E.—l2.

Summary. (.3.) Protection of children against injurious employment. (4.) Teachers— (a) Gratuitous instruction at normal schools, (6) The term there, and the (c) Facilities afforded there for practising teaching, (d) Strict qualifications required before appointment, (e) Fixed salaries, and (/) Pensions. (5.) Gymnastic exercises recognised by the Confederation to be a matter of such national importance as to be reserved from the cantons. (0.) Scholarships—conditions and amounts. (7.) Supplementary school system; and (8.) " Over-pressure " results—not known to exist. I desire to acknowledge my indebtedness to the public authorities at Berne for their willing attention and elucidation of the subject of Swiss education; and specially express my thanks to M. Lauener, Secretary of the Board of Education, Berne, for having courteously examined into the correctness of my statements concerning Swiss education. Since this section was revised I have received a very courteous letter from the Minister of the Interior (Dr. Schenk) covering the latest official publications. But am not advised, or aware, that any statement in this section needs correction. The publications are as follow, and are herewith : — 1. " Unterrichtsplan fur das dcutsche Lehrer-seminar des Kantons Bern. Biel : Buchdruckerei Albert Schuler, 1884." 2. " Rcglement fur die Patent priifungen der Primar-lehrer und -lehrerinnen des Kantons Bern. 2 April, 1885." 3. " Reglement sur les examens des aspirants au brevet de capacite pour l'enseignement primaire. 2 avril, 1885. (Berne.)" 4. " Seminar-ordnung fur das deutschc Lehrer-seminar des Kantons Bern. Bern : Buchdruckerei Gebr. Fischer. 1885." 5. "Programme d'Ktudes de l'Kcole Normale des instituteurs du Jura Bernois. Delemont : Imprimeric Boechat, 1885." 6. " Programme de l'Ecole Normale des institutrices du Jura Bernois a Delemont. Delemont: Imprimcrie Boechat, 1885." 7. " Verwaltungsbericht der Erzicliungs-Direktion des Kantons Bern fiir das Schuljahr 1885-86. Bern : Stampfli'sche Buchdruckerei, 1880." 8. " Programme de l'Ecole Cantonale de Porrentruy, 1885—80. Imprimeric Albert Schuler, Bicnne, 1880." 9. " Jahresbericht über die Miidchen-sekundarschule der Stadt, Bern, 1886. Bern : Stampfli'sche Buchdruckerei, 1886." 10. " Jahrenbericht iiber das stadtische Gymnasium in Bern, 1886. Bern : Stampfli'sche Buchdruckerei, 1886." 11. " Sammlung neuer Gesetzc und Verordnungen nebst statisehen Uebersichten iiber das gesamte Unterrichtsvesen in der Schweiz in den Jahren 1883—85. Zusammengestellt von C. Grob : Zurich, 1880." The work by C. Grob, published on the 30th July last, and towards the publication of which a subsidy was granted by the Confederation, is intended to be a sequel to the " Statistik," 1881, so often quoted herein; and is a most valuable compendium of recent information relative to all the cantons.

Protection of children. Teachers.

Gymnastic exercises.

Scholarships.

Supplementary education. Over-pressure.

48

REPORT UPON STATE EDUCATION