53 6 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



put an end to the rivalry of the realschule is, that the gymnasium should 

 sacrifice to the needs of the time some of its time-honored but antiquated 

 claims, and conform itself somewhat more to the tendencies of the mod- 

 ern world. So soon as the gymnasium becomes imbued bona fide with 

 a new spirit, and insures fitting preparation even to those who devote 

 themselves to other than intellectual sciences, this rivalry will cease of 

 its own accord. The much-mooted question of the admission of real- 

 schulen pupils to faculty classes would thus be settled, for then the real- 

 schule would revert to its original intent, and be an industrial school 

 an institution of great importance in its proper sphere. 



What, then, do I demand of the gymnasium so that it shall appear 

 to meet the requirements of the time ? Essentially, very little, indeed. 

 First, I demand more mathematics. The mathematical course must in- 

 clude the discussion of equations of the second degree, and a few other 

 plane curves, and must also give an introduction to differential calcu- 

 lus through the theory of tangents. To this end, a greater number of 

 hours must of course be given to mathematics six or eight, instead of 

 four. In the examinations for advancement and graduation, mathe- 

 matics must really stand on an equality with the ancient languages and 

 history. The equality of the teacher of mathematics with the teachers 

 of the other branches would in this way be made an actual fact. 



It will now, perhaps, be expected that I will further demand a large 

 increase in scientific instruction. But I do not at all purpose to convert 

 the gymnasium into a school for science-teaching. All that I ask is 

 that as much shall be done to meet the wants of the future physician, 

 architect, or military officer, as those of the future judge, or preacher, 

 or teacher of classical languages. Thus, I ask for only so much natural 

 history in the lower classes of the school as will awaken the faculty of 

 observing, and that facilities be given for .familiarizing the lads with 

 the method of classification, which is rooted in the depths of the un- 

 derstanding, and whose educational force is so eloquently described by 

 Cuvier. Let Darwinism, of which I am myself an adherent, be excluded 

 from the gymnasium. In the higher classes, for the reasons assigned 

 in my report, I should like to have taught, not physics and chemistry 

 with experiments, but mechanics, the elements of astronomy, also of 

 mathematical and physical geography to which studies one hour more 

 than heretofore could be devoted without injury. 



But how are we to find time for these innovations ? In the prima 

 two hours might be gained by doing away with the religious instruc- 

 tion. We cannot understand the use of such instruction in a class 

 whose Protestant pupils have all been confirmed; and yet, in the semi- 

 official plan of studies already quoted, more than half a page of fine 

 print is expended in setting forth the subject-matter of this instruction, 

 while five lines suffice to dispatch the mathematical programme. On read- 

 ing this half-page and the corresponding half-page for the upper second 

 class, one imagines he has before him the programme of a theological 



