Würtemberg had 7 state and 2 private normal schools, 6 for men and 3 for women. They all have a three-years' course, about 80 students and 10 professors each, and their cost of maintenance amounts to about 40,000 marks ($10,000) each. Würtemberg maintains 4 preparatory schools, which, however, do not furnish all the students admitted to the normal schools. Other students come from classical and modern secondary schools.

Baden had 5 normal schools, each having a three-years' course, with an average attendance of 100 students, 10 professors, and 30 graduates per year each. One preparatory school prepares students for admission to the normal schools. Other students prefer to obtain their preparation in secondary schools.

Hessia had 4 normal schools, 1 of which is for women. They have a three-years' course, and about the same number of students and professors as found in Prussian, Bavarian, and other normal schools. Mecklenburg-Schwerin had 2 normal schools for men. Mecklenburg-Strelitz had 1 normal school for men.

Thuringia. The 12 principalities commonly called the Thuringian states had 17 normal schools, 14 of which were for men, 3 for women. Oldenburg had 2 normal schools.

Brunswick had 4 normal schools, 2 for men, 2 for women.

Lubeck (free city) has no normal school, but draws its supply of teachers from other states of the Empire.

Bremen (free city) had 3 normal schools, 1 for men and 2 for women. Hamburg (free city) had 3 normal schools, 1 for men and 2 for

women.

Alsace-Lorraine had 9 normal schools, 6 for men and 3 for women; also 2 private normal schools and 4 preparatory schools.

B. Austria in 1891 had 70 state normal schools, 42 of which were for men, 28 for women. They had 993 professors and 9,854 students, with 2,128 graduates in 1891. Forty of the Austrian normal schools were German, 12 Bohemian, 6 Polish, 2 Italian, 2 Servian, and 8 mixed. The course of study in the Austrian normal schools is one of four years. For admission a preparation is required, such as a four years' attendance in a secondary school secures. Few of the Austrian normal schools have preparatory classes. The state subsidies for normal schools amounted to only 82,700 florins, or $29,524; the provincial governments (those of the separate crownlands) pay the bulk of the expenses.

C. Hungary in 1891 had 25 state (18 for women and 7 for men) and 47 parochial normal schools (37 for men and 10 for women). These 72 institutions had 4,346 students and 709 professors. Fifty-eight of these normal schools were Hungarian, 5 German, 4 Roumanian, 1 Servian, 4 mixed. The law prescribes a three-years' course for them, but the minister of education has decreed the establishment of a post-graduate course which is made obligatory in most of these normal schools. In

34 parochial schools the course is also one of four years; in 13 it is shorter. The number of graduates in 1891 was 1,093 and the expenditures 894,478 florins, or $319,328.

D. Switzerland had 37 normal schools, 23 for men, 13 for women, 1 for both sexes; 22 are German, 13 French, and 2 Italian; 25 of these 37 schools are state institutions maintained by the cantons, 4 are city, and 8 private schools. In 1890 the number of students was 2,002, taught by 358 professors. The entire cost of maintenance was 1,119,000 francs, or $215,967. The course of study is one of four years. Some of these schools get their students from secondary schools, but most of them from special preparatory schools.

SUMMARY OF STATISTICS AND COMPARISONS.

Of

Germany has 283 normal schools, 200 for men, 83 for women. these 283 institutions, 202 are state schools, 81 are private but under state supervision. The aggregate number of students can not be stated with accuracy, but a judicious estimate places it at 18,860 in public and 4,600 in private institutions, a total of 23,460 students.

Austria has 70 normal schools, 42 for men, 28 for women, all state institutions, with 9,854 students.

Hungary has 25 public (18 for men, 7 for women) and 47 parochial normal schools (37 for men, 10 for women), a total of 72 normal schools, with 4,346 students.

Switzerland has 37 normal schools (state, city, and private), 23 of which are for men, 13 for women, and 1 mixed, with a total of 2,002 students.

Germany has one normal school student to every 2,110 inhabitants. Austria one to every 2,425, Hungary one to every 4,018, and Switzerland one to every 1,457 inhabitants.

