524 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



approached the surface, and vastly extended the ocean domain by 

 covering a broad region of the land surface with frozen water of 

 almost oceanic depth. With this must have been associated a 

 marked lowering of the level of the oceans, though to what 

 extent it would not be safe to estimate. 







COEDUCATION" IN SWISS UNIVERSITIES. 



By FLOEA BKIDGES. 



THERE is a sturdy freedom in the Swiss character which is 

 admirable in American eyes, and which seems to make the 

 people grow naturally and easily into conditions closely approach- 

 ing our own ideals. The soil is not so deep, to be sure, nor so rich, / 

 as it might be but for circumstances which the Swiss himself 

 already sees and is taking measures to modify. It is interesting 

 to note the progress of thought in Switzerland in the develop- 

 ment of schools. Before the government was. thoroughly organ- 

 ized, there were all sorts of schools, loosely, if at all, connected 

 with each other. Each canton, or state, had its own schools, 

 however, thus forming a center of growth whose development 

 may fairly illustrate that in every other state. Let us take Zu- 

 rich. Here the principal school was one founded and cared for 

 chiefly for the purpose of educating men for the ministry of the 

 Church, in which, however, provision was also made for the study 

 of the classics by those who had chosen some other life-work. 

 This was the beginning of systemization ; for this school rested 

 upon those of lower grade, and was itself subordinate to a kind 

 of council made up of its teachers, the leaders of the Church in 

 Zurich, and four other men, churchmen or laymen. These latter 

 were to be elected every year, with privilege of re-election, by a 

 higher Educational Council, two from its own number, the other 

 two at large. This council was composed of the burgomaster, 

 two representatives of state, and twelve other men, eight of whom 

 were appointed by the state Senate. 



This condition of schools there were in addition two for tech- 

 nical training lasted until 1831, in the spring of which year a 

 new state Constitution was drafted. This gave all authority in 

 school matters to the Educational Council, which it reorgan- 

 ized in the autumn of the same year. It was to consist of fif- 

 teen members, appointed by the Senate. Three of these should 

 be chosen from the legislative body of the state, half of the others 

 with reference to their knowledge of and interest in the higher 

 schools, the remainder with reference to the lower schools and 

 practical pedagogics. This new council, under the conviction 



