The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-05-22
Cooperative n Copenhagen.
WHY DENMARK PRODUCES BEST BUTTER, BACON AND EGGS

1Ol bO 1 IN, DAOON ANU EOGO
minister to Copenhagen and a high
authority on Denmark and all things
Danish, says. The Danes are prob
ably the best educated people OF the
world, because the Danish farmer un,
derstands that the kind OF education
his sons and daughters get VIII fit
them for the work they are to do,
without limiting them in narrow
bonds. The boy begins his farm work
as soon as he can handle a spade OF
| feed the chickens, and his school edu-
cation goes hand in hand with his
| work, He does not waste time on
! things that cannot be correlated whh
his work. Arithmetic becomes part
Of his daily life, and he must count
the number Of eggs, weigh the slaugh-
tered pigs, calculate the profit that is
10 be made upon them. The geogra-
ply Of England is made actual by the
connection with the port TO which the
cooperative society of which his IA
ther is a member sends his butter,
eggs and bacon. He is bound to the
soil by both interest and patriotism,
and is desirous Of following the ira
dtions of his father. He finds every
thing in his home which makes life
agreeable. His tastes are simple. He
must be frugal to live. but this fru-
gality does not prevent farmers
houses from being cheerful homes, for
good pictures, musical instruments,
and books are found in them all"
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
esses during this period. There is in
Denmark a recognized system of farm
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. Cen
orally he stays on one farm for one
year, moving on to a second and then
a third in order that he may get diff
'erent and broader points Of view and
may see agriculture specialized along
lines upon the different farms
On these farms he is given an oppor-
unity to learn, but for the most part
ais time is spent in hard labor. He
earns to farm by farming.
Folk Schools and Patriotism.
After his apprenticeship is complet-
I'd he goes for at least a few months
o one of the folk high schools, which
ire in the broadest sense schools of
patriotism. Inspiring lectures are
lsed for instruction more widely than
ire text books. The history and liter
lture of the country is the theme OF
many an hour. Every class is opened
With a song, either patriotic or re-
igious and each day extensive read
ngs upon patriotic and religious topics
ire given. Practical political economy
md sociology are included in the daily
work. No one under eighteen may at
end these folk high schools, but many
IN older man or woman in later life
inds there that for which there was
10 opportunity in youth. The schools
ire co-educational, but are co-educa-
ional in a thoroughly segregated
way, for the men attend in winter and
he women only in the summer
months.
These schools are privately owned
nd not absolutely free. The cost of
i've months instruction and board for
he men for the winter months is
bout S55, while the women, who gen :
rally attend these schools in summer, 1,
,ay only about $50 for three months ,,
including board and lodg- :
ng. Small as these fees seem to be, ,,
he state has various ways of re-
ucing the fees, especially for the sons
nd daughters Of the small holders.
he total number of students In these /
ummer and winter schools the last t
ew years has never been less than
en- thousand. {
University Extension. {
These folk high schools have, too, 6
n extension form of education some t
What similar to the university extern '
ion courses given by some Of our /
american colleges. The high school t
professors frequently so out to the I
choolhouses for popular lectures upon '
istory and literature, and upon soci- G
logical subjects. Generally a little c
ssociation is formed for the course Of s
rom six to ten lectures. Possibly one h
roma (twenty-seven cents) for the I
ear is charged, or there may be a e
barge of twenty ora -four cents) for g
ach lecture. Here at the high school h
uilding they also hold in the fall q
pecial community meeting for three b
r four days during which three lee /
ures per day on subjects similar to h
hose taught in the school are given, t
nd in addition men Of learning or re- r
own from the outside are brought in. Z
At this folk school the young farm {