318 RURAL DENMARK 



times of school attendance in accordance with the con- 

 ditions that prevail locally. The rule here is, however, 

 that every class must receive instruction for forty-one 

 school weeks, averaging at least eighteen hours per week. 

 This is exclusive of the time occupied in gymnastics, 

 needlework, &c. In the towns at least twenty-one hours' 

 instruction must be given per week, exclusive of these 

 extra subjects, and of drawing and cookery. 



As the public becomes more convinced of the necessity 

 of education, year by year the average non-attendance at 

 school is lessened. The chief reasons of this non-attend- 

 ance are the pecuniary advantage to parents that result 

 from the labour of the children in manufactories in the 

 city, and in field work on the land. Under the laws of 

 1873 and 190 1, however, the employment of children in 

 manufactories has been limited to the extent that they 

 are not allowed to undertake such work until they have 

 reached the age of thirteen. Also the Home Depart- 

 ment, upon application from the Town Councils, has 

 power to enforce certain additional regulations as to this 

 matter. 



When allowance is made for absences caused by illness, 

 the non-attendance rate in the country school is 5 per 

 cent, of the school days. In the town it is from 1 to 2 

 per cent., and in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg no 

 more than J per cent. 



The compulsory subjects of instruction in the public 

 schools are as follows: Reading, grammar, leligion, 

 writing, arithmetic, history, geography, singing, and, for 

 boys, gymnastics. To this list drawing is added in the 

 towns, and, in the case of girls, gymnastics and needle- 

 work. In such country schools as employ a lady teacher, 

 the girl pupils must also be instructed in needlework ; but 

 this rule is only enforced in 20 per cent, of such schools. 

 Optional subjects are natural history and " Slojd " in all 

 schools, and for girls gymnastics ; also housewifery, 

 mathematics, and foreign languages. These two last 

 subjects are taught in all the " payment " schools, as will 



