f
serving some political purpose. The schoolboy is regarded by the
authorities as a mere pawn, to be moved on the national board in strict
accordance with the political necessities of the hour.

For some years past, the attention of Prussia and of the whole German
Empire has been concentrated upon the commercial rivalry of the
different nations of the world. The chief, if not the sole, educational
aim has been to produce a percentage-calculating machine on a wholesale
plan, equipped with certain devices for the successful carrying on of
trade. The German authorities became impregnated with the belief that
commercial supremacy could best be attained by organizing the whole
nation into a uniform body of workers trained to co-operation.
Everything of late years has been subordinated to this design.

The commercial success of the scheme has been notorious. German
manufacturers have been gaining ground in all parts of the world. The
consular reports at the Foreign Office are filled with pessimistic
warnings about the decline of British trade at various points where it
was once supreme, and with significant statistics that show the rapid
advance of German commercial enterprise.

But it does not follow, because Germany seems to have shot ahead of us
by leaps and bounds of late years, that she has adopted sound means to
accomplish this end. On the contrary, if the expedients by which this
commercial supremacy has been attained are an exaggeration of the worst
evils of education systems, then Germany has started upon a downward
path which must eventually lead her to the brink of ruin.

And this is precisely the case. Cramming has been brought throughout
Germany to the level of a fine art. It is done, I must confess--for I
was myself subjected to the process for some years--more completely and
effectively than in this country. That is to say, the pupil is not
crammed in such an idiotic fashion that he forgets all that has been
stuffed into him immediately he has left school. The drilling, however
wrong it may be in principle, is thorough enough, in all conscience. It
may be, as it is elsewhere, the pestle and mortar system. But at least
the pestle is applied consistently, and each ingredient is perfectly
mixed before the next component is introduced.

If, therefore, the object of education be to produce an article of a
certain type or consistency, then the Prussian school stands far in
advance of our own cramming institution