Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-02-14
International College
Planned to Raise Ideals
Of Life to Higher Stage

Such attempts have been exceedingly
successful in Norway, Sweden n
Finland. and the F%ircroft school In
| England is patterned after the Danish
model. Folk-high schools of this
type have also been established in
| Germany, and a few OF them are to
be found in this country. &
A number OF the schools erected in
the southern part of the United States
for the education of illiteratc white
people, have, under the supervision of
the Russell Sage Foundation. incor-
porated some of the characteristic
Danish features in their methods Of
| teaching, and the late DIR. Booker T.
| Washington made use in his Tuske-
gee Institute Of suggestions which he
received through a study Of the Dan
ish schools.
Many Nations to he Represented
AS a general rule. however, it has
been found, that the school thrives
best in it's native soil; tra%nsplanta-
tons, however successful some OF
them have been, have not met all
expectations. and the realization OF
an international school built and di-
rected in the home soil Of the folk
high school might prove a success.
Aims and methods of the I%nterna-
tional Peoples College are concisely
described in a letter issued by the
American Committee; there is nothing
to add to that communication which
is entirely self-explanatory, and there
fore reprinted in the following lines:
The war is over, but the peoples
are not at peace. No lasting peace
! can exist without a change, not SC
much in statesmen or in international
machinery as in the attitude of mind
OF the ordinary man and woman to-
ward other nations. They must learn,
and if possible, experience, the fact
that people of other nations are really
swayed very much by the same mo-
tives as they themselves. One of the
most promising agencies for this pur-
pose is the newly organized Interna-
tional Peoples College in Denmark.
Spirit of the Schools
1.-The f%olk-high schools in Denmark
are justly celebrated for their demo.
cratic and Christian-ethical spirit and
the noble type of culture, which
through their efforts have permeateo
especially the farming population OF
that country. This made possible the
great cooperative movement amone
the farmers, which is not only strong
er, more successful, and more numer'
Gus and diversified in enterprises thar
elsewhere, but also has been singular
ly free from graft, p~rofiteering ant
similar evils, and therefore enjoy:
the confidence and good will of Other
classes of the population. "
Through more than a half centur.
of work these folk-hiph schools have
given the average farmer a higher in
tellectual and moral outlook, laugh
him to understand and trust his fel
low man. One of their distinctly,
features is the bringing together i
these schools of young men and wo
men from Is to Is years Of age, no
only to study but to live together TO
six or eight months at a time. Teach
ing is done more by word of mouth
the living word, than by books. an,
discussions and questioning play
great part. They are schools will
emphasis on life rather than mer
learning, and their results have bee1
better and richer life, a better CO
ordination of society. ,
To Extend Influence
1.-THE plan is now to extend the in