The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-16

Its Notable Past-AChievements q II
women -NOPway's LOnely FIOFdS.

Anioy the cnAfmh OF the SCANDINAVIAN
countries, which for generations have been
the playground where the British enjoyed
their holidays. Although the numberiesa
streams Of Norway are fairly crowded with
trout, q chance visitor can scarcely and q
place TO throw q line. a. brooks, rivers and
lakes are leased by English sportsmen.
These Scandinavian peoples are a sal
ubrious change from those Of the rest Of
Continental Europe-not yet corrupted per-
hAps, by an annual horde OF sightseers.
At present railroad, boat, carriage and
hotel rates in Scandinavia are fair, and
American spendthrifts nave not yet raised
the prices Of native manufactures. Instances
are actually known where q tip has been
refused!
Norway is in reality 9 great volcanic
mountain ang and along its p~recipitous
sides. which border on the deep and narrow
lords that form the only communication
With the outside world, cling little patches
OF ground. There II not enough soil to
raise anything but hay and potatoes and
o few garden vegetables.
From many of these farms the boats on
the cords can be reached only by ladders
Of ropes; the scanty crops for the market
and the produce in exchange must be
lowered and raised on a sort Of crane: the
women 20 70 the nearest town but twice a
year to buy the few articles they cannot
manufacture; they have large families OF
children, and the visits Of a doctor neces-
sarily are only in times Of great emergency;
In case Of death the cofin is lowered by
ropes and carried away In a boat.
IL 10 strange that the instances Of insanity
among these women are out OF all pro-
portion to those anywhere else. or that
the young people look for some means OF
sscape1
This is indeed necessary, as the property
deecends 10 the eldest son; so when the
harvest IL over and the long winter sets in,
With only a few hours OF daylight, many
ofthese lonely farm houses are transformed
into night schools, and here the young
men and women come from miles around,
IA the face OF greatest hardship, to study
the English language. And when the
spring opens they climb down from the
mountains, make their way through the
marrow wateroourses which lead to the
ocean. and joyfully set out for that land
Of infinite promise and hope-America.
Three thousand years before the Christian
sra, and probably centuries earlier, q power
ful race OF people inhabited these Scandin-
avian countries. The collections from the
Stone Age in the museums Of Copenhagen
and Stockholm are the most complete in
the world. These from the Bronze Age
Indicate a high degree Of culture nearly
1000 years before Christ.
These collections show also the immense
wealth and the marvellous workmanship
which existed here a thousand years ago.
The museums themselves were founded
and the magnificent castles and palaces
built long before America was discovered,
and Libraries were in existence then con-
tanning hundreds OF thousands OF rare
books and manuscripts.
Fifteen years before Columbus discov-
cred America the University Of Upsala was
founded. In 1920, the year the Pilgrims
started for America, grammar schools were
established in Sweden.
There were circulating libraries through
out Sweden long before they existed in the
United States. Many OF the features we
are just beginning to adopt IN our schools
are ancient here.
The botanical gardens, with a school for
gardening date from the eighteenth century.
The gymnastic central institute, now a
century old, has been and ia the train
ing school for teachers Of the Swedish
system to the armies OF England, France
and Germany, while teachers from all parts
Of the globe come here for instruction.
Sloyd, the training Of the hand, one OF
the Oldest features OF the Swedish school
system, is now being introduced into all
countries, and more than a thousand teach
ers from various nations have been sent
for training at the Mas Sloyd Seminary
near G~othenburg.
The public schools are decorated with
mural paintings Of highest artistic skill.
In some OF them baths and meals for the
childre n are provided.
Much attention is being given to trade
unions, land and house owning for wage
earners, cooperative societies, child labor,
old age insurance, etc. The Folkets Hus
Peoples Palace in Stockholm. an immense
building erected by the workingmen in
1893 1902, contains the offices Of all the trade
unions and Of the Social Democratic Party
and the Labor press, printing ONCE and
library. Similar houses exist in many
towns.
The State has always owned the railroads
and the telegraph. 1t owns also the tele-
phone system everywhere, except in Stock
holm. and now has an option on that. There
II a telephone for every forty-five inhabitants
in the entire country, and in some towns
one for every nine, with 1000 miles OF
communication. The cost lie only from $40
TO $50 a year.
The first dynamite factory in the world
was established by the inventor, Alfred
Nobel, near Stockholm. The great Erlcs-
son works here are a monument 70 the
inventor, a Swede.
The separator, used in every butter max
ing country. is the invention OF a Swede.
Gustaf de Laval. Everywhere are seen
monuments to Swedish scientists n
scholars-Linnaus, Scheele, discoverer OF
Oxygen, Swedenborg, Berzelius, Norden-
skiold.
Monarchical rule in these Scandinavian
countries is Of the most modified character.
The new King OF Norway might as well be
one OF these royal statues so FAR as real
authority is concerned. The present King
~ Denmark make many more concessions
20 the people than did King Christian,
whose reign was noted for liberality.
The general spirit OF democracy may be
illustrated by the fact that a daughter OF
the Prime Minister Of Sweden IL employed
in a bank in Stockholm; also that a young
woman Of good family, but assisting in
the salesrooms Of the Society Of Swedish
Hsndiwork was recently selected to hll the
post " lady in waiting TO the Queen.
In oldsn times women played an important
part in the development 81 these Scandi-
navisn countries. Some Of the most pow.
erful rulers OF Denmark we're Queens, and
the acts Of heroism performed by titled
ladies' have been commemorated IN stat
uary, painting and history.
The most commanding figure Of the
Catholic Church was st. Bridget, OF a noble
house. whose influence is said To have
- III Tia 80