Real school

The Realschule is a type of high school in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

Germany

In most states of Germany, Realschulen are high schools that start at fifth grade and continue until tenth grade. After graduation, typically at age 16, students 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 In some states, Realschulen have recently been replaced by Oberschulen or Sekundarschulen.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 years' 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)