Herbartianism is without a doubt one of the most important pedagogic movements of the 19 th century. While quoting J. F. Herbart, his followers - Herbartians - built a pedagogic system which strongly marked educational theory and practice not only in Europe. The book offers a detailed insight into the constitution of teacher training in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy with special emphasis on the situation in Slovenia. Along with the basic didactic principles the foreground is reserved for the understanding of teacher personality. This book contextualises the professional assignments of teachers and their education with the interests of school policy. This historical perspective offers a useful apparatus for the understanding of today's debates about the professionalization of the teaching profession.