Public instruction in Hungary

The last decade covers a period of remarkable develops ment in Hungarian education. The War with all its political consequences for Hungary and the progressive spirit pres vailing in educational theory and practice resulted in a thos rough revision of the entire system of education. It may be noted that Hungary had before the War a population of 22,000.000son a territory of 127,125 square miles, about the size of the states of Ohio, Kentucky, and Tenessee; since the treaty arrangements the country has been reduced to an area of 36,250 square miles with a population of 8,300.000 or slightly smaller than Indiana. Although the two revolutions following the War made it clear that the principles of cultural democracy are indiss pensable guarantees for the soundness of political demos cracy, the almost insoluble territorial and social problems as well as the financial crisis of the country tended to occupy the center of legislative interest. For this reason the large building program for rural schools and the new universities, the reform of secondary education, and the new scholarship scheme are mostly due to the initiative taken by Count Klebelsberg, Minister of Religions Affairs and Public Ins struction. His bills adopted by the Parliament aim chiefly to raise the cultural standards of the rural districts and to give a sound education to the rising generation intending to enter upon professional careers. Public instruction is based on laws passed by Parlament and on ordinances issued by the Ministry. The latter, as the administrative center of public instruction, is headed by the Minister, who is a member of the Cabinet, and responsible to the Parliament. The Ministry consists of the following departments: Religious Affaires; Art and Music; Higher Institutions of Learning and Science; Secondary Education; Urban Schools and Teacher Training, Commen cial Schools and Institutions for Mental Defectives; Elemem tary Education and Teacher Training; Pensions; Public Funds for Education, Public Real Elstate Funds; Technical Bureau; and Physical Education. The Ministry determines the curriculum and proposes the courses of study; it has all state schools under its charge, administers the city, endowed, cooperative, and private schools, and supervises the denominational schools, it appoints the teachers, prepares educational bills, and puts the laws into effect.