NATURE 
475 
THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1870 
SCIENCE EDUCATION IN GERMANY 
Il. THE POLYTECHNIC SCHOOLS 
HE “Polytechnicum” is an institution peculiar to 
Modern Germany. It has for its object the teaching 
of all branches of the sciences of experiment and observa- 
tion, not only in their principles, but in their applications 
to the industrial arts; these applications not being merely 
treated as illustrations of science, but regarded as the 
main subjects for instruction, for the sake of the under- 
standing of which systematic courses on theoretic science 
are given. 
The Polytechnica are altogether independent of the 
science departments of the Universities, but like these 
latter the Polytechnica are State institutions, the Pro- 
fessors (ranking generally somewhat below those of the 
University) are Government servants, and the current 
expenses are defrayed by State grants. 
- As a type of this interesting class of Science schools 
I may cite the two celebrated schools of Carlsruhe and 
Zurich, beginning with the Carlsruhe school with its 
600 students. 
In the original programme the school was declared to 
consist of ove general and sevex special departments. 
The general department, called the JZathematica/, furnished 
instruction in mathematics, in natural science, and in 
modern languages and literature. It was viewed as 
preparatory to the special schools, and also as adapted 
for those who proposed to become teachers of mathe 
matics and natural science. The seven special schools 
were of (1) civil engineering ; (2) mechanical engineering ; 
(3) architecture ; (4) forestry ; (5) manufacturing chemis- 
try; (6)commercial studies ; (7) civil service (Postschu/e), 
This constitution is in the latest programme, so far modi- 
fied that (1) the general department is no longer treated 
in form as introductory to the rest, though it still appears 
to be so virtually ; (2) the last two of the special depart- 
ments enumerated above are omitted, while an agricultural 
department is added. The schools are, therefore, now 
seven, Viz. :— 
Duration of complete course. 
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3. Mechanical Engineering. . . . . 2 3; 
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The teaching staff consists of twenty-four professors 
with sixteen assistant lecturers and laboratory assistants. 
The appliances comprise five laboratories, viz. chemical, 
physical, mineralogical, and one for forestry and agricul- 
ture ; alibrary ; and twelve different cabinets or collections. 
In the department of natural philosophy, as many as 120 
students attended the lectures of Professor Wiedemann 
in the summer semester of 1868. The cabinets are large 
and well-arranged. In the physical laboratory there were 
in the above year fourteen students, who went through 
the course of instruction in groups of four; most of these 
become teachers of the subjects in Real-Schulen; some 
get important posts in large mechanical workshops. 
In Zirich exist both a University and a Polytechnic 
School; and although the university is a cantonal, and 
the school a federal institution, they are so far allied 
that they share one magnificent building, and many 
students of the university are, at the same time, pupils in 
the school. The total expense to the State for the main- 
tenance of the Polytechnic School is 12,000/. per annum, 
whilst the original cost of the stately building itself was 
160,000/, The professors of the two institutions, moreover, 
work to a certain degree in concert. For instance, Dr. 
Bolley is Professor of Chemistry in the school, and Dr. 
Stadler, Professor of the same subject in the university. 
They have each a laboratory ; but Professor Stadler’s is 
an analytical, and Professor Bolley’s a technical laboratory. 
About 40 students work in the former, and 50 in the latter 
on an average. 
There is less freedom allowed to pupils of the school, as 
to the classes to be attended, than is customary at the 
university. Definite courses are laid down; but relax- 
ations are freely granted. 
The most important department of this Polytechnic 
School is that of mathematics and engineering ; there are 
also departments of forestry and agriculture, and an 
important department for teachers—a sort of technolo- 
gical seminary. 
The Professor of Technical or Applied Chemistry, Dr. 
Bolley, lectures three or four times weekly throughout the 
session. He makes four or five sub-divisions of his course ; 
—thus he lectures on the Chemistry of Colour ; of Heating 
and Lighting; of Materials of Nourishment; and of 
Agriculture. Before entering this class, the student is 
required to have attended a course of theoretical lectures 
on chemistry, and an elementary experimental course. 
Dr. Zeuner, the Professor of Engineering, gives about 
fifty or sixty lectures yearly on the Mechanical Theory of 
Heat; and he lectures six times a week for two semesters, 
onthe Theory of Machines. The character of his courses 
is very high and rigorous ; he insists on a knowledge of 
the differential calculus as a condition of entering his 
classes, and he remarked to the writer on the generally 
inadequate mathematical preparation of English students 
of engineering, mentioning his conviction that Professor 
Rankine, for whose works he expressed an unbounded 
admiration, must find the sphere of his efficiency as a 
teacher seriously limited by reason of the want of due 
preparation on the part of his students. 
The following extracts from the prospectus of the 
lectures in the engineering department of the Ztirich 
school, show how much more complete is the scheme of 
instruction there than has at present been found possible 
in England. 
B. Department of Civil Engineering. 
course, 3} years.) 
1st year.—Differential and Integral Calculus. De- 
scriptive Geometry. Principles of Construction. 
Practice in Construction. Drawing. Experimental 
Physics. Experimental Chemistry. 
2nd year.—Differential Equations. Technical Me- 
chanics. Geometry of three dimensions. Perspec- 
tive. Technical Geology. Topography. Drawing. 
Descriptive Mechanical Construction. Surveying. 
3rd year.—Theoretical Mechanical Construction. 
Astronomy. Geodesy. Construction of Iron 
Bridges, Railways, and Iron Roofs. Drawing. 
(Duration of 
