EDUCATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16493, 7 March 1914, Page 7

EDUCATION.

TOPICS FOR TEACHERS AND OTHERS. COMPULSORY CONTINUATION SCHOOLS IN GERMANY. (By Lux.) That which the school ought to develop before all things in tho individuals whom it trains is, as has of ion been said, iho man himself, that is to say, heart, intelligence, conscience. Nothing could be more true; but it must never bo forgotten, at the same lime, that if the individual is afterwards to bo a manual worker, whothcr in the fields or in tho workshop, the fust and bo3t safeguard that our schools can give for the morality of the man is to create in every scholar an aptitude for, and a liking for, that labour by which ho is to live.—Lo Blanc. The inspector of evening continuation schools in New South Wales in n report to tlio Minister of Education states that bite schools as at present constituted are not a success. He attributes the poor attendance at these schools to picture shows, skating rinks and surf-batliing, and strongly urges upon the State the adoption of compulsion as the only .solution of tho problem of non-attendance at continuation schools. So states a cable message from Sydney dated March 2, and it will bo of interest to examine this statement, and the inspector’s plea for compulsion, by the light of what has been done in Germany in the direction of compulsory attendance at continuation schools. It is a commonplace nowadays to talk of Germany leading the world as far as matters educational are concerned, but though there is so much professed knowledge, perhaps there are still a few points in Germany’s system of continuation schools on which the public may bo enlightened. It may come as a surprise to come to learn that the German continuation school sprang from tho Svmday school. In many Sunday schools religious instruction was combined with instruction in reading and writing. I;: some States, notably in Wiirttcmberg and Bavaria, attendance at these schools was made compulsory as early as 1739 in the case of the former, and in 1803 in the case of the latter. These regulations for compulsory attendance were never strictly enforced, any such enforcement being out of the question owing to the lack of teachers and of necessary school accommodation. Tho modern development of the German continuation school began, however, in tho Kingdom of Saxony in 1835, for in that year the local authorities were granted statutory power to enforce attendance at continuation schools. Twenty-four years later these powers were withdrawn, the reason being that attendance at elementary, day schools having become universal, it was thought a sufficient degree of popular education could be secured through those channels. In 1867, however, the tide turned once more. It was felt on all sides that tho education of tho masses of the people must extend beyond their fourteenth year. Accordingly, in 1873, Saxony once more passed a law enforcing attendance at continuation schools ; and in tho next year tho example of Saxony was followed by Baden, Hesse, Saxe-Weimar and MecklenburgSchwerin. Attendanco at continuation schools is now compulsory by State law in twelve States, but for periods varying in different localities, and not equally for both sexes. In tho remaining States, in which Prussia is included, attendance at continuation schools is still wholly voluntary, though indications arc not wanting that this State will before long adopt the compulsory system.

Speaking generally, much more attention is paid to the continued education of recruits for the skilled trades than to that of boys who will enter the ranks of unskilled labour; Before leaving the elementary school the pupil has already had for about three years some training in drawing and cardboard work, in order to give an early bias in tho direction of skilled manual labour. Experience has shown that those who have had good and extended instruction of tin's kind will not readily fall into unskilled callings. To encourage a definite bias in the mind of the child, which will serve as a basis for the work of tho continuation trade schools, an additional year’s course lias been added to the elementary school period in Munich. Dr Kerchensteiner, Director of Schools in Munich, who is largely responsible for. the success of the continuation schools in that, city, finds this policy works remarkably well. In 1908, of 2200 boys who left the highest class of the elementary schools 2150 went at' once into handwork or other skilled occupations. It is impossible in, the limits of ai brief article to givo anything but the roughest account of the work of continuation schools in Germany, and much must be omitted that would undoubtedly prove of interest. In order, however, that this survey may at least in some respects approach completeness, a few paragraphs will be devoted to tho continuation schools of Strassburg, Alsace, one of the first towns to adopt of its own accord a system of compulsory attendance for hoys leaving tho elementary schools at tho age of fourteen, who proceed..directly to work or business. Tho population of this city is 178.000, and the chief occupations are connected with brewing, tobacco, tanning, printing and flour mills. Strassburg is not a manufacturing town in the large sense, hut it is the home of a variety of small industries, for it is tho chief centre of Alsace: As the time draws' near whena boy must leave the day school the .town authorities and his teachers show their interest in . the. lad's./choice of a calling.. His. parents will be invited to an informal conference, to have the intention and tho procedure of the Labour Bureau explained to them, and they are given a pamphlet informing them of the various trades and employments in the district and the prospects in each. The Strassburg Municipal Labour Bureau acts as an intermediary between the hoys leaving the elementary schools and tho employers -of labour. Tho control of the Bureau is in the hands of the employers and employed in the various trades and occupations of the town and by this means information is. gained as to tho employers who are approved as likely to fulfil tlicir responsibilities towards tho hoys. Every boy on leaving the elementary school, whatever kind of employment ho may have in view must report himself at tho Labour Bureau and a card of details is filled in. No compulsion is used in the choice of a profes ion, hut everything is done from the beginning to check the hoy’s drift into the overcrowded ranks of unskilled labour, errand hoys, copyists and clerks. Tho whole object of the Bureau is to enable hoys to become skilled workers and tho" public and municipal support it receives in this direction ought to ho an object lesson to other countries less thorough than Germany. The co-oporation of the Medical Officer of Health is also enlisted and each boy is examined as to his physical strength and soundness and the details aro entered on a card. _ When a vacancy occurs this card is consulted. If a boy is weak he is dissuaded from becoming, say, a blacksmith ; if with a tendency towards consumption from becoming a tailor, and so on. It should be mentioned that the staff of the Bureau have themselves been' practical workmen, and thus have a ready understanding of the possibilities of individual boys. After consulting tho Labour Bureau a boy must at once, whether ho has already found work or not, join one of the following courses:— (1) The general continuation course (for unskilled wafers}.

