A Volkschool teacher at the turn of the century depicted by Bernd A. Schneider from the Schoolmuseum at Zell-Weierbach near Offenburg. In those days the teacher reminded you of the rules of behaviour at school, and the rod was always used in case of lack of discipline, much like in British schools in those days where the school-kids got benders when they were disobedient. Today, it's the other way around with school-kids receiving no punishment but only warnings. With all the discussions that went on in the past about schools a cure is yet miles away for all the maladies of the strange school system in Germany. If you're four years old, have academicians as parents you'll make it to the higher school of learning called "Gymnasium." If you're a migrant child and your parents work in the lower levels of the society, you might be most certainly obliged to attend the Hauptschule. If you're a bit clever,you might make it to the Realschule. If not you might perhaps land in the Sonderschule. (c) satisshroff