St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-09-06
THE SCCNDTNA VANS.

sionary meeting, North church, St. Johns
bury, June, 1895, by J. S. Meigs.I
About one.sixth Of the entire Scan
dnavian population of the world is
already in the United States, and
more are continually coming. More
than 100000 are here. One
half OF the entire population Of
Minnesota is Scandinavian. Chica'
90 is the fifth and Minneapolis is the
sixth scandinavian city, mark you
in the whole world.
The ex-governor Of Minnesota,
Knute Nelson, is a Norwegian. Thirty
out the Is counties have Scandina-
Wan treasurers. There arei in Mime
sofa alone % registers of deeds, II
judges Of probate, 7 sheriffs, II audi
tors of this nationality. The U. 5.
Consul at Calcutta is Swede from
Minneapolis. Minnesota has nearly
twice as many of these people as any
other state. and they are more numer.
Gus there than any class Of foreigners,
making the state one OF the best in
the union. But many who are
aware of the numbers who are set
settling and developing the West,
may not know the facts as to New
England. Massachusetts, has 13,
and Connecticut IL scandinavian
churches. Regular services are held
in GO places in these two states.
We ind the laboring classes to be
strong and welllormed, OF cheerful
disposition, with habits of industry,
economy and thrift. They are the
best sailors in the world, and they
also succeed in agriculture where
there is scarcely two months of
summer. On their rock-ribbed farms
they develop that sturdy indepen-
dence of thought, that patient en-
during hardship, that reticence, that
resigned acceptance of the inevitable
so characteristic in New England
country folks. But in other branches
Of industry they are equally success
full, the manufacturing of iron steam
ers, saw mills, steam engines, cotton,
linen and silk stuffs and noted home
spun fabrics equaling the products
of the factories.
In the home they are truly polite;
cultivating true politeness, which is
kindness of heart. The children
show respect to their elders. Cen
tlemen remove their hats in entering
stores; in saluting ladies or acquain-
tances. Guests not only thank the
house mother for attention, but afteI
each meal, for the food she has pro-
vided. Little children kiss the moth
ers hand while thanking her for
their meal. Domestic happiness has
not died out through fear of being
demonstrative. In the cities ladies
and gentlemen dress as deliberately
as elsewhere in the world.
Throughout Scandinavia, elemen-
mentary education is universal.
For 200 years in Sweden, the ability
to read and write has been a condi-
ton of citizenship. Instead of the
little red school-house, such as we
have in farming communities,
the teacher gathers the chill
dren of the neighborhood at some
farm house for few weeks and then
passes on to repeat the process in
another locality. Sweden has two
universities with over 1000 stu.
dents. In Norway, few peasants are
unable to read and write, the towns
have excellent schools, and the uni.
versity 800 students. In Denmark
the poorest peasant can read and
write and school attendance is OBJ
ligatory. Event Iceland the church
es have schools attached. And dur
ing the long winter evenings families
and servants listen to deeds of dar
ing-sung and recited as in Homerie
times, while the domestic darning i.
being done.
Sweden and Norway have on,
king, who lives alternately 81,
months in each capital, They have
separate and independent governing
bodies, however. One of the condi
tons of the accession is that thu
king must be Lutheran. The cler
gy is appointed without much re
gard to fitness of character. Their
has been a secession from the stat
church on the following grounds: !
That state church including in it
membership all citizens cannot he