Whether pupils go into the chosen line of life work directly from the gymnasium or by way of the university, it is of distinct advantage to specialize along the line for which they are preparing. Should they intend to teach, they would doubtless prefer studying most the subjects to be taught. In these they would have deepest interest, and from their pursuit they would derive greatest profit. If they determined to study theology, law, medicine, or some other special phase of learning, they would make selection of gymnasial course with that object in view. Whatever the work to follow completion of the gymnasium, the different courses prepare for the narrower specialization which characterizes life's activities and all their university study.
The following table presents the exact work represented by the three courses in form convenient for comparisons.
TABLE XII.
The Three Courses of Study in the Gymnasia of Norway Showing Weekly Hours Given to Each Subject.[A]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||
| I | II | III | I | II | III | I | II | III | |
| ————— | ————— | ————— | |||||||
| Religion | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Norwegian | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| German | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| English | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| French | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Latin | 7 | 11 | |||||||
| History | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Geography | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Natural Science | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | ||
| Mathematics | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | ||
| Drawing | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | |
[Note A: 1. Singing and gymnastics—5 or 6 hours per week are omitted from the table.
2. 1, Real course, 2, Language-History course, 3, Language-History course with Latin.]
As the table shows, the three courses are identical during the first year and uniform in religion and German throughout the three years. The Language-History course lends itself favorably for purposes of comparison. It stresses the importance of several modern languages and history, giving to them a preeminence over all other work. The Real course reduces the work in English, French, Norwegian, and History and increases the amount of science and mathematics. The course including Latin makes similar reductions but emphasizes Latin instead of the sciences and mathematics.
The Norwegians believe it better and cheaper to offer the different courses in the same school than to provide separate schools. This plan necessitates less duplication and at the same time affords quite as adequate facilities for whatever specialization the different courses represent.