176 



Impressions of a Visit to Denmark. 



[may, 



for those, who, having left school at the age of 14 or 15, and 

 having lived at home for four or five years, helping on the farm, 

 have come to feel that they want further instruction and 

 inspiration. 



In order thoroughly to understand these schools, we must go 

 back to the history of their inception and the ideals of their 

 founder, Bishop Grundtvig, who lived in the early part of the 

 19th centur3'\ His ideal was the establishment of a truly 

 national school, which would arouse in the students a wish to 

 make their country a good country, not only for the individual, 

 but for all Danes. His theory was first put into practice in 

 1850, but it was not until 20 years later that the Folk High 

 Schools took their hold upon the nation. 



The main principles which Grundtvig laid down were : — 



1. That the schools should be for adults, no one to be admitted 



under the age of 18. 



2. That the pupils should live together at the schools for the few 



months they attend the course, thus acquiring a sense of 

 unity and mutual trust. 



3. That they should be taught by the " living word," that is, 



words of deep conviction, from the heart, and having an 

 influence on the lives of others : no mere book learning, and no 

 examinations. 



4. That the chief subject taught should be the history of the 



development of Denmark, and the building up of the life of 

 the nation, linked up with the historic of the peoples of the 

 world. 



5. That the attendance should not be compulsory nor entirely 



free. 



There are now over 80 high schools, a number of agricultural 

 schools and 3 schools for small holders. In all cases they have 

 been founded by private or co-operative enterprise, and must be 

 able to show two years' successful working before an application 

 for State grants will be considered. Scholarships, covering three- 

 fifths of the cost of the course, may be obtained, the students 

 being allowed free choice of any school in the kingdom, 

 and not restricted to those in their own district or county. 

 This, we were told, has a very healthy effect on the schools, 

 as under this system an unsatisfactory school dies a natural 

 death for lack of pupils, and the best schools grow rapidly. 



During our stay in Denmark, we visited several Folk High 

 Schools, and agricultural schools, and stayed at two schools 

 for small holders, where cultural subjects are taught along with 

 the practical and more technical subjects. While at these 

 schools we tried to live the life of the students, and to get as far 

 as possible their point of view. We were there during the 

 summer months when the course is for young women — the 



