ICELAND EINARSSON 291 



total altogether over 3,000 miles with about 330 bridges, of which the 

 majority have been built during the last two decades. The roads 

 cover most of the populated districts, linking them together across 

 highland and mountain passes. Motor roads are also beginning to 

 reach up into the highland plateau. Motor vehicles are the chief 

 means of transport, and have replaced the horses. But travelers want- 

 ing to reach places outside the motor roads have to resort to ponies 

 both for riding and transport of goods. The Icelandic ponies are the 

 most delightful animals ; they are strong, sure-footed and intelligent. 

 As a matter of fact there are a great many who prefer the ponies to 

 the motor vehicles, and it is difficult to imagine a more pleasant way 

 of spending a holiday than by going with a group of friends on 

 horseback through certain parts of Iceland. 



Before the outbreak of the war passenger steamers sailed regularly 

 from Iceland to England, Denmark, Norway, and Germany. This is, 

 of course, somewhat changed now, and two steamers have been put on 

 the Reykjavik-New York route. Iceland hopes for improved com- 

 munications with the American countries in the near future and 

 wishes to establish a closer cultural and commercial relationship, par- 

 ticularly with Canada and the United States. 



Telegraph lines extend over the whole country, and submarine 

 cables, as well as a wireless telephone system, link Iceland with the 

 rest of the world. 



EDUCATION 



Illiteracy is unknown in Iceland, and the general level of education 

 is considered very high. Attendance in school is compulsory for every 

 child up to 14 years of age. In towns the school system is not unlike 

 what is common in the English speaking countries. But in the 

 country, schools have not yet been built in every district, so that in 

 some places the teachers have to use the individual homes where the 

 children gather. A number of schools for adults have been built in 

 the country districts. These schools are preferably erected at the side 

 of a hot spring, and are not only heated but are also equipped with 

 swimming baths and even steam baths. 



The University is small and a number of students go abroad to 

 various European and American countries for special studies. 



The art of writing seems to be a strong inheritance because a com- 

 paratively great number of people have shown their talent in this 

 respect. Perhaps they are encouraged by the knowledge that if they 

 have something to say and say it well, it wiU be read by a whole 

 nation, even if a small one. Nowhere are so many books and news- 

 papers published yearly in proportion to the size of the population, 

 and, in addition, there is imported a great number of foreign books, 



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