Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-25
DANISH HIGH SCHOOLS"
DESIGNED TO STIMULATE THE
REFLECTIVE POWERS.
Open to All-No Examinations on En-
tering or Leaving on
General Subjects.
From the London Post.


From the London Post
Among the various social and intellectual
influences brought to bear in Denmark on
the lives of the people none stand higher.
| both in aim and in result, than do those
brought about by Danish National High
Schools" These schools have been In ex-
issence now for about forty years. and were
founded by a Dane named Grotwtg. Of ex-
ceptional patriotism and of strong religious
feeling. The term high school is to the
English somewhat misleading. as we natur-
ally associate 1t with secondary education;
whereas thigh school, in the Danish sense
is school for young people and adults of
both sexes and all classes mostly between
the ages of seventeen and twenty-seven.
Origin Of the Undertaking.
The Danish high school, was the out
come of recent period in Danish history
when the nation passed through a crucial
period Of trouble, loss and humiliation.
when its language and even its nationality
were threatened from without. and when it
seemed for time as IL even it's intellectual
and spiritual independence might be de-
stroyed or absorbed. During such periods,
when the reproof of chance lay heavy on
one Of the smaller nations, the true proof
OF Its men and women was tested to the ut
| most, and Denmark at this crisis In it's his
tory was not found wanting. After the
storm had passed and the province of
Schleswig- Holstein had been wrested from
the nation, Grotwig and other patriots con-
cetved and carried out the high school,
scheme and succeeded finally In attracting
to these schools all that was best and most
aspirational in the life of the peasantry and
people. The aim of the teachers was not
SO much to impart knowledge as to stimu-
late the reflective powers, SO as to arouse
in hn min nf fhnir
value and purpose of life.
With this object in view the founders of
the scheme took into special consideration
when choosing their teaching staff the per-
sonal qualities Of the teacher, the amount
of magnetism in his personality, SO to
speak, and placed these qualifications above
those of academic attachments. The war
den or head of each school is the host and
the head of the family gathered together
under his roof; for the students board in
his house during the school terms. AS most
OF the pupils are drawn from the class of
agricultural laborers and small farmers,
the men take the winter term from Novem-
Der till April, and the women the summer
term from May to August. The course Is
really a two years one. but 1T is at the OPP
ton of the pupils to attend for term only.
The inclusive cost for board and teaching
is thirty-three shillings a month, and the
poorest of the students who cannot save
ford to spend so much time away from
their farms without pecuniary assistance,
are helped by the state with about two
thirds Of their expenses.
No Examinations.
No examination is required of pupils Ell
Their on entering or on leaving the schools,
and as the principal aim in teaching is to
arouse the Intellectual life, the course of
study consists of lectures on history poetry
and biography. The high Schools" in
which there are now altogether over 5000
students. have taken as their motto the quo
tatfon, Il am man; therefore everything
that concerns man is of interest to me-"
Before each lecture a national or religious
song from the rich stores of the Danish Ian
guage is sung by the pupils; and the spirit
ual life that is inculcated by example even
more than by precept is not one of aceti-
cism or of self-denial, but of full. well-bal-
anced development and self-expression. The
aim of the teachers Is to connect the course
of lectures by an historical and evolution
thread, so that the whole teaching shall be
synonymous with the teaching of evolution.
The following is an example of days
work: to a m, geography; to 10, Dan
ish history; 10 to IL. Swedish gymnastics;
II to noon. general history of the world;
to 3, national history: to 5, physics or
anatomy; to 6. reading aloud; $50 to 8.
evening work. Very few books are used,
and the lecturer uses no notes. In the Sec
ond years course constitutional history, So
GEOLOGY, English, mythology, arithmetic,
drawing and surveying are added to the lee
ture list. Any man who is imbued with the
desire of helping his fellow-men and who
has the necessary qualifications for fmpart-
ing knowledge can start a high school" If
his methods are good, his personality SYM
pathetic and his powers of organization
pronounced his school will be a success and
| his scholars numerous; this class of school
Is never, however, undertaken as a CONNER
claI speculation, but only by those who have
higher aims and are content to find their
work and their means of simple livelihood
In the service of humanity.
Their Value Recognized.
The Danes themselves attribute the mark
ed rise and intellectual development of the
peasantry and the power Of combination
displayed by the tillers of the soil to the
ever-increasing influence of the ''high-
school, movement. The agriculturists save
money and make sacrifices In order that
their sons and daughters may enjoy the in
tellectual and spiritual culture that the
high schools" offer. The only analogous
movement we have in Great Britain Is the
burning desire on the part of the Scotch
peasantry and small Scotch farmers for
education in England 1t would appear diff
f1cult to create similar demand among
our rural population. This may be because
In the past country life has not been syn
onymous with. intellectual life except for
the rich and well placed.
Now that the intellectual needs of yarious
classes are being more scientifically studied
an intimate knowledge of the working Of
these Danish schools. which have been SO
successful in revolutionizing intellectually
and spiritually the rural life of Denmark.
might be of special value to members of
rural educational councils In England Mrs.
Browning wrote: TT takes a soul to move a
body" In Denmark of today the body.
through its steadily growing cooperative
Undertakings, can be seen moving and gain
Ing IN strong and healthy national life 1t
10 claimed by the more patriotic and antelli-
gent among the Danes that the soul which
moves and quickens this body was reborn
in the daily life and aspiration of the thigh
schools"
The 400.
From the Trenton On. j. Gazette
Pop" said Tommy. what do the news