Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-13
SPAIN WATCHFUL
OF REPUBLICANS
PROGRESS of Portuguese Republic
Closely Observed by Span
iSh Politicians
SPANIARDS NOT IMPRACTICAL
CastiIians Resent Authority Ex-
cept on Established and
UnqueStioned Rights
sPANIARDs NOT IMPRACTICAL

Helsingfors, Nov. l2.-On Wedhes-
day. october II, all Finland commem-
grated the hundredth anniversary OF
the birth of the man who was the
creator and organizer of the Flhhlsh
national school system. Fetes We're
held everywhere-iu every town, IN
every one of the remotest schools III
the Country-and to every chllu was
given an illustrated pamphlet setting
forth the doings and importance OF
the father of the Finnish "Nolkschule,
ITno Cygnaeus was his name, ana II
was he whom the country has to thank
for the fact that its national school
system is liberal, up-to-date, ana m
dependent The Finnish national
school system is one of the newest III
Europe. but it is just for this reason
t'at IL has been able to turn to its
own profit the experience gained by
other peoples.
When Emperor Alexander II, the
benefactor of Finland, visited the
lrinnish capital on his accession to the
throne. and attended session OF
the highest governmental body the
Finnish senate, he made, among other
proposals, one for reform OF tne
system of popular education Among
the schemes for the future school sys-
tenn which were evolved at the instance
of the senate that of Uno Cygnaeus
was especially remarkable for its pro-
fundity, maturity, and comprehension
of the true needs of the future citi-
zens.
EMPEROR ALEXANDER's VIEW
Alexander expressed the opinion that
the learning of certain books mattered
very little, but that the highest inn
portance should be attached to the
moral and physical development OF the
young. Education should above all
open the eyes of the child to the ad-
herence to fixed laws of nature, to the
evolution of mankind in the course of
history, and to the love of God In
man. When he appended to his
scheme proposal to send delegate
abroad to make himself acquainted
with the national school systems OF
the different nations he was himself
appointed to execute the commission,
in the course of which he visited most
of the central European countries.
In the German national schools he
found admirable orderliness, rigid dis
cfpline, perfect organization, but not
the liberal spirit which is able to train
up independent, thoughtful citizens;
besides this he objected strongly to the
system by which the aducation of girls
was entrusted to male teachers. Fur
ther, physical exercises and technical
cupy the position in the German school
system which they now hold In
Switzerland, PestaloZzis native coun-
try, he found the schools and teachers
colleges which pleased him most and
these served in many cases as a model
subsequently instituted in Finland.
FINNISH TEACHERS COLLEGE
The first Finnish teachers college
was opened in 1863 in the town of
Jyvaskyla, and Uno Cygnaeus was its
director until 1869, from which year he
was obliged to devote himself entirely
to his duties as chief inspector of the
national schools of Finland. In 1867,
when a terrible famine and epidemic
visited the land the first Finnish
teachers were sent to spread enlighten-
ment among starving pupulace. Now
the number of teachers is roughly 45OO,
and the number of pupils 15O,0OO-an
average of thirty-three pupils to every
teacher. Attendance at the Finnish
national schools is not yet compulsory,
but the majority of the parents. espe-
cially in the towns, none the less send
their children to school at the age of
T. which has been fixed as the school
age in Finland. In the country the
thin population of the districts and the
long distances to he covered make it
much harder for all the children to
attend the national schools, but of late
a vigorous movement is being uni
versally carried on with the object of
establishing a sufficient number of
schools and assisting the poorer COM
munities with loans.
In the larger towns the school build
ings, constructed of stone, are fine
houses with spacious class rooms and
large apartments for gymnastics, sing
ing and drawing; in the country and
in the smaller towns they are mostly
made Of wood but nevertheless rOomy,
with large courts planted with trees.