Note 113 — ON INSTRUCTION IN THE CLASSICS AND THE SCIENCES.[113]

An address delivered before the Congress of Delegates of the German Realschulmännerverein, at Dortmund, April 16, 1886. The full title of the address reads: "On the Relative Educational Value of the Classics and the Mathematico-Physical Sciences in Colleges and High Schools."

Although substantially contained in an address which I was to have made at the meeting of Natural Scientists at Salzburg in 1881 (deferred on account of the Paris Exposition), and in the Introduction to a course of lectures on "Physical Instruction in Preparatory Schools," which I delivered in 1883, the invitation of the German Realschulmännerverein afforded me the first opportunity of putting my views upon this subject before a large circle of readers. Owing to the place and circumstances of delivery, my remarks apply of course, primarily, only to German schools, but, with slight modifications, made in this translation, are not without force for the institutions of other countries. In giving here expression to a strong personal conviction formed long ago, it is a matter of deep satisfaction to me to find that they agree in many points with the views recently advanced in independent form by Paulsen (Geschichte des gelehrten Unterrichts, Leipsic, 1885) and Frary (La question du latin, Paris, Cerf, 1885). It is not my desire nor effort here to say much that is new, but merely to contribute my mite towards bringing about the inevitable revolution now preparing in the world of elementary instruction. In the opinion of experienced educationists the first result of that revolution will be to make Greek and mathematics alternately optional subjects in the higher classes of the German Gymnasium and in the corresponding institutions of other countries, as has been done in the splendid system of instruction in Denmark. The gap between the German classical Gymnasium and the German Realgymnasium, or between classical and scientific schools generally, can thus be bridged over, and the remaining inevitable transformations will then be accomplished in relative peace and quiet. (Prague, May, 1886.)