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The full course of this school is three years, and the above branches of instruction are suitably divided according to the plan of teaching. Teachers are elected by the Board of Education. A director presides over the veterinary-school, elected from the teachers by the Board of Education for the term of two years. There are two regular teachers, with a salary of twelve hundred to fourteen hundred francs, and assistant teachers are engaged as necessary, for which purpose, eighteen hundred francs per year are set apart, and for other incidental purposes, one thousand francs.

Boys of sixteen years of age can be admitted into this school, if they have attended a three years' course of secondary-schools or are otherwise qualified; they must pay a registration fee of eight francs, and a tuition fee of twenty-four francs, half of which goes into the school fund, while the other half is divided among the teachers in proportion to their number of lessons. Private teachers fix their own terms, with the approval of the commission of inspection. The latter consists of five members appointed for the term of five years by the Board of Education, one of whom must be a member of the Board of Education, and one a member of the board of health. They superintend the execution of all laws and regulations, as well as of the resolutions of the Board of Education in reference to this school, and see that teachers and pupils perform their duties.

The usual attendance is from twenty-one to twenty-five.

Agricultural School.

The agricultural-school was opened May 1st, 1853, and is the youngest one of the cantonal schools. The object, "to train young men in the theory and practice of agriculture," is pursued in part by formal instruction, in part by cultivating an estate near the city of Zurich. This estate belongs to the hospital of the canton, and is leased at a yearly rent of two thousand eight hundred francs. The Great Council granted to the Government council a credit of sixty thousand francs, at three per cent. interest, in order to enable them to give to the agricultural-school a proper outfit. The locality is calculated to accommodate thirty students; not more than ten new pupils shall be admitted at a time; they must pass a satisfactory examination before the commission of supervision. Two annual courses complete the term of the school. A citizen of the canton pays for board, tuition, etc., two hundred and fifty francs the first year, two hundred francs for the second year; others are required to pay three hundred and fifty and two hundred and fifty francs; two free scholarships are attached to the school. A director with a salary of one thousand three hundred and sixty francs, one teacher with a salary of six hundred and forty francs, and a master-farmer with a salary of four hundred francs, compose the board of instruction. During the Summer, three hours per day are devoted to instruction and eight hours to labor; during the Winter, six hours to labor and four hours to instruction.

The course of instruction embraces the following branches: 1. Arithmetic, problems from business life.

2. Geometry-measurement, surveying, drafting.

3. Mineralogy-different kinds of rock; what parts fit for improving the soil; springs and artesian wells; order of stratas, petrifactions, etc. 4. Botany-anatomy and physiology of plants; forest trees, herbs for meadows, weeds, poisonous herbs, etc.

5. Zoology-anatomy and physiology of animals, chiefly of domestic animals; useful and destructive animals.

6. Mechanics, as far as relating to agriculture.

7. Chemistry-soil and its associations; analysis of soil, of manure, etc.; fermentation, brewery, distillery, manufacture of vinegar, starch, soap, cheese, oil, etc.

8. Agriculture-knowledge of soil, manure, training of plants, of cattle, medical treatment of animals, book-keeping for farmers.

Instruction in the German or French language is not part of the programme, but may be given after the regular lessons. Practical labor is exacted in the field and the meadow; the orchard and the forest; in attending to the animals and repairing of harness, etc.

The agricultural-school has from sixteen to twenty pupils annually.

The University.

This institution, which is always attended by over two hundred students, was founded in the year 1833, during the period of enthusiasm for instruction, and now occupies a distinguished position, being a realization of the ideal of a Swiss university, as nearly as this could be effected with the means of a small canton. We will here only indicate the peculiar points of its organization, which are not found at all universities:

A citizen of the canton, though admitted at another university, can be registered as a student, only if he has passed the final examination of the gymnasium or of the school of industry. Teaching and learning are free; yet it has been provided in the interest of students, that recitations must be held on the lectures in certain chief branches. The degree of Master of Arts is not required of private lecturers at the university (privat docenten ;) they must obtain the permission of the Board of Education on the recommendation of the faculty, who may exact an examination from the candidate. Upon a favorable report of the faculty, a trial lecture must be delivered, after which, if satisfactory, the candidate is pronounced qualified as private lecturer (docent.)

The cantonal hospital is open to students of medicine.
Scientific collections are large and well arranged.

Private Schools.

All private schools in the Canton of Zurich are subject to inspection and control of the school committee of the district in which they are situated, and their plans of instruction must be approved by the Board of Education.

Federal Polytechnic School.

This great Scientific University is located at Zurich, but the Federal Government contributes $45,000 annually to its support.

NORMAL SCHOOL

AT

KUSSNACHT, IN THE CANTON OF ZURICH.

THE Normal School at Kussnacht is about a league from the town of Zurich, and the buildings are prettily situated on the borders of the lake of the same name. This institution was re-organized in 1836, though the modifications made have been rather in the details than in the general principles. It now consists of a school for teachers, a preparatory school for this seminary, and three primary model schools. It is intended to supply teachers for the different grades of primary schools of the canton, and during a portion of the year lectures are also delivered in the seminary to the older teachers, who are assembled for the purpose in their vacations.