In the United States we find the sum total of students in normal schools (public and private), that is, in all institutions which offer, or lay claims to offering, professional training of teachers, to be 34,484 (in 1890), or one student to every 1,816 inhabitants. While this would seem a good showing, another comparison makes the United States appear in a less favorable light.

Germany has about 112,000 teachers in elementary schools and 23,460 normal-school students, which is about equal to 1 student to every 5 teachers. The United States has 363,935 teachers in common schools and 34,484 normal school students, which is 1 student to every 10 teachers. Now, if we would eliminate from the total number of students in this country all who attend normal schools only for the purpose of getting a secondary education, and never acquire or desire a teacher's professional training, the ratio might safely be put at 1 to 20. But that is mere guesswork. If, however, we consider the other fact, that almost all normal schools in Germany have a full three years' course and compare with that the normal schools of the United States (some of which

have a one year's course), we find a greater difference than appears on the surface.

The foregoing induces us to still further comparisons. Assuming that Germany is, as regards professional training of teachers, a normal state well adapted to be used as a basis for comparison, let us see what proportion of the number of teachers have normal-school or professional training. It would be unfair, though, to compare our whole country with central Europe, because the conditions in the West and South are still in a transitory state of development. New England, however, claims to be at the head of educational affairs of this country. Mr. G. A. Walton, agent of the board of education in Massachusetts, says:

New England employs 30,000 teachers. Of these, 6,623 have attended normal schools and about 2,352 have had some training and practice in city training schools or classes; the latter item we estimate from somewhat imperfect data. Thus 30 per cent have had some training and practice before assuming the entire care of a school. Some of the others have had the advantage of special instruction while attending academies and high schools. The first-named class of instruction may be termed professional; the second, useful; the third, somewhat better than nothing. Thirty per cent, then, is the proportion in New England. In Germany it is 100 per cent, in Switzerland 100 per cent, in Austria 95 per cent, in Hungary 88 per cent. (See diagram:)

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100

Another side of the question is this: Germany has about 112,000 teachers and about 23,500 students in normal schools, or about 20 per sent. Of these, about a little less than 30 per cent, or 7,000, graduate annually; and since these graduates are assigned or appointed to positions as soon as they graduate, that number may be taken as the num ber of new teachers needed every year. In other words, it expresses the number of changes occurring in teachers' positions, owing to death, resignation, or removal for cause, and also the annual increase caused by opening new schools.

Some interesting items.-Later official publications from Germany (of 1892) concerning the state normal schools of Prussia only, contain a few additional items of information that will be found worthy of attention. Prussia had 121 state normal schools in 1892, of which 20 were located in towns of less than 2,000 inhabitants, 17 in towns of more than 2,000 and less than 5,000; 36 in towns of more than 5,000 and less than 10,000; 13 in cities between 10,000 and 20,000; 2 in cities between 20,000 and 30,000, and 13 in cities over 30,000.

In regard to the religious confessions these schools are classified as follows: 77 are Protestant, 40 Catholic, and 4 mixed schools.

Ten of the state normal schools of Prussia are for women, 111 for men. Coeducation is not recognized in any secondary or higher institution of learning in Prussia.

The corps of teachers employed in these normal schools consisted of 121 principals (directors), 120 head teachers (Hauptlehrer), 470 teachers, 128 assistants, and 31 women teachers.

The Prussian Diet has recently fixed their salaries as follows: Principals of normal schools receive from $960 to $1,296 per annum, the maximum to be reached after 16 years of service; increase of $90 every 4 years. Head teachers receive from $720 to $960, the maximum to be reached in 12 years; increase of $60 every 3 years. Teachers receive from $432 to $768, the maximum to be reached in 24 years; increase of $48 every 3 years. Assistant teachers receive from $288 to $432, the maximum to be reached in 9 years, increase of $48 every three years. These salaries are for provincial schools only; for the normal schools in cities, and particularly for those in the capital, the salaries are much higher.

To all the amounts stated should be added an average of 20 per cent for rent, since these teachers either live in the school buildings or receive commutation for rent in form of cash. If we further consider that the purchasing power of money is greater in Germany than in America we conclude that the salaries are not materally different from those paid in this country.

III.-RULES AND REGULATIONS OF PRUSSIAN NORMAL SCHOOLS.

1. REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION.

DECREE ISSUED OCTOBER 15, 1872.

The following rules were issued by Dr. Falk, minister of education, worship, and medical affairs, in 1872:

SECTION 1. In every State normal school an examination for admission shall be held annually, some time previous to the beginning of the new term. The date is to be fixed by the provincial school council and published in the provincial official Government organ.

SEC. 2. Admitted to this examination are all candidates who can prove by documentary evidence, that they are of the required age, of moral character, in good health and in the possession of sufficient means for support during the course of attendance in the normal school. It is immaterial where the candidate has acquired his preparatory training, whether in higher clementary, intermediate, or secondary schools, or in special normal preparatory schools.

SEC. 3. Application for admission to this examination must be made to the principal of the normal school at least three weeks before the date fixed for the examination, and the application must be accompanied by the required documents (see Sec. 4). The principal examines the documents to see whether the legal requirements are met, and decides whether a candidate is to be admitted to the examination. Any candidate who has failed three times in examination for admission is to be rejected.

SEC. 4. The application must be accompanied by a certificate of baptism, one of vaccination and revaccination, also by a certificate of good health, signed by a phy

sician intrusted with the official seal. Candidates coming from other schools must furnish a written report concerning their conduct; others a certificate of good conduct signed by the mayor of the place in which they live. Lastly, a declaration of the father or guardian to the effect that the means for support during the course of attendance in the normal school, are at the disposal of the candidate. This declaration must be verified officially by the administrative office of the place in which the candidates reside. Candidates must have completed their seventeenth year of life, and not have passed their twenty-fourth; but admission may be granted to older candidates, by the provincial school council, if objections can not be raised to their personality or previous condition of life.

SEC. 5. Candidates who have been found intellectually qualified for admission to a normal school are subjected to a medical examination conducted by the institute physician, whose decision is final.

SEC. 6. The scholastic examination for admission is conducted by the faculty of the normal school as a board over which a provincial school councillor presides. School inspectors and instructors in preparatory schools are permitted to be present. SEC. 7. The examination is partly oral and partly written. The written part consists of an essay on a subject taken from the candidate's own horizon of observation, and answers to questions in the various subjects of study. The questions shall be so framed as to require no more than two or three minutes to answer them in writing. The examiners are empowered to exclude from further examination all whose immaturity is clearly proven by their written work. The oral examination extends over all obligatory subjects of study in the normal school with the exception of pedagogy. Each member of the faculty examines the candidates in the subjects which he teaches, but it is advisable to conduct the examination in the presence of the entire board of examiners. If this be impracticable, it is suggested to divide the candidates into as many groups as there are examiners; but in cases where a difference of opinion prevails concerning the intellectual maturity of any candidate he is to be examined before the whole board in subjects that gave rise to the difference of opinion.

SEC. 8. In estimating the results in religion, language, arithmetic and mathematics, music, natural history and science, geography and history, the different grades or marks are to be united into one statement or word, such as good, very good, etc. Candidates who have been marked inefficient are to be rejected, unless it is reasonable to suppose that they are weak in only one or two branches and may with proper care and diligence make up the deficiency. If insufficient results in music are caused by want of musical ear, it shall not debar the candidate from admission, nor shall want of musical training in playing the organ prove a hindrance to admission.

SEC. 9. The examination for admission shall disclose whether the candidate has the knowledge prescribed in the following paragraphs:

(A) Religion.—For Protestants, an acquaintance with the sacred history of the Old and New Testaments, including the geography necessary for its comprehension. The candidate must be able to narrate the best known biblical stories in the language of Luther's Bible, and be able to give information concerning their religious and moral contents. The catechism used in the normal school, together with explanations of terms and contents, must be known, especially the importance of certain expressions. He must also be able to give biblical references to the commandments, the articles of faith and the Lord's Prayer; must have memorized suitable stanzas of hymns, and give analogous examples from biblical history. He must be familiar with the various books of Holy Writ, and very well acquainted with Genesis, the Psalms, the four Gospels, and the Acts. He must be acquainted with the main facts of the history of the Reformation, and have memorized about twenty hymns, which he is expected to recite with good expression, and must give some account of their authors.