Evening star., 1935-05-12
Longest Day
Celebrated
In Sweden
Fine Costumes and
Folk Dance Prevail
in Festivities.

- TOCKHOLM, Sweden, May IL
The longest day of the year Is
Just another day in most coun-
~ tries, but here in Sweden 1t is
celebrated with festivities dat
ing from pagan times. Hundreds of
travellers gather in Dalecarlia and
many of the other provinces, for the
people turn out in fine costumes and
spend the night in dancing their old
folk dances, singing songs that have
heen handed down for generations,
Go into the homes of these re-
gions, into the red log cabins that
dot the countryside. and you will find
that the people, proud of their past,
are even more proud of the great ma
tional arts and crafts revival of the
last 20 years. The hand-loomed rugs
that lay on the floor. the towels with
their gay designs. the FURNISHED cop
per utensils, all are a result OF
great national movement, which, on
the one hand, encouraged the people
to express themselves in handlcratts
and on the other inspired manufac-
turers to turn out fine glass, china,
silver. pewter and other objects on
huge scale. AS a result of this revival
some of Sweden'S finest artists are
now proud to work, in the factories
as designers, and the national spirit
has been rekindled.
Wherever one travels in Sweden one
Is conscious of the effect this great
movement has had on the people. Here
in Stockholm the citizens point out
their splendid town hall as one of the
most famous modern buildings in Eu-
rope, and they proudly tell the ro-
mantle story of its building, in which
the entire nation helped. During the
20 years the project was under way
the people had to be called on again
and again for voluntary contributions
with which to complete it.
Then when the World War came
and the copper roof remained unfin-
ished. the price of the metal rose so
high it seemed that some cheaper ma
terial would have to be substituted.
Once again, however, the country came
to the rescue, thousands Of citizens
gave Sc apiece to buy single plate
for the roof. and so it was completed.
The building, with its furnishings,
garden, statues, paintings, stands to-
day as a magnificent tribute to the
national spirit of Sweden.
STOCKHOLM has been described as
~ a composite of Scottish lake see
merry, of the