CONTINUATION SCHOOLS IN BERLIN.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 288, 9 November 1912, Page 4 (Supplement)

CONTINUATION SCHOOLS IN BERLIN.

COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE FOH GIRDS.

Compulsory continuation schools tor boys have for some time been an established fact in Berlin, and the preparations for making them also compulsory for girls are now so far advanced that it is hoped to bring the new regulations into force on Ist April, 1913. In twelve ct the German States, including Bavaria, Saxony, Wurtcmberg and Baden, attendance at continuation schools, fur a varying number of years, is compulsory by State law; in four small states it is* still voluntary, and in the remaining States—among which is the whole of Prussia, with the exception cd' the provinces of Posen and West Prussia —attendance is compulsory only in those towns and districts where it has been made so by local by-law. Attendance is compulsory for girls as well as c .ir boys in Bavaria, Wurtemberg, SaxeMeiningen, Waldeck and in some parts of Prussia,

The proposed new regulations for girls in Berlin are as follows: —All unmarried girls—with certain specified exceptions —who are engaged in work iin connection with any branch of trade or commerce in the city are to attend a continuation school from, the time they leave the element-ary school until they attain the age of 17; tho instruction will include trade soii.icets. «r,tiuiiei

drawing and domestic economy, and will cover 210 hours in the year. Any girls who, at 17, have not reached the required standard may be compelled to attend the school until they are 18. Exemption from attendance is granted to those who (1) have attended a nine years’ course in a secondary school; \2) are in attendance at some other trade or continuation school of equal standard; (3) can give proof of possessing a general education equal t-o that aimed nt in the continuation school; < I) have some serious mental or bodily defect; (5) are not German subjects ; or hi) are under punishment for some offence, or would, by their conduct, be a danger to the school. Tho days and hours of attendance will l-o fixed bv the city authorities, but all classes will be held between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., and all will be free. Every employer must send to the city authorities a list of all girls in his employ who are of the age for compulsory attendance, and he must notify them, within three days, of any who leave his employ. Further, ho must release the girls from work in sufficient time to allow of their reaching tho school punctually, -and upon him also lies the duty of looking after their regular attendance. As the law is only to come into force on Ist April. 1913, any girls who have left school previous to Ist October, 1912, will bo free from the obligation to attend a continuation school. The coming winter will be devoted t-o the special training of a sufficient number of capable teachers to staff the new schools, ae there is not at present an adenmito supply in all subjects. It is anticipated that there will be about 4500 girls in Berlin who will bo affected by this new by-law.