inter
ferenco of ignorant and big-headed school
boards inlluenced by political, religious,
personal, and heaven only knows how
many oilier prejudices, the Muctuation
of wages, tho reckless and unsystematic
variety of school architecture, and a lain
dred other things associated with tho
"district school" system.
Hence tho teacher's calling is not used
as a " makeshift" by those who wish tem
porarily to replenish their linance, nor a
catch all" for the multitude of young
men and women who wish an easy, gen.
teel means of self-support, and are too la.
.y, too ignorant or Incompetent to Hud (
any whore else bill here.
Of course (lie groat problem of secnr
lug regularity of attendance is solved by
the "compulsory law."
"What do you do in case a child lie
found absent and no proper explanation?"
we asked of the Principal.
"Send the Iluuttmcister (Janitor) or the
nearest Gendarme, tuu have the delinquent
conducted hither at once," was (tie
prompt reply.
"And what is done with the parent?"
" He is summoned before (he Board nl
its next meeting, and, in case ol culpable
violation of (lie law, he is fined or im
prisoned, or both."
In case ol sickness or other disability
to attend on pari of the child, the paivui
must eeitify under oatli to the fact.
Thus you perceive thai the Geiniiin
school teacher occupies a very different
position from the American, particularly
in our new ounmunilies; and that he oc
cupies a much more dignified, independ
ent, and satisfactory position, in the main
cannot be denied.
Each child must enter school at six yeats
and remain until thiiteen. Thus the course
of study is divided into seven classes,
each class corresponding to one year of
the course.
At the completion of the thirteenth year
the boys attend a night school, called a
"KorlbildungH-Schule," four times a week
for three years; the girls a "Sunday and
Holiday School," for the same number
of years. The regular teachers of the day
schools arc the instructors in these schools
also, each serving sr many hours a week
in turn.
As has been seen, all the teachers are
on a perfect parity, so far as requirement
is concerned each having made the
same prepaiations. Hence ladies and gen
tlemen teacli classes of both boys and
girls indifferently in cacli of the grades.
1 he most accomplished and scholarly
gentleman I observed among ihe teach-
--" fijjfr a,Mm-i 1 1 iiniiMi...,.
