“To train in theoretical and practical knowledge capable surveyors, architects, civil engineers, and masons, principally for the King’s dominions, but foreigners may find admittance if no disadvantage accrue thereby to the King’s subjects.”

Later, in 1821, Gewerbeschule came into existence, and in 1879 the union of these two formed the Berlin Technische Hochschule which is located in Charlottenburg, a suburb of the city. Owing to the high standards of this institution, it is styled the Königliche Technische Hochschule. Since its reorganization the plans of the other schools of like character have been modified in accordance with the Berlin scheme.

The preparation necessary for admission to the Hochschulen is equivalent to that demanded by the university proper. The age of admission probably never drops below seventeen, the average age being considerably greater. Men of mature years and of wide experience and training avail themselves to the privileges offered. The courses are from three to four years in length.

[3] “The new universities thus developed have the purpose of affording higher instruction for the technical positions in state and community service, as well as in industrial life, and of cultivating sciences and arts which are intimately connected with the field of technology (Berlin provisory statute, 1879). They prove themselves equal to universities in the following points: they claim for their matriculated students the same preparatory education required by the old universities, namely, nine years at a classical high school; they grant and insist upon perfect freedom in teaching and learning; and are under the direction of rectors elected for one year, instead of having principals chosen for life as in secondary schools.”

[3] Report of the United States Commissioner of Education, 1897-1898, page 70.

It may be said here that an exception to the rule of the annual election of the administrative officers, is furnished in the example of the Munich school, which retains a permanent Director as the custom prevailed in times past.

Unless otherwise qualified, students must have prepared in the Industrieschule, the Gymnasium, the Real-Gymnasium or in the trade or building schools. In lieu of this an examination is demanded. Twenty-four is the minimum age of graduation.

In tracing the development of these schools from unpretentious beginnings to their present high standards of excellence, we see that more and more they have become unified in purpose and similar in curricula. In the early days too, the qualifications for admission, their dynamic government, and educational standards were lower and more diversified than we find them to-day. Sustained by the State and each administered by its board or council, they are doing a work which cannot be excelled by the universities themselves.

The organization of departments of work offered is approximately the same in all schools. In Berlin there are six departments: