REALSCHULE

The 'Realschule' is a type of secondary school in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Denmark (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), and Russian Empire (Реальное училище).

Contents

Germany

History

Bibliography

Germany

In most states of Germany, pupils start at a Realschule at the age of eleven or twelve and typically finish school at the age of 16, when they are expected to take on an apprenticeship. In some states, Realschulen have recently been replaced by ''Oberschulen'' or ''Sekundarschulen''.
The Realschule is ranked between Hauptschule (lowest) and Gymnasium (highest) in the secondary school system.

History

The Realschule was an outgrowth of the rationalism and empiricism of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. While efforts were made to introduce more science into the classical schools generally, the Realschule offered a more scientific emphasis than the Gymnasium, with its emphasis on classics and humanities. In 1747, Hecker established at Berlin an ökonomisch-mathematische Realschule, which may be regarded as the prototype of the Realschule of the twentieth century. The Realschule was a six-years course. The ''Oberrealschule'' had a nine-year course.
Gymnasia and Realgymnasia are the classical higher or secondary schools of Germany.

Bibliography

★ F. E. Bolton, ''Secondary School System of Germany'', (New York, 1900)

★ J. E. Russell, ''German Higher Schools'', (New York, 1907)