The Condition and Tendencies of Technical Education in Germany

by Arthur Henry Chamberlain

• 1. Industrieschulen
  • Gewerbeschulen
• 2. Trade Schools
  • Fachschulen
• 3. Building Trade Schools
• 4. Secondary Technical Schools
  • Higher Technical
  • Foremen
  • Building
  • Weaving
  • Drawing
• 5. Industrial Art Schools (Kunstgewerbe)
  • Pure Art
  • Applied Art
• 6. Polytechnics or Technische Hochschulen
• 7. Continuation Schools—Fortbildungsschulen

Another classification, suggested in most part by a German authority is as follows:

• 1. Fortbildungsschulen—Continuation schools
• 2. Industrie—or Fachschulen—Special Trade Schools
• 3. Gewerbeschulen
• 4. Technische Schulen
• 5. Technische Hochschulen
• 6. Baugewerkschulen—School for Architects
• 7. Kunstgewerbeschulen—Schools of Art

In the Seventeenth Annual Report of the U. S. Commissioner of Labor for 1902 we find the following:

• 1. Technical Colleges
• 2. Secondary or Intermediate Technical Schools
• 3. Schools and Museums of Industrial Art
• 4. Schools for Foremen
• 5. Schools for the Textile Trades
• 6. Trade and Industrial Continuation Schools
• 7. Industrial Drawing Courses
• 8. Other Institutions for Industrial Education.

The order followed in the present study is finally given below. It is one not to be found elsewhere, but more closely resembles that of Dr. Pabst (the second classification) and that found in the Seventeenth Annual Report of the Commissioner of Labor. It has undoubtedly its weak points, but I feel it is the best that can be made however, as it is based upon data recently published, and the results of correspondence with German school authorities, in addition to a not very extended knowledge gained through personal contact with the German schools. It may be taken therefore, as bringing the work down to the present time:

• 1. Continuation Schools or Fortbildungsschulen
• 2. Trade Schools or Fachschulen
• 3. Secondary or Intermediate Technical Schools or Gewerbliche Mittelschulen
• 4. Technical Colleges or Technische Hochschulen
• 5. School and Museums of Industrial Art, or Kunstgewerbeschulen

II

Continuation Schools
Fortbildungsschulen

Since at the age of fourteen years the German youth is no longer under the control of the compulsory school law, the value of the system of continuation schools is realized. Of necessity the great mass of boys are at this age, forced to enter some gainful pursuit. It was clearly evident to the German people that boys should not be cut off from school education at this early age. Dr. James H. Russell in his German Higher Schools says: