PEEFACE xvii 



time ; his supporters were the yeomen farmers, the same class 

 which in Denmark are the chief supporters and leaders of 

 co-operative agriculture, /Ever since the great agricultm^al 

 reforms at the end of the eighteenth century the proportion 'of 

 freehold properties has increased, and, by the subdivision of 

 large holdings, the number of holdings, and of late particularly 

 of small holdings, has increased and the average size of the 

 holdings consequently decrease^ 



The Danish peasants were from ancient times accustomed 

 to manage the affairs of their village communities in common, 

 and had learned to trust one another and to co-operate in many 

 ways. But any attempt to show why Danish peasants were 

 particularly disposed to avail themselves of, and to elaborate 

 further the modem forms of co-operation, would be singularly 

 lacking which did not attribute a very large share to the People's 

 High Schools. Headers who wish to learn about these are 

 referred to a Keport to the Board of Education by Mr. J. S. 

 Thornton (Cd. 3537, 1907) who mentions them as the chief 

 contribution of Denmark to educational progress. They are 

 private, voluntary schools for young men and young women 

 between eighteen and twenty-five years of age, who generally 

 pass five winter months and three summer months respectively 

 under the influence of the Uving word of the teachers and 

 congenial comradeship ; their mental horizon is widened and 

 their hfe is lifted to a higher plane. Though open to all the 

 schools draw only about 6 per cent, of their pupils from the 

 towns. From the High Schools have sprung the Agricultural 

 Schools, the pupils of which are of the same age and come to 

 the school with a considerable practical knowledge of farming. 

 There are about 70 High Schools and 20 Agricultural Schools ; 

 they are attended by about 8000 pupils annually, for shorter 

 or longer terms ; they are very cheap, the young men are very 

 eager to get an opportunity of going to them, and frequently 

 pass one or even two winters at a High School and the next 

 winter at an Agricultural School, working during the inter- 

 vening summer months on the land. The State supports the 

 schools, chiefly by bursaries, but leaves them complete free- 

 dom as to management and curriculum. The People's High 

 Schools have been described as " hotbeds " of the co-operative 



