FELLENBERG, Philipp Emanuel von, fele') a-ma'noo-el fon fel'len b6rn, Swiss edu cational and agricultural reformer: b. Berne, 27 June 1771; d. Hofwyl, 21 Nov. 1844. The years 1795-98 he spent in traveling over France and Germany, visiting in preference the vil lages, and chiefly devoting his attention to the material, intellectual and moral condition of the agricultural classes. He became convinced that the cause of all the existing poverty and misery was the absence of sound and rational instruc tion, and that the remedy lay in combining with a sound general education special training for the pupil's future trade. On his return to Berne he devoted himself to the improvement of the social and intellectual welfare of youth. For this purpose he purchased the estate of Hofwyl, and established successively an insti tution for instructing the children of the poorer classes, a seminary for children in the higher grades of life, and a normal school. The
pupils were all trained to work in the fields or at the bench, and the product of their labor was sufficient to cover the expenses of their education. Fellenberg's scheme was at first ridiculed by his countrymen, and looked upon for a time with some suspicion by the govern ment; but ere long its beneficial results at tracted even the attention of foreign govern ments. Alexander I of Russia conferred upon the philanthropist the decoration of Saint Vladimir, and sent seven young nobles to be educated at his institution. Several foreign princes visited the establishment, and founded institutions on a similar plan. The Fellenberg institutions still exist, though on a less ex tensive scale, and are partly carried on by his descendants.