The Placer herald., 1872-06-29
EDItAliOA IN SWEDEN AND The
UNITED STATES.
fOncl,Je1
tC0ncluded.1 4

BESIDES the folk schools already considered,
there IS provision made in Sweden for schools
lor smaller children. These schools are called
sma skola or primary schools, and are of lower
| grade than the folk schools. The instruction
received Ill these primary institutions is prepara-
tory to entering the folk schools. and may be
prescribed by the council OF instruction. To
| render them available to the smaller children
the sochen. i'll the center of which is generally
located the folk school, is subdivided into dis
tricts, in each of which n sma sllola is built The
whole number of these in 1867 was 3249 with
15l, ,526 children; number of teachers, 3,165 of
whom $50 were males and ,375 females. They
are under the same supervision as the folk
schools but the teachers are not examined and
have no fixed rate of compensation. There is
another class of schools of a higher grade
than the folk schools designed to give in
struction to the masses, called folk higher
schools. OF these there are ten only and they
are located in the country The only noteworthy
feature to be observed in these schools, apar
from their more advanced course of study, is
that the studies are proposed by the parents and
teachers and determined by the bishop and rec
NS-' - NASeSoS'
archical Sweden, parents are allowed to pre-
scribe in part at least, the of studies their
children should pursue in the common schools
while in free America this wise and liberal priv
lege is denied them, and is centralized entirely in
an irresponsible board--the State Board of Edu-
cation. Shall we be considered IA h then, if to
this cause we ascribe the lack Of interest mani
tested by parents generally in the common
schools of this country, and in the education of
their children? These folk higher schools re-
ce.ye appropriation from the State annually
of S2G5 for each school. To be admitted to them
pupils must have first received preparatory
instruction in the folk schools; the number of
pupils in this class of schools in 1857 was 800;
tuition is gratuitous.
In the selection of teachers for schools in
Sweden, great care is taken that they are per-
sons of deep religious sentiment and of good
moral character. They have to undergo an ex-
animation in the branches required to be taught
before the Principal of Normal school and a
member Of the bishops council To obtain a
teacher, it is required first that notice be pub
lished in the newspapers for that purpose, then
list Of three Of the applicants is drawn up and
an election takes place in which the male parents
of the children of the sochen may vote. The
person thus elected to the position of teacher
holds Office during good behavior Here is
another remarkable phase in the educational
system of Sweden. There, once teacher, it
seems, always a teacher. But with us, who are
ony.the creatures of an hour, it is quite different
for we may be discharged at the end of each
~ &c ,f h. of
trustees, without even assigning any cause for
their conduct in doing SO. The minimum salary
OF a teacher in Sweden is Sl06 for the school
term of eight months, but in some OF the towns
it reaches as high as S400; besides this he is
supplied with an apartment for lodgings, fuel,
pasturage and Winter forage for cow For
every month of extra work he is entitled to a
certain quantity of grain: he may also act as
assistant pastor, church clerk, etc, for which he
is paid either in money or in grain. But the
best provision of all is when he arrives at the
age of sixty years, or becomes invaded and un-
fit for further services, he receives pension
equal to rs per cent of his salary. This bene-
icient provision in the school system of Sweden
we believe has no parallel in any other nation in
the world. The supervision of the schools also
is no less remarkable and efficient. The vestry
or church meeting has the control of all educa-
tonal matters, which in all cases is presided
over by the PASTOR this meeting elects the coun-
ell of instruction, which holds Office for four
years; the council may dismiss teacher for
immoral or unprofessional conduct. Inspectors
are appointed by the ecclesiastical department,
their powers being merely advisory. They
make, however, annual reports of their eXanlla-
tons and render more detailed ones every third
year. Besides these the provincial assemblies
appoint inspectors for their respective Provinces
men of superior efficiency and zeal only are ap
pointed; all changes looking to the advantage of
the common schools recommended by the in
spectors are recognized by the government and
a law to meet the exigences of the case is en-
acted The law in Sweden in its minutest de-
tails is respected and enforced, and the slightest
infringement never fails to meet with the punish
ment it deserves.
To support the folk schools in Sweden, poll
tax is levied on all without scarcely any excep-
tons men and women alike between the ages of
eighteen and sixty years of age, men paying ten
cents and women five each; half the proceeds OF
this tax is applied to popular instruction If,
however this is not sufficient to pay teachers
every sochen is authorized by law to levy fur
ther sum to supply the deficiency, the govern
ment generally paying sum equal to that raised
by the taxation of the sochen.
The total expenditure for folk and primary
schools in Sweden in 1867, including grain, etc
furnished in kind, was 81, ,0250OO, OF which
$50, ,S61 was paid by the State, the balance being
paid by local taxation; but in 1868, the year
after, the State paid toward the support OF these
schools S97 ,490.
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