DIESTERWEG

diesterweg, friedrich adolf wilhelm (1790-1866), german educationist, was born at siegen on the 29th of october 1790. educated at herborn and tubingen universities, he took to the profession of teaching in 1811. in 1820 he was appointed director of the new school at mors, where he put in practice the methods of pestalozzi. in 1832 he was summoned to berlin to direct the new state-schools seminary in that city. here he proved himself a strong supporter of unsectarian religious teaching. in 1846 he established the pestalozzi institution at pankow, and the pestalozzi societies for the support of teachers' widows and orphans. in 1850 he retired on a pension, but continued vigorously to advocate his educational views. in 1858 he was elected to the chamber of deputies as member for the city of berlin, and voted with the liberal opposition. he died in berlin on the 7th of july 1866. diesterweg was a voluminous writer on educational subjects, and was the author of various school text-books.