(2) One of the technical courses. (3) One of the courses for building or other industries. (4) The commercial course. Should a boy tone up some unskilled branch of work he must iom the general course until such time as ho may liavo passed over to a more skilled occupation. If, on the other hand, ho is engaged or apprenticed in one or the ordinary tra*des he will join at once one of the technical courses, each complete in itself, for bakers, confectioners, butchers, waiters, druggists, grocers, bookbinders, and so on. Similarly there aro courses in tho building continuation school for stonemasons, cement workers, joiners, boilermakers and coopers, while the commercial classes aro adapted to the daily occupation of the clerk and tho book-keeper. In order that, the training of the young worker may proceed at the continuation school, his master is obliged by Imperial order to allow him to attend his full number of classes every week, and the master is held responsible for his regular attendance. These classes are held as far ns possible »n tho morning or in tho afternoon, for the German, being a practical, man, knows that after tho day’s labour the mind is not in the same state to receive impressions and gain idens as in the morning or early m the afternoon. Of course every trouble :s taken lo meet the convenience of employers, hut the employer is now recognising that the few hours a week that his apprentice spends in the continuation school can well bo .spared, and .are an; - ’v compensated ior by the renewed vigour and intelligence with which tho apprentice pursues his calling. The period of compulsory attendance varies according to the type of continuation school attended. The general and technical courses are usually of two years each, while tho commercial classes aro arranged generally for three years. The number of class hours per week is also varied. General courses consist uniformly of four hours r.. week, these for trades six to, eight hours a week, tho building courses eight hours a week, and the commercial courses nine hours a week. Tlie theoretical teaching is generally given by men from the higher grade elementary schools, who become specialists by study of the subject-and by keeping in constant • touch with the. master workers as to the prices of material, inventions, state of the market and so on. In a class for bakers, for example, . the class is exercised orally in the prices of .flour, working expenses of the business and the weight, number and retail cost of rolls and loaves which could be made from a sack of flour. On the other hand, tho practical teaching is given by men who are actually in the trade. The designs for cakes, sugar decorations and so on aro learnt by heart from drawing lessons held in connection with theoretical . instruction.. The drawing, like tho arithmetic taught in those schools, is always allied to its trade use, for example, it is taught with a view to tailoring, shoemaking, carpentering, and so on.

It would not be in keeping with German thoroughness if the social side of these schools were overlooked. Germany aims at higher things than simply producing skilled workmen and efficient wage-earners, she has ever before her the ideal aim of raising the mass, to higher levels so that stupidity and ignorance may not mar their lives unchallenged, and the Empire may further be consolidated by the high intellectual average of its people. So in Strassburg the general conduct of the classes is not neglected. 1 The boys are encouraged to make use of tho public library, lectures and entertainments arc arranged and there are excursions for pleasure and instruction. Savings banks have been formed, lessons in health and citizenship given, and every facility granted for recreation and instruction. Those born with British blood in their , veins and the traditions of tho British- stock bohiud. them do not appreciate fully what directed recreation means to the German. It is all a matter of national character. The love of sport is so ground into the Briton’s nature that |ie plays as it were by instinct, but with the German it is different. Ho has no traditions behind him, no great national games like the Briton has, and what , the latter acquires by instinct the former is learning by conscious effort. But there is one thing the Briton may well learn from the German, and that is with him discipline and training for life are the first consideration; recreation and other advantages aro auxiliary. And it may now be asked how the citizens ' of Strassburg look upon their continuation schools. There is only-, one answer. Workmen and employers consider them as the most valuable asset the city possesses. The attitude of some of the employers was hostile at tho start, but this has now died down, for they realise that their hoys are more, keen and intelligent in business hours, and that consequently they -are more useful. • Tr\de societies and the Chamber of Trades have always co-operated cordially with the municipal and government authorities in running the schools, and have contributed liberally and voluntarily to the cost of machinery and apparatus for tho purposes of teaching. The parents, too, have presented no. serious difficulty,, but poverty sometimes coni pels them to place their sons in unskilled work in order,to earn an immediate wage. .What has been said of tlio Strassburg continuation school applies, to most of tlio continuation schools throughout the.country. In each school, beyond the technical instruction imparted, instruction is given also, in civic responsibility, and in some schools, notably in;,.those at Munich, the pupil prdfits. by a systematic instruction ;in .the history ,of his trade and in the story of the development of tho modern state. . “ Thus,” says Dr Korschensteiner, “ the apprentices are led to consider not only their personal position arid the position of their trade, but, that of their native country, and finally-the complicated conditions of international, intercourse. Thus they slowly learn tho truth of the maxirii that the meaning of life is not to rule but to render service.”