E.—ls.

6

I. Folk Schools. The Folk Schools of the canton consist of. — (a.) The Infant Schools (Ecoles Enfantines or Kleinkinderschulen), for children of three to seven years of age. There are 80 of these schools in the canton (all figures given are for 1905), one in each quarter of Geneva and in every other commun" in the canton. These schools are taught by 177 mistresses, and contain 5,430 pupils, or not quite 70 pupils per school, the average number of pupils to each teacher being 31. (&.) Primary Schools, for children from the age of seven to fifteen. Instruction is compulsory for all children in the canton from the age of six to the age of fifteen. As will be seen later on, children may leave the primary schools before reaching the age of fifteen in order to attend certain other schools, but children who have completed the primary course before the age of fifteen must attend continuation or other schools until they reach that age. There are primary schools in all quarters of the City of Geneva, and in all the communes of the canton. There is separate instruction for boys and girls. Instruction in sewing is given by special mistresses. The total number of prima: y schools is 52, and the total number of pupils 11,299, including 142 in special classes for weak-minded children. There are 130 masters and 247 mistresses, the average daily attendance per teacher being 29. The infant schools are inspected by a lady who is an expert in that kind of work ; the primary schools are subject to the inspection of one lady inspector and four male inspectors, besides special inspectors for gymnastics, singing, and sewing, the last being, of course, a lady. With the primary schools are grouped the Complementary Schools or Classes, which are held in the evening during the winter months at the various schools, and are intended for those who are apprentices or for military recruits who have not satisfied the education test, and for others who desire or are compelled to complete their primary education. The programme of instruction in the primary schools includes, — The Mother-tongue (French in Geneva), the time given to it varying from 15 hours a week for boys and 14 for girls in the lowest class to 10 for boys and 9 for girls in the sixth or highest class. Arithmetic : 5 hours a week (girls 4) first year ; 6th year, boys 4 hours (girls 3). Drawing and Handwork : All years, 3 hours a week (2). Geometry : 2 hours a week (1) in the last three years. German : 1 hour a week in the fourth year and 2 hours a week in the fifth and sixth years for both boys and girls. Geography : 2 hours a week in the last four years for both boys and girls. History : 2 hours a week (boys and girls) in the last two years. Music and Gymnastics : Each 2 hours a week throughout the whole course for both boys and girls. Writing also receives time varying from 3 hours in the first year to 1 hour in the fifth year. It is not taught in the sixth year. Boys in the sixth year receive civic instruction for 1 hour per week, and girls of all years receive 4 hours' instruction a week in needlework— namely, knitting, sewing, cutting-out, fitting, &c. ; in the last year, 5 hours a week. The total number of hours per week spent in school is 30. The detailed programme is given in the appendix. It may be remarked, however, that the instruction in the mother-tongue includes lessons upon things (lemons de choses), it being an essential feature of the instruction in language that the oral composition should be closely linked with observation. In connection with both infant and primary schools there are special funds maintained partly by the teachers, partly by the cantons, and partly by the communes, out of which sick and superannuation allowances are payable. (c.) Sekundarschulen, or so-called Secondary Schools, form 'the third group of the volksschulen, and in the Canton of Geneva these are all rural schools, 11 in number. The total number of pupils is 276, or an average of 25 pupils per school. There are 12 teachers, all masters, but there are special mistresses who act as instructors in sewing. The course is a twoyear one for boys and girls of the ages 13 or 14 to 15 or 16. The instruction corresponds in standard approximately to that of the secondary departments in our country district high schools, but is essentially practical and agricultural in character. The " Professional School " for boys in Geneva takes the place of the rural Secondary Schools in the country districts. Its work follows that of the Sixth Class of the primary schools. The course is one of two years, and prepares pupils for trades, not by specific trade instruction, but by the teaching of science, drawing, and manual work in addition to the mother-