New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-29
THE GARDEN OF SWEDEN.
Student LIFE IN LpNp.

LUND, Sweden, June 10.-I acknowledge that
was surprised in Christania when was told by a
Norwegian, who had lived in Illinois. that be bad
returned to Norway because Illinois was too cOld'
for him. Naturally made great allowance for his
love of fatherland, but l could not understand it
as possible that the climate of even northern Illinois
could he thought of cold in comparison with that
of any part of Norway. / have had no oppOrtunit
to test the cold of Norway, but, having spent o
Winter in southern Sweden, am enabled 10 believe
that the Norwegian's estimate was not far wrong.
To those who do not make the study of sothermal
lines a speciality, it is difficult to realize that this
part of Sweden which is in the samo latitude as
Labrador and Hudson's Bay and Southern Alaska,
can pass through a Winter without reaching alower
temperature than 12o Fahrenheit. The Winter
has been longer than in those parts of the United
States where as high temperature has been main
tanned, the leaves having all fallen from the trees
before the Goth Of October, and not quite all of
them having returned with the middle of May.
The beeches and birches and other earlier sorts
were then green but the ash and the different va
rieties of acacia still delayed This part of Sweden
is it's garden its prairie land and is in high state
of cultivation. Rye is the principal crop, though
much wheat is raised, and areas which would as
tonsh American farmers are devoted to root crops,
raised for feed and for the manufacture of sugar.
But the distinguishing feature of this immediate
vicinity is not its agricultural capacity; it is not
its clearly cultivated fields and its rotation Of
crops, it is not the careful saving and skilfn APP
plication of all fertilzing substances, though
all of those combine to make its agriculture
model and a success. Lund's prominence depends
upon ITS schools. And here are fonnd samples of
nearly all the educational facilities of Sweden. The
school system of Sweden is chiefly divided into the
folk-schoO the elementary work, and the uniyer-
sity. The folk-school, which answers in small
way to the American common school, is open to all.
say in a small way, because the course of instruc-
ton is not so varied SO extended in your COM
mon schools Reading. writing, and arith-
metic are taught as in American schools, and
in addition the principles of Christianity from
a Lutheran standpoint are inculcated, and the
girls are Taught plain sewing. The course is such
that every one is expected TO finish it before he is
fifteen years old. Those who will pursue their stud
les further may do so at the elementary school, but
this is not entirely Free tuition fee of about 50
year being required 1t is possible for one to COM
plete the folksehOol course at ten years and then
be ready for the elementary school. But here the
work is longer, generally taking nine years and for
the most industrious and expert requiring seven
years. The elementary work, as this course is
called corresponds 10 your academies and prepare
cludes the work of some of your smaller colleges.
and perhaps, as much as the first year of the best
of them 1t is at the end of this course that one
takes the examination required for admission to the
University. greater knowledge of modern Ian
guages is required than with you. French, German
and English are studied two years in the elemen-
tary course.
It is upon admission to the university that
student life beginS-at least in name, for no one is
called a student before that time He completes
the elementary work as a school-boy No matter
how studious he is or how extraordinarily he may
be advanced or how old he may be, be is only
schoolbOy "Student" is here specific name,
and means person who has passed his examination
and been admitted to the university. In Lund
University are $40 students, more tnan One-half of
whom belong to what is known as the Seaman Ma
tion The division of the Swedish people into
twenty-four nations is only a recognition of the
twenty-four provinces into which the country was
anciently divided. but which have now no political
existence. Scania is the southermost nation. This
distinction of nations is rigidly maintained, both
here and at Upsala, and the love of individuals for
thenation to which they belong is only exeeled by
their love FOR the common fatherland The Unver-
sity of Lund, founded in 1866, is open to
all It is an institution for learning rather
than for teaching Its faculty comprises sixty
seven persons, each of whom lectures from two TO
four times week, and every person student,
citizen or trayeler-s perfectly free to attend these
lectures and equally free to stay away from them.
am sure that i'm America tine land of the free y
it would be thought a dangerous want of oversight
TO turn 600 students loose in city of 10000 in
habitants, with no restraint excepting honor and
the city police. And few parents in America have
such unlimited confidence in the maniness of free
dom that they would be willing TO leave their sons
unrcstrained in the choice of studies, and their
mode of pursuing them. do not mean TO say that
parents themselves do not here advise and restrain
their young men at the university, but their
influence is necessarily exercised from distance,
and it is no part of the duty of the professor
20 inquire into the daily life of the stu
dent At stated intervals the student, if
he wishes diploma, may be examined,
and on the other hand he may remain here and be
catalogued as student during his natural life with
out tor a moment, having dread of examination
day. There is something peculiar IN the language
used to express attendance at the different instltu-
tons OF the Swedish course of instruction. They
saw here Of boy lie goes in the school :" an ex-
preston evidently derived from that restless, untir
ing activity with which boys pursue their sports
an activity which no school dicipline can entirely
suppress. They say afterward; He sits at the
gymnasium 1.-THE elementary work." Here his actiy-
ity is overcome TO some extent, and he assumes, at
least the attitude Of study, and satisfactory pro-
gress may be reasonably expected. But he becomes
a student what then " He lies by the univer-
sity." / will not for moment intimate
that supineness is distinguishing feature OF stu
dent life, for quite the reverse is the fact.
residence of seven years at the university is
sidered reasonable time for one who will attain
the dignity of Doctor of Philosophy aud the per-
csntage of those who exceed this limit is quite small.
Students, if economical, may live here on $500 a
year and even less if they have homes where they
spend their vacations. But many who have larger
allowance or who are inclined TO discount their fu-
ture manage to disburse much larger sums
Ii were required To give the most distinguishing
of student life here, aside from the