CHAPTER XIX. EDUCATION IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. STATISTICS OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. [Table 110.] Table 110 presents the principal statistics relating to elementary education in foreign countries whose reports have been received at this Office. As few countries report their school population, the total populations have been given in Column 2, Part I, of the table, as a basis for comparing school enrolment. Where the latest census antedates by several years the year of the school report, estimates of the total population for a nearer date have been employed when attainable. The fact is indicated by a foot-note. Such estimates have been taken from the educational reports, or from the Statesman's Year-Book for 1887. The school ages reported from 35 countries range from 5 to 21 years. From an inspection of Column 3, Part II, it will be seen that seven countries report a longer period than 9 years, while nine report a shorter period than 8 years. The average period is 8.2 years. The statistics of school population and enrolment in Hungary include the youth 6 to 15 years of age, which are accordingly given as the limits of the school age. In fact, attendance upon elementary schools in Hungary is obligatory from 6 to 12 years of age, inclusive, and upon the "review" or "continuation" schools from 12 to 15 years. The latter may be day, evening, or Sabbath schools. In them the branches pursued in the ordinary elementary schools are reviewed, and somewhat extended. The school age in Bavaria includes also 3 years in the review schools. In England and Scotland it is customary to include only six-sevenths of the population in estimating the number of children for whom provision should be made in Stateaided elementary schools. As the omission of one-seventh of the population in these estimates is misleading when the statistics are tabulated with those of other countries, the numbers showing the entire child population as given in the official reports from those countries are used in this table. It will be observed that the school population of England and Wales is given for the years 5 to 14, and also 3 to 14; the former is the obligatory school period. Children are, however, admitted at 3 years of age, and the enrolment includes pupils as young as that, together with a small number above 14 years of age. In the case of Finland the enrolment includes pupils in infant schools. The ratios of school enrolment to total population, and to school population when reported, are shown in Table 111. Care has been taken to confine the table to the statistics of elementary schools; i. e., schools below the high school grade, which is substantially the same for all countries. In a very few instances the distinction is not clearly preserved in the original reports, and the totals of enrolment and teachers possibly include high schools. It is certain, however, that in these cases, which are few. the totals are not greatly affected thereby. A glance at the columns setting forth the number of schools and the school enrolment will show that the word "school," or its foreign equivalent, has various applications. It sometimes signifies the scholars in charge of one teacher, and sometimes a collection of such bodies forming a series of grades in one building. In the case of Würtemberg, the number of teachers' positions is given in Column 12, the number of teachers employed not being reported. Pupil teachers are a feature of the school systems of England and Wales, Scotland, New South Wales, and Japan, and are included in the totals of teachers for the three former countries. The teaching force reported for Ireland includes 665 work mistresses and temporary assistants. The expenditures reported include as a rule teachers' salaries and cost of supervision and administration. For Saxony the amount includes expenditures for 1,892 Fortbildungsschulen and two schools for deaf-mutes; for England and Wales and Scotland the cost of night schools is included; and for Ireland and Jamaica the amount is the reported income of the schools, which is presumably equivalent to the expenditure. In the following countries represented in the table, the elementary schools are free schools: France, Italy, Switzerland, Algeria, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentine Republic, Chili, Victoria, Queensland, and New Zealand. In these the cost of elementary education is defrayed by State and local funds. The Prussian constitution of 1850 declared that instruction should be gratuitous in the elementary schools, but the provision has not been carried into effect for want of means. For the accomplishment of this purpose a bill was introduced into the Landtag in January, 1888, calling for an appropriation equivalent to five million dollars. The bill passed and was one of the last acts signed by the Emperor Frederick. After October 1, 1888, the collection of fees will cease and the elementary schools will be free. In Venezuela the law provides for free schools, but this provision does not appear to have been carried into effect. In the remaining countries a portion of the cost is met by tuition fees. In addition to the tabulated statistics of elementary instruction in France the official report gives a total of 6,090 maternal schools, enrolling 761,692 pupils and employing 9,219 teachers. The number of pupils in superior primary schools or complementary courses was 38,776 (viz, 27,295 boys and 11,481 girls). In Table 110, Part I, Mons. Berthelot is given as the minister of public instruction in France. This gentleman was succeeded by Mons. Spuller, December 12, 1897, who gave way January 1, 1888, to Mons. Léopold Faye. The term of service of the last-named terminated April 3, at which date Mons. Edouard Lockroy was appointed. Countries. TABLE 110.-Comparative Statistics of Elementary Education in Foreign Countries.-PART I. Dr. Gautsch von Frankenthurn, minister of public instruction and ecclesiastical affairs. Dr. Von Gossler, minister of ecclesiastical affairs, of public instruction, and of medical affairs. Dr. C. F. W. von Gerber, minister of state and chief of the department of ecclesiastical affairs The Oberschulbehörde," Dr. J. O. Stammann (senator), presiding officer. Committee of council on education. Lord president for England and Scotland, Viscount Cranbrook; vice-president for England, Commissioners of national education in Ireland. Signor Michele Coppino, minister of public instruction. Dec. 31, 1886 347.00 Dr. J. Heeniskerk, minister of the interior. 1885 16.00 Dec. 1, 1880 179.00 205,093, 375 1881 228.00 1886 123.09 K. M. Chatfield, director of public instruction. 3,736, 771 1881 42.00 3,817, 465 1886 31.00 R. G. Hodson, officiating director of public instruction. Langham Dale, superintendent-general of education. S. D. Pope, superintendent of education. J. B. Somerset, superintendent of education for the Protestant schools, William Crockett, chief superintendent of education. David Allison, superintendent of education. George W. Ross, minister of education. 51.00 7.00 585, 536 1881 134.00 a171, 914 1886 98.00 Costa Rica Guatemala.. a196, 270 Dec. 31,1886 9.00 1,322,544 1885 28.00 Nicaragua.... 275,815 1883 6.00 Queensland a233, 020 1885 .50 B. B. Moreton, secretary for public instruction. D. Montgomery, chief superintendent of education. Hon. Gédéon Ouimet, superintendent of education. Thomas Capper, inspector of schools. R. J. L. Guppy, superintendent of education. Don Mauro Fernández, minister of commerce, agriculture, finance, and public instruction. Don Joaquin Elizondo, minister of the interior and of war, in charge of foreign affairs and (Dr. D. Filemón Posse, minister of justice, worship, and public instruction. Dr. Benjamin Zorrilla, president of the national council of education. Señor P. L. Cuadra, minister of justice, worship, and public instruction. Dr. Drivimioso Terra, minister of justice,ecclesiastical affairs, and public instruction; Señor Don 3.00 Alejandro Goiticoa, minister of public instruction. His excellency Walter M. Gibson, president of the board of education. John A. Hartley, B. A. B. Sc., inspector-general of schools, minister of education. West Australia.. a32, 958 1884 .03 John A. Cockburn, minister of education. New Zealand 578, 182 1886 5.00 George Fisher, minister of education. Tasmania a133, 791 1883 5.00 E. N. C. Braddon, minister of education. a Estimated. bRegistrar-general's estimate. e Estimated European. |