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schule,' a

BürgerWaisen

schule,' and a

he was also appointed pastor in the suburb of Glaucha, Armenand through this latter position his real work as an educator began. While catechizing the children who came to the parsonage to beg, he was shocked at their ignorance, anstalt.' poverty, and immorality, and resolved to raise them from their degradation by education. One day early in 1695, upon finding a contribution of seven guldens 1 in his alms box, he started an Armenschule ('school for the poor') in his own house, and engaged a student of the university as its teacher. As he was soon requested to open another school for those whose parents could afford to pay, he rented two rooms in a neighboring building, one for the Armenschule and one for the Bürgerschule ('school for citizens'). Further, believing it of advantage to remove orphans from their old associations, he established a third institution for them, called the Waisenanstalt ('orphanage'), and later he subdivided all three organizations upon the basis of sex.

founded

Still in this same year, he undertook for a wealthy He also widow of noble family to educate her son together with secondary some other boys, and his work in this direction grew 'Pädago

1 The silver Gulden, or 'florin,' worth about forty cents, would seem to be meant here. $2.80 seems a small sum with which to 'found a school,' but in Francke's time a coin of the present value of a dollar had a very large purchasing power. With the contribution, we learn, Francke purchased two thalers' (about $1.50) worth of books and employed a poor student to teach the children two hours daily. For the further support of the school he declared he would 'trust God.'

schools,

gium,'
'Schola
Latina,'
'Töchter-
schule,' and

rapidly into a secondary school, which came to be known as the Pädagogium. Two years later he started another secondary course for the purpose of preparing the brighter 'Realschule,' boys from the orphan and poor schools for the university, and this was called the Lateinische Hauptschule, or Schola Latina, to distinguish it from the elementary schools, in which no foreign language was taught. As early as 1698, Francke likewise wished to organize a boarding-school where girls whose parents could afford it might obtain a training in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and other secondary subjects, and while at first this enterprise was on a small scale, within a dozen years the Höhere Töchterschule ('higher school for girls') became a regular part of his system. Moreover, through his colleague, Semler, a secondary school of a more practical type, called the Realschule, in which the pure and applied sciences were taught, became associated in 1708 with the institutions of Francke.

and a 'Semi

ceptorum.'

In addition to these elementary and secondary schools, Francke was also enabled, through a gift of four thousand marks ($1000), to institute in 1695 a Seminarium narium Præ- Præceptorum ('seminary for teachers'), in which the theological students that taught in his schools might be trained. These students practiced teaching for two hours each day under the supervision and criticism of inspectors, and were boarded at a Freitisch ('free table'), established by means of the endowment.

His Religious Aim in Education

Even if we were not acquainted with the origin of Pietism, or with the practice in Francke's schools, the explicit statements in his Brief and Simple Treatise on Christian Education would make it evident that the educational aim underlying all his work was primarily religious training. "The chief object in view," says Francke, "is that all children may be instructed above all things in the vital knowledge of God and Christ, and be initiated into the principles of true religion." He goes so far as to insist:

"Only the pious man is a good member of society. Without sincere piety, all knowledge, all prudence, all worldly culture, is more hurtful than useful, and we are never secure against its misuse."

His position is, therefore, a real return to the Reformation emphasis upon faith and non-ceremonial worship. Nevertheless, it has been clear that he was sufficiently affected by the times to found his schools somewhat with reference to existing social strata, and he distinctly declares, "In all instruction we must keep the pupil's station and future calling in mind."

Course and Methods in His Schools

Naturally, then, the subject most emphasized in all of Francke's schools was religion. In the elementary

1 The full title is Kurzer und einfältiger Unterricht wie die Kinder zur wahren Gottseligkeit und Christlichen Klugheit anzuführen sind.

His Christian

Education

holds

religion to be

the chief aim, but declares

that the pu

pil's station sidered.

must be con

The Bible

and cate

chism as ma

terial, and

reading and writing based

on the Scrip

tures.

Realistic studies.

In the 'Päda-
gogium,'
Greek and
Hebrew for

exegesis, and
Latin and
French

Bible.

schools, four out of seven hours each day were given to Bible study, catechism, prayer, and pious observances, and the reading and writing were based upon the Scriptures as material. After learning to read, a pupil studied arithmetic for four hours, and vocal music for two hours each week. Incidentally, the course was enriched with a knowledge of 'real' or useful things, such as the simplest facts of astronomy and physics, bits of geographical and historical information, and various household arts.

In the Pädagogium, not only was religion the chief study, but Greek and Hebrew were taught largely for the sake of exegesis, compositions were written in Latin upon Bible subjects, and French was learned through a through the New Testament in that language. The realistic turn to Francke's work also appeared in training in the vernacular, in such studies as mathematics, German oratory, history, and geography, and in the elements of natural science, arts, and crafts, and of astronomy, anatomy, and materia medica. He also added the management of estates, gardens, and vineyards, and such other knowledge as the upper classes of society would find useful. As the pupils in the Schola Latina were not of sufficient social standing to demand it, the French and some of the practical studies of the Pädagogium were omitted, but the curriculum was otherwise the same. The Realschule went more fully into the mathematics, sciences, and useful subjects than did the Pädagogium. The

Realistic and practical studies.

Course of the 'Schola Latina,' the 'Realschule,' and the

1

schule.'

work in the Töchterschule was not unlike that in the Latin "Töchterschool, but included the household arts and other occupational studies and 'accomplishments.'

The indi

vidual pupil

was studied.

without

While the course in all of Francke's schools was distinctly disciplinary in theory, good pedagogy was not altogether neglected. The teachers were directed by his treatise to study each individual pupil, and were advised how to train children to concentrate, observe, and reason. Although much memorizing was practiced, Memorizing "children were not to be permitted to learn to prattle understandwords without understanding them." This comprehen- ing was not sion of the work was, of course, increased by applying all studies to everyday life. The pupils wrote formal Application letters, receipts, and bonds, and their mathematical daily life. problems were based upon practical transactions. The discipline in all the schools of Francke, in consequence, Mild discithough strict, was mild and humane.

The Influence of Francke's Institutions

allowed.

of studies to

pline.

Institutions'

From these schools, together with the orphanage, 'Francke's seminary, and 'free table' as a nucleus, have developed grew rapidly, the now celebrated organization known as Franckesche increased in Stiftungen ('Francke's Institutions"). "It is difficult

to decide," says Adamson, "whether the most surprising feature is their humble beginning, or their rapid growth and steady adaptation of means to ends." In spite of many controversies resulting from the Pietistic auspices

number, and

have done a

most effec

tive work.

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