The Harrison times., 1914-05-16

His teachers were mature, well-trained
men Of good intellectual ability, well
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-
tical 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
osses during this period There Is in
Denmark a recognized system Of farm
apprenticeship for the future farmer.
It is common practise here for the
father who wishes his son to become
farmer to put him for a period Of
three years upon some Of the accredlt-
ed model farms Of the country, Gen.
orally he stays on one farm for ono
year, moving on TO second and then
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-
tunlty 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
arc In the broadcast sense SCI OF
patriotism, Inspiring lectures arc
used for instruction more widely than
are text books, The history and liter
aturo Of the country Is the thomo OF
many an hour, Every class is opened
with song, either patriotic or re-
ligiouB, 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 woman In later life
finds there that for which there was
no opportunity In youth, The schools
are co-eduoatonal, but are ooeduea'
tIonOl IN u thoroughly segregated
way, for tho men attend In winter and
tho women only IN tho summer
months.
These schools arc privately owned
and not absolutely free, Tho cost Of
Ave months instruction and board for
the mon for tho winter months IN
about S65 while the women, who gem
orally attend these schools IN summer,
pay only about $50 for three months
instruction, including board and lodg'
Ing, Small NB these fees seem to bn,
tho state has various ways OF ro'
dueIng the fees, especially for the sons
and daughters Of tho small holders,
Tho total number Of students In these
summer and winter schools the last
few years has never been less than
ton thousand
University Extension,
These folk high schools have, too
an extension form Of education somo'
what similar to the university exton'
sion courses given by some OF our
American colleges, Tho high school
professors frequently 20 out TO the
sehoolhouBes for popular lectures upon
history had literature, and upon Boel'
ologIcal subjects, Generally little
association Ia formed Tor the course OF
from six TO ten lectures, Possibly ono
er0na (twontyBoyen contB) for tho
year 10 charged, or there may bo n
charge Of twenty ora -four eonts) for
eneh lecture, Here at the high school
building they also hold IN the fall n
special community meeting for three
or four days during which three leo
lures per day on subjects similar TO
those taught IN the school are given,
and In addition men Of learning or re'
nown from the outside are brought ln,
AZ thlu folk school the young farm
or who has had hia common school
training, with all its contact with the
realities of life, and who has learned
in three years apprenticeship how TO
farm has an opportunity to learn how
to be a citizen and patriot But he
has not yet completed his school work
Upon the farm he has learned how TO
do things he has yot TO learn why,
30 he goes TO an agricultural college
aud learns the theoretical and solen'
tlno why which Ia back Of The prac'
tlcal how This Ia tho story OF Den
marks farmer In the making through
cen mon school, apprenticeship, folk