e needs of the students in the particular locality being
kept in mind. In the rural schools the programme of studies is somewhat
general, comprising the German language, arithmetic, mensuration, nature
study; and in some instances may be added to these, geography, German
history, drawing, gymnastics and music. This programme is elective to
the extent that the capacity and previous education of the pupil are
considered, and too, the ability of the teacher, local conditions and
the time spent by the individual student. Such schools are admonished
not to take on the character of technical institutions, but rather to
continue the general education begun in the Volksschulen. Only under
certain conditions is less than four hours per week of instruction
permissible.

In Prussia the city continuation schools are of two grades, each grade
made up of a number of classes. In the lower grade schools, instruction
is given in accordance with the particular trade or calling the pupil is
to follow. In the upper grade, work is much the same, proficiency being
the chief additional feature. When six hours of work is the minimum,
language, arithmetic, elementary geometry and drawing, form the body of
the course; while penmanship, geography, history, grammar and nature
study all are taken up in connection with the reading work. Business
forms are not overlooked. In the more fully equipped schools where the
teachers are prepared for such branches, higher mathematics, mechanics,
physics and advanced drawing are taken up.

If, as before stated, the various types of continuation schools overlap,
the same is true regarding the trade and industrial continuation
schools. While in many instances the work in the latter schools is of a
general character, aiming to supplement or round out the education of
the pupil, we find that many of the original schools of this class have
developed into a form of special or trade school. This is brought about
through pressure from without, as it were. When a certain industry
predominates in a locality supporting a continuation school, it is only
fair to suppose that the work done, general though it may be, will be
colored to some extent at least, by the demands of such industry. If
this process of merging is carried sufficiently far, as is in many cases
done, the school may lose almost or entirely its original trend, and
from a Fortbildungsschule, fall into the class of trade or Fachschulen.

In the main then, t