Swinemünde, Weimar, Dortmund, Leipsic, Mannheim and Berlin, that less than twenty per cent of the boys had completed their course on schedule time. In the FriederichWilhelms-Realgymnasium at Stettin, the average age in classes for 1913 was as follows:

The general fact that more than one year separates each group indicates retardation. The small difference between Untersekunda and Obersekunda is due to the breaking point provided, many of the duller and older boys remaining to this point to pass the examination allowing them the privilege of serving but one year in the army as a volunteer.

The graduates of the same school at Michelmas, 1912, were distributed as follows: one was eighteen, five nineteen, three twenty, and one twenty-two. At Easter, 1913, the distribution was as follows: one was eighteen, three. nineteen, six twenty, two twenty-one, and one twenty-two. These data are given only to illustrate a known fact, that German boys in rare instances finish at the age of eighteen, and that nineteen or twenty or more constitute the usual ages. Considering that boys in the German gymnasia represent a select group, boys whose fathers can pay for their education, the economy of the German system is not that it places boys in junior standing, ready for professional work at a lower age, but rather that more and better work is done in more time. It is here rather than in fewer years, that time is saved.

How much work, then, has the secondary school boy done? Estimating in terms of "units"(meaning five forty-fiveminute periods a week for one year, and not allowing for the longer school year, except as it affects hours per week),. the German boy graduating from the gymnasium has completed 4 units of religion, 5 units of German, 13 units of Latin, 7 units of Greek, 4 units of French, 3 units of history, 2 units of geography, 7 units of mathematics, 4 units of natural science, and 2 units of drawing, making a total of 51 units to say nothing of gymnastics and singing and possible electives in drawing, Hebrew and English. In the Realgymnasium and the Oberrealschule quite as great a total number of "units" work is done, the only difference being less emphasis on the linguistic studies. On the same basis the French boy has, at graduation from the classical course, a total of 6 units in French, 7 units in Latin, 4 units in modern languages, 3 units in Greek, 4 units in history and geography, 3 units in mathematics, 2 units in natural science, 2 units in drawing, and 2 units in philosophy, making a total of 33 units of work covered. Other branches of study would be more emphasized in other courses, but the general total remains approximately the same. The character of the work done is comprehensive, and it is pursued in a scholarly manner. With these facts in mind, there can be no doubt that foreign boys cover more ground in a thoro manner than do ours. They graduate at a greater age than do our boys. But they have done much more work.

Granted, then, that there is economy of time in the European schools, what are the reasons for such economy? It is due to the mechanical administration of the schools, the organization of the course of study, and the methods of teaching. While German and French systems of education are designed for conditions totally different from ours, and while it is a very common fallacy to advocate immediate

NOTE-The term "unit" is used only for purposes of simplifying the data. In considering these results the reader must take into account that the methods in the foreign schools require much of the home work to be done in class. Allowance for this reduces the total. Further, some of the work counted, is done in our elementary schools.

adoption of foreign measures, often totally unsuited to our conditions, it seems probable that there are certain reasons for this economy, adaptations of which may be adopted to the betterment of the secondary schools of the United States. I shall take these elements up in order.

The secondary school boy in this country attends classes about 180 days in the year. Our school year rarely totals 200 working days. In Germany, where each boy attends school 240 days in the year, the added attendance effects a saving of from 40 to 60 days in each of twelve years, making a total of from 21/2 to 3 years actually gained. He works six days a week, starting at seven in the morning in summer and at eight in winter, continuing for the morning session until 12 or 1 o'clock. Each boy is occupied during his. entire time in school; there are no study periods. Proceeding upon the frequent rest theory of fatigue, there is a period averaging fifteen minutes allowed between each class. These classes start like an electric train, with little time wasted. In this country twenty to twenty-fiveforty-minute periods is considered a normal load. The German boy carries from 32 to 36; the French boy from 26 to 38. With fifty per cent extra work done in school each week, with a clear gain of from 500 to 600 working days in twelve years, with classes starting and stopping promptly, with no time wasted in study periods, the mere organization of the mechanical elements in the German schools enables their boys to do work two years in advance of those in this country. It accounts in part for the added thoroness.

Should these mechanical time savers be introduced in our schools? We should unquestionably gain time if we should lengthen our school year. The long summer vacation is not needed for purposes of efficiency; and as a matter of fact, it often acts as a disadvantage in that pupils forget much of their work. The period of rest is now needed that teachers may get further training, that they should have had at the start. The pupil would be quite as efficient withless. We should need to stop calling a "unit" a year's work, whether 150, 200 or 250 days in length. Why should.

not able bodied boys work six days a week? A large part of the afternoon is always free. German boys are glad to receive two afternoons a week. The West Pointer thrives under his system. Studied application of the results of the psychological and physiological investigations of fatigue, will result in giving the high school boy more days work a year, and more hours work a day. The problem will lie in the selection of better chosen intervals of rest, and in a wiser apportionment of work between the home and the school. That oldest of all educational problems, the higher pay of teachers, will also have to be considered. This problem is worthy of investigation.

Economy has not only been effected thru the mechanical elements of administration, but thru the organization of the course of study as well. Both in France and Germany, secondary education designed for the children of the upper classes runs parallel with elementary education. The boy enters the secondary school at the age of six, in Germany going into the Vorschule, in France to the classe enfantine. There is no break in his education. He starts in upon one system, designed to prepare him for professional life or governmental service. This plan has two great advantages. It enables a child to start important subjects early. It so groups subjects, that at breaking points which are provided, a child may leave school before the completion of a course with a reasonably complete training.

4

The German boy starts Latin in the class corresponding to our fourth grade. He starts his first modern language at the same age. Plane geometry is introduced in the class corresponding to our sixth grade, and the second modern language in the seventh. The accompanying chart shows the progress of American, German, and French boys of the same age in Mathematics and Latin. That the essentials of our high school course are completed in the class corresponding to our ninth grade, or first year high school is due in part to mechanical saving of time, in part to better methods, but to a large degree it is due to the This is a typical case. The exact dates are not universal.

STUDIES PURSUED BY AMERICAN, GERMAN AND FRENCH BOYS OF THE SAME AGE

NOTE-These may be, but not necessarily are, the work of one pupil. This depends upon the type of school and course.

early start in high school subject matter which is effected there.

One further economy deserves notice, facilitated in its operation by the continuity of the course of study. The