The superintendence and control of the Normal School is vested by the legislative council in the council of education, who appoint a committee of superintendence from their own body. This committee visits the school at least once a month, attends its examinations, and, in general, inspects its management. The executive power is delegated to a director, who has the immediate charge of the school, and arranges the plan of instruction, in subordination to the council of education. He examines the candidates for admission, inspects the classes of the seminary, and of the schools attached to it, and lectures in the school of repetition for the older teachers. He is also responsible for the discipline, and reports half-yearly the state of the institution to the council of education. He is moreover present at the meeting of the committee of superintendence. There are three other teachers, besides a variable number of assistants. These teachers in turn have charge of the pupils of the Normal School in and out of school-hours. There are conferences of all the teachers, at which the director presides. The manners of the people and the purpose of the seminary render the discipline of very trifling amount. The pupils of the Normal School reside in the village of Kussnacht, but spend the greater part of their time at the school, under the direction of its masters. All the time devoted to study, recitation or lecture, and regular exercise, is passed there.

To be admitted as a candidate for the Normal School, a youth must be sixteen years of age, and of suitable morals. intellectual, and physical qualities for the profession of a teacher. He must have spent two years in the higher division of primary instruction (called here secondary) in the model school, or some equivalent one, or have passed through the preparatory department of the Normal School, which gives a preference to the candidate, other qualifications being equal. The examination of candidates takes place once a year, and in presence of the committee of superintendence, or of a deputation from their body. The formal right of admitting to the school is, however, vested alone in the council of education. The subjects of examination are Bible history, speaking and reading, grammar, the elements of history, geography and natural philosophy, arithmetic and the elements of geometry, writing, drawing, and vocal music. The council of education fixes the number of pupils who may be admitted, and the most proficient of the candidates are selected. There are forty stipendiary places, ten of the value of one hundred and sixty Swiss francs, (forty-eight dollars,) and thirty of half that sum.

362

NORMAL SCHOOL AT KUSSNACHT.

Natives who are admitted all receive their instruction gratis. If there is
room in the school, foreigners may be received, paying twelve dollars per
annum for their instruction. The number of pupils at the date of my
visit, in the autumn of 1837, was one hundred and ten.
ries are bound to serve as teachers in the canton two years; a very mod-
The stipendia-
erate return for the education received.

There are two grades of courses in the Normal School, one of two years for pupils intending to become teachers in the lower primary schools, the other of three years for the higher primary schools. The courses begin in April, and continue, with seven weeks of vacation, throughout the year. The subjects of instruction are: Religious instruction, German, French, mathematics, history, geography, natural history and philosophy, pedagogy, writing, drawing, and vocal and instrumental music. French is only obligatory upon the students of the three years' course. Gymnastic exercises and swimming are regularly taught and practised.

There is, besides, a lecture of an hour and a half on the art of building, once a week, attended by all the students. Those who learn instrumental music have lessons two hours and a half every week, and two hours of Sunday are occupied with singing in concert. votes two extra hours every week to the assistance of some of the pupils One of the teachers dein their studies, or to repetitions.

At the close of each year there is a public examination, and the pupils are classed according to its results. On leaving the institution, they are arranged in three grades; the first, of those who have gone very satisfactorily through the school, the second, of those who have passed satisfactorily, and the third, of those who have not come up to the standard. Certificates of the first two grades entitle their holders to compete for any vacant primary school.

The

The courses of practice begin in the second year, when the pupils take regular part in the exercises of the schools attached to the seminary. These are, first, two model schools for children from the ages of six to nine, and from nine to twelve, at which latter age the legal obligation to attend the school ceases. pupils from twelve to sixteen years of age. The system of instruction The third, called a secondary school, contains used in the lower schools is attended with very striking results. lessons are not divided into distinct branches, studiously kept separate, as in most elementary schools, but are connected, as far as possible, so as to keep the different subjects constantly before the mind. Thus, a lesson of geography is, at the same time, one of history, and incidentally of grammar, natural history, of reading and writing, and so on through the circle of elementary instruction. The Pestalozzian lessons on form are made the basis of writing, and with good success. to speak correctly, and to spell by the phonic method, to divide words into The lowest class is taught syllables, and thus to count. and combine them, and thus to write, and through writing to read. The To number the lessons. To make forms second passes to practical grammar, continues its reading and writing, the lessons in which are made exercises of natural history and grammar. Reading and speaking are combined to produce accuracy in the latter, which is a difficulty where the language has been corrupted into a dialect, as the German has in northern Switzerland. used to give exercises in spelling and reading. The plan of the PestaMovable letters are lozzian exercises in grammar is followed, and when the pupils have learned to write, a whole class, or even two classes, may be kept employed intellectually, as well as mechanically, by one teacher. In reading, the understanding of every thing read is insisted upon, and the classbooks are graduated accordingly. I never saw more intelligence and readiness displayed by children than in all these exercises; it affords a

strong contrast to the dullness of schools in which they are taught mechanically. The same principles are carried into the upper classes, and are transplanted into the schools by the young teachers, who act here as assistants. The examination of the second school in Bible history, with its connected geography and grammar lessons; in composition, with special reference to orthography and to the hand-writing; and the music lesson, at all of which the director was so kind as to enable me to be present, were highly creditable.

There are three classes in each of these schools, and the pupils of the Normal Seminary practice as assistant teachers in them at certain periods; the director also gives lessons, which the pupils of the seminary repeat in his presence.

In the highest, or secondary school, the elementary courses are extended, and mathematics and French are added.

The pupils of the preparatory department of the seminary spend two years in teaching in the two model schools, and in receiving instruction in the "secondary school" under the special charge of the director of the seminary. This establishment has furnished, during three years of full activity, two hundred teachers to the cantonal primary schools. These young teachers replace the older ones, who are found by the courses of repetition not able to come up to the present state of instruction, and who receive a retiring pension. The schools must thus be rapidly regenerated throughout the canton, and the education of the people raised to the standard of their wants as republicans.

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