E.—l2.

GERMANY.

Result of Investigations. These three points require a few more comments. Consideration in religions matters is granted under peculiar circumstances, viz., (a) as in Switzerland, there are differing nation-1 alities 1 and languages; (b) districts in which the majority are devoted to a particular religion 21 other than that of the greatest number of the nation; and (c) amongst the learned classes— the thinkers, and therefore the rulers of national action 3 —an almost universal spirit of scepticism in matters pertaining to Christianity. We, however, find the learned classes not tyrannically enforcing or insisting upon their own tenets, but exemplifying (a) that whatever conclusions they may have arrived at ought not to be arbitrarily imposed upon others; (b) that tyrannical action in matters of religion is not only unjust and impolitic if the utmost limits of asccrtainablc truth are to be reached, but death to national peace, and hence to national happiness; (c) that the only policy worthy of a great nation in religious matters is not merely toleration, but consideration for the present feelings of (virtually) all; (d) that such universal and thorough disciplinary processes, by means of local machinery and otherwise, should be provided as will enable each person to obtain the discipline and knowledge requisite to form just conclusions on religious and all other truth and error ; 4' and (e) that in order to attain that object there should be no friction, no religious bitterness, no chafing or undue interference with liberty of thought or action in matters of individual or primarily local concern, and a removal, as far as practicable, of all influences which may, by being irritating, prove hostile or obstructive to the grand aim in view—training a naturally hardy people to sound views and able and vigorous action. The discipline secured by thorough training of teachers is very apparent. 0 It isrecog-l nised as enabling (a) a wider range of subjects to be covered, 6 and (b) a thorough mastery of j them, and (c) such a digesting of what is taught as would not otherwise be possible. 7 1 Indeed, discipline, ensuring the estimating of everything at its exact value, seems to be a pre-eminently excelling feature of German education —a feature more real in Germany, in my opinion, even than in Switzerland. There is liberal expenditure in the promotion of gymnastics. 8 It is recognised that] without such physical exercises the extreme severity of the examinations would not be prac-| ticable, except with detriment to physical and mental health, even in the bracing climate of Germany. And it is widely admitted that even the present attention to gymnastic training is not sufficient to prevent " over-pressure," as evidenced by defective eyesight, 9 &c.

Consideration in religious matters granted under peculiar circumstances.

esults to pupils trainingUof teachers.

Liberal exgymnasticsTand their importance

"Consolation" (addressed to a Girton girl who has failed in her exam.) — " Cheer up, at the critical moments of strife It bothers a man to be beaten or ' chucked,' But girls, after all, are the roses of life, And roses were made to be plucked." —Punch, 1G Oct., 1886. Note also the "Examiner's Dream," a Rhapsody, "Maemillan's Magazine," May, 1886, p. 35, espec. on "The Demon of Exam." 1 For instance, Poles, Danes, French (in Alsace and Lorraine), as well as Germans. 2 For instance, in Silesia, Posen, Westphalia, and the Rhine provinces, Roman Catholics arc largely in the majority; and note some statistics in B.E. rep., pp. 528, 629. In Wurtemberg it is complained that "the school is too ■ much the handmaid of the Church. According to the law of 183G the Ecclesiastical Committee in each district is also the School Board, in which the voice of a teacher is never heard, not even as a consulting member." But this entire exclusion of the teachers themselves from the control and inspection of the schools is a state of things characterized in a memorial recently presented by the national teachers to the Govt. as unknown in any other German country. 8 " In religious matters our people allow themselves to be indirectly led by those who possess the highest intellectual culture," article by Karl Hildebrand in " N.G.," June, 1880, p. 1005. 4 " The schools are distinctly denominational," M. Arnold, R.E.C., 5310 and seq. But see 5313, and the very interesting replies by Mr. Arnold to queries G094 and seq., and note 6101. On free inquiry into religious and moral questions Lord Macaulay's remarks naturally suggest themselves: " Gladstone on Church and State," essays, &c, 1885, p. 484. 5 For Luther's extolment of the office of schoolmaster see "Franz Noir, Piid Aphorismen." "As a class the Prussian common school teachers stand at the head of the teaching profession in everything that goes to

make good teachers."—Prof. James, "Illinois School Journal," July, 1883. 6 See also I.E.G., vol. 15, p. 1G2. Indeed, "In Prussia they say ! As is the teacher, so is the school.'"—Dr. Philbriek, p, 17. See also B.E.C., Inspector Stewart, 4192. "In Germany and Switzerland the teaching is certainly better than in England, and the teaching power is acquired in the training colleges."—Mr. M. Arnold, E.E.C., 5512, 5513; and see his (May, 188G), report, pp. 13, 15. " Children in foreign schools are better grounded."—M. Arnold, 5839 and seq. "The schools (in Germany) have been for so long and are still, in my opinion, better than the French schools." —M. Arnold, 5913. 7 See note G. 8 "Physical training was introduced into the public schools of Germany in the early part of the present century as one of the essential means for the regeneration of the nation. After Sadowa the statesmen of Austria followed the example. For more than sixty years gymnastic training has constituted a prominent element in Prussian school education," Dr. Philbriek, pp. 101, 102 ; and see there quoted the opinion of Mr. M. Arnold. 9 The late Lord Ampthill held this view. Defective eyesight is very apparent amongst secondary-school scholars, and more especially amongst university students, as recorded by Dr. Cohn, of Breslau. See also report, 15 Nov., 1884, by Dr. Wolfsberg, P. M. Gazette. " It has been found that the shortsightedness so prevalent amongst students, which is generally due to the close poring over small Gothic type, is much favoured in the initiatory stages by the use of the ordinary black slates. Black upon white is a much better arrangement of colour for the eye to rest upon than white upon black. It is expected that a new kind of slate, of material nearly white, to be written on in black or blue, will soon be produced," &c.—" Journal of Ed.," July, 1886, p. 296. And see Amer. Commr. Rep., 1885, for 1883-84, " Switzerland," p. 236.

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