Gymnasia and Realgymnasia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gymnasia (singular: Gymnasium) and Realgymnasia were the classical higher or secondary schools of Germany from the sixteenth century to the twentieth century. Students were admitted at 9 or 10 years of age and were required to have a knowledge of reading, writing, and arithmetic.
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[edit] Gymnasia
The Gymnasia arose out of the humanistic movement of the sixteenth century. The first general system of schools which provided for the Gymnasia was that of Saxony, formulated in 1528, but without providing for Greek in such schools until a later date. Afterwards, both Greek and Latin were included, and the Latin and Greek languages formed the foundation of the teaching and studying of the Gymnasia, which was a nine-year course.
[edit] Realgymnasia
In Prussia, the Realgymnasia gave a nine-year course, with Latin, but no Greek.
[edit] Realschulen
The Realschulen appeared in the eighteenth century, as a six-year course. Hecker introduced the prototypical Realschulen in 1747. The Realschulen, or burgher school (Bürgerschulen), was simply a higher elementary or intermediate school.
[edit] Other methods
In Prussia, the Progymnasia were similar schools of six or seven year courses. The Realprogymnasia was of six or seven years' length. The Oberschulen offered a nine-year course with neither Greek nor Latin.
[edit] Modern languages
Early in the twentieth century, the introduction of French and English as elective languages brought about the greatest change since the introduction of the Realschulen in the eighteenth century. Students tended to ignore the Greek language.
[edit] Gymnasia for girls
Early in the twentieth century, schools for girls increased in numbers.
[edit] Works
- Matthew Arnold, Higher Schools and Universities in Germany, (second edition, London, 1882)
- Schrader, Erziehungs- und Unterrichtslehre für Gymnasien und Realschulen, (fifth edition, Berlin, 1893)
- Paulsen, German Education, Past and Present, (translated by Lorenz, New York, 1908)
- A. Beier, Die höheren Schulen in Preußen und ihre Lehrer, (Halle, 1909)
- J. F. Brown, The Training of Teachers for Secondary Schools in Germany and the United States, (New York, 1911)
The rise of girl's Gymnasiums is due mainly to the influx of feminist ideals in the twentieth century.
