American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-07-30

.046
His teachers we're mature, well-trained
men OF good intellectual ability, we'll
paid, and, in most cases, community
leaders and organizers.
From fourteen to eighteen is an age
when Danish boys and girls are grow
ing physically and working at prac-
teal things, for the young Dane can
not enter the folk high school until he
is eighteen.
Farm Apprenticeship.
The prospective farmer, however,
has not stopped his educative proc
esses during this period. There is in
Denmark a recognized system Of farm
apprenticeship for the future farmer.
1t is a common practise here for the
father who wishes his son to become
a farmer to put him for a period of
three years upon some of the accredit-
ed model farms of the country. Gen
orally he stays on n farm for one
year, moving on to a second and then
a third in order that he may get diff
ferent and broader points Of view and
may see agriculture specialized along
different lines upon the different farms
On these farms he is given an oppor-
tunity to learn, but for the most part
his time is spent in hard labor. He
learns to farm by farming.
Folk Schools and Patriotism.
After his apprenticeship is complet-
ed he goes for at least a few months
to one of the folk high schools, which
are in the broadcast sense schools Of
patriotism. Inspiring lectures are
used for instruction more widely than
are text books. The history and liter
AZURE of the country is the theme of
many an hour. Every class is opened
with a song, either patriotic or re-
ligious. and each day extensive read.
ings upon patriotic and religious topics
are given. Practical political economy
and sociology are included in the daily
work. No one under eighteen may at
tend these folk high schools, but many
an older man or In later life
finds there that for which there was
no opportunity in youth. The schools
are co-educational. but are co-educa
tional in a thoroughly segregated
way, for the men attend in winter ant
the women only in the summe
months.
These schools are privately ownel
and not absolutely free. The cost o
! five months instruction and board TO
the men for the winter months !
about S55. while the women, who ger
- H.. .&4.,I tl,rn Cahnn1c I'm summer
pay only about $50 for three months
, instruction, including board and lodi
ing. Small as these fees seem to b.
: the state has various ways OF r.
= ducing the fees, especially for the SOL
. and daughters of the small holder
:, The total number of students in thes
/. summer and winter schools the la
:, few years has never been less tina
n ten thousand.
n University Extension.
These folk high schools have, TO
n an extension form Of education som
70 what similar to the university exte
n sion courses given by some OF o.
American colleges. The high scho
#. professors frequently go out TO u
"a schoolhouses for popular lectures pp'
"A history and literature. n upon 30
~ ological subjects. Generally a Hi
association is formed for the course
from six to ten lectures. Possibly OF
la crona (t~wenty-seven cents) TOT Z
=. wear is charged. OF there may De
charse of twenty ora flour eents)
each lecture. Here at the l scno
-, building they also hold In the ran
special community meeting for thr
or four DAYS during which three Il
- lures per day on subjects similar
those taught in the school are CIV
and in addition men OF learning OF
- nown from the outside are brought
- Al this folk school the young far
y, ar who has had his common sch'
training, with all its contact with I
Go realities OF life, and who has learn
o in three years apprenticeship no"
farm. has an opportunity to learn NJ
NJ m he a citizen and a patriot But
III IL, has not vet completed his school wo
LAT Trnon the farm he has learned no"
60 do things. He has yet to learn W
So he goes to an agricultural eoil'
and learns the theoretical n SCI
tifc why which is back OF the pr
Ct" teal how. This is the story OF u
marks farmer In the making, throt
common school apprenticeship :