1920.] Impressions of a Visit to Denmark. 177 



men attend during the winter. The first lecture, at 8 a.m., 

 was either Danish hterature or history, followed during the day 

 by lectures on hygiene, food values, the planning of the home, 

 the best way to lay out the garden, and the history of the 

 development of the land laws, and of the struggles through 

 which the privileges they now enjoy had been won. During 

 the morning they split up into companies, taking, in rotation, 

 practical cookery, dressmaking, embroidery, gardening and 

 poultry-keeping. The cookery lessons teach the best use of 

 such food as can be produced on a small holding. An hour is 

 devoted to gymnasium every afternoon, and after supper the 

 day is concluded with singing, or, when the weather is fine, 

 with games and country dances in an open space in the grounds, 

 in the centre of which is a tree planted to commemorate the 

 granting of suffrage to Danish women. 



In addition to the summer and winter courses for 3^oung 

 men and women, special eleven-day courses are arranged for 

 small holders and their wives. Practical demonstrations aje 

 given, and the lectures are made as simple as possible. The 

 meaning and effect of newly-made laws, and the contents of 

 reports of experimental farms and official publications are 

 explained in a clear and concise way, so that considerable 

 time and labour of reading are saved to the small holder. 



We asked the sons and daughters at most of the farms we 

 visited what high school they had attended, and in no case 

 w^ere we told they had not been to one. 



The aim of these schools is not to turn out scholars (for 

 advanced scientific courses agricultural students must go to the 

 colleges), but rather to help the ordinary people in their every- 

 day life, and to make them better citizens. The chief object 

 of the instruction appears to be the building up of the rural 

 home life, to give those who live in country districts a wider 

 outlook, and to remove prejudice and mutual distrust. The 

 students return home with fresh inspiration for their daily 

 tasks, and instead of regarding the country as " dull," as many 

 of our young people do, they find their work full of interest, 

 and are determined to overcome difficulties and to make the 

 best of their few precious acres. 



They also take a greater interest in the communal life of their 

 native village, and start gymnastic clubs, literary and debating 

 societies, and choral unions. In fact, these schools supph* to 

 the national life of Denmark the same element as the Eisteddfod 

 does in Wales ; they are animated by the same spirit, cUid are, 

 at the same time, an inspiration and an expression of the soul 

 of the people. N 



