SECONDARY EDUCATION. The secondary system is built up with little regard to the primary sys tem. It takes its form solely with regard to the career for which it is intended to prepare. The secondary course proper begins with the fourth year of the child's school life. The selection made for the child at that time practically determines its life's work, for the different secondary courses are characterized by great rigidity—there is prac tically no changing from one to another. Only recently, since about 1892, has the attempt been made, on the 'Frankfurt plan,' to introduce a system making transference at certain periods possible. In the secondary school system of ear lier centuries the ancient classics held a domi nant position, and an extensive system of privi leges admitting to social rank had been based upon them, and tended to give them a peculiar persistence. The schools in which the classics still constitute the central feature of the course are called the Gymnasien, and it is only by tak ing this course that admission may be secured to many of the highest Government positions or the highest social recognition reached. But the re quirements of a practical age have demanded greater and greater concessions. An entirely dif ferent class of schools—the grown up, in which the modern languages are the centre of the course, special attention being given to mathematics and natural sciences, with out offering technical training. Schools of this nature began to be popular as early as the time of Frederick the Great, but it was not until the last half of the nineteenth century that the obstacles in their way were sufficiently removed to allow them a rapid growth. There has nat urally been a development along a compromised line, as shown in the be ing retained and practical subjects substituted for the Greek. And, indeed, since 1900, substitutes for Greek are accepted in the Prussian Gymna sien.
Secondary education, therefore, has developed along three lines represented respectively by the Gymnasien, Realschulen, and Realgymnasien. Each of these types embraces two classes of schools, the distinguishing feature being the length of the curriculum—generally either six or nine years. The main factor determininn. this time-classification is the privilege afforded, to those who have completed six years in the recog nized secondary schools, of reducing the period of compulsory military service in the army to one year. The desirability of this reduction, and especially the social prestige which it implies, induce many to complete the six years, after which they are likely to discontinue the course unless they have in view university or other ad vanced study, and further special privileges.
Accordingly many schools give only the first six years of the course. Those which offer the full nine years are the Gymnasien, Realgymnasien, and Oberrealschulen, while the corresponding schools of six years are the Progymnasien, Real progymnasien, and Realschulen, the Hohere Burgerschulen belonging also to the latter class. Graduates from the Oberrealschulen are admitted to study in most of the special or technical branches given at the universities, and also in the mathematical and natural science courses; while those who have graduated from the Real gymnasien may take, in addition to the preced ing, certain other branches, such as modern languages. The entire university course, includ ing some of the most desirable branches like theology, law, medicine, and ancient philology and history, is open only to the graduates of the Gymnasien, though Prussia since 1900 has thrown open all its faculties, except theology, to. graduates of the Realgymnasien and the Ober realschulen. The relative importance of the dif ferent classes of secondary schools in Germany is seen in a statement of their number. In 189T there were 439 Gymnasien and 92 Progymnasien; 128 Realgymnasien and 93 Realprogymnasien; 198 Realschulen and 4 Oberrealschulen, besides 2 HOhere Biirgerschulen, 32 other public schools, and 50 private schools.
As seen above, the secondary course of instruc tion is definitely planned with reference to a professional career. Since it is not intended that women should follow these careers, it is not nec essary that they take these preparatory courses. Under the prevailing social and military order, the Government demands the most exacting prep aration of its men for the service of the State. This consideration, which involves great expense, limits the extent of State support to female sec ondary education. Most of the secondary schools are limited to a nine years' course (including the Vorschulen) and are not recognized as secondary schools, but as Mittelschulen. The Hohere 11 hd chenschulen, however, are of secondary rank, although the ancient classics have no place in their curriculum, the modern languages—Ger man, French, and English—taking their place. Very recently three schools offering courses iden tical with those of the boys' Gymnasien have been established for girls.