It is stated semi-officially that the Prussian Parliament, which commenced
its Session this week, will be asked to make important changes in the Education Department. The Ministry of Education is to be abolished, and its powers transferred to the heads of provinces, acting, of course, under their general responsibility to the King. Moreover, although each household will be allowed to select its own creed, instruction in some creed is to be made peremptory in all schools, the King-Emperor believing, like his grandfather, that the spread of a kind of paganism threatens modern society. One would like to see the details of this plan, which is another proof of the Emperor's devouring activity of mind, before pronouncing a final opinion on it. In. England the proposal would rouse a storm of opposition ; but in Germany, if the conscience clause is only strict enough, it may be accepted. Neither Protestant nor Catholic nor Jew will object, and the great sceptical class is a good deal alarmed by the spread of Socialism, and not much afraid that schoolmasters can destroy the whole influence of the household. They feel a little like the Jew in the City who begged that his son might study with a Bible-class. " I'll keep him a Jew," said he.
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