EDUCATION IN EUROPE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14975, 23 May 1914, Page 3

EDUCATION IN EUROPE.

HON. G. TOUR. CVBOM OUR OWN COBRESV^NOENr. , ) LONDON, April 17. The Hou. G. i'owlch, who lus arrive J in London, spent some weeks in aiiTerent European countries, wiicro iio was specially interested in educational matters. In Rorao, for example, ho met Dr. 3lontesson, the iounder of the weilknowu Itajian system of education for children, and he spent a wholo l'orenooa i i one of iier training seuoois. As a result of what he saw, ho is of opin.on that there is a great deal in the Alontessori ujethod wiiich could bo embodied with advantage in the kindergarten system for young children. Eighty students from ail parts of the world are at present attached to the Montessori schools, under the .supervision of Dt. Montessori herself, studying her methods. m the way of technical education, Mr Fowld? was most struck by what he saw in Vienna. He spent a whob day white there in going over a very large technical Inch echool, which, wonderful as it may seem, .will.this year cc ebrate its centenary. It was founded as a teennical and commercial schoo' in the Tear id which the Allies obtained then" final victory over Napoleon. Some years later she commercial side was separated, and both are now ve;y large institutions, the technical school alone having now 3000 students. "I found," said Mr Fowlds. "that they ivero doinc-a very valuable work in the way of carrying out experiments for -outside pwpi« ,in almost overy branch of industry. Anybody who had an idea that they wanted tested could get it investitr&t'ea at this institution at a very trifling cost. One exp riui-'nt I was much interested in, namely, the strength of bnuk walls. They found by experiment tnat if they set the bricks in different. positions, some on end and some flat, they oould make a •wall three times as strong as if the b icks were all set fiat in the same direction." Dresden also has a very fine technical institution, which draws etudonts from all parts of Germany and the neighbouring countries. As for Germany generally, Mr Fowlds was naturally struck by the. übiquitous evidenfo of complete organisation and discipline. It is " very fine thing, he but he does not think the German system would do for English pooplft. In t^» pnins tnkfv". to elevin the street? he Relieves the Germans arc ahead of anybody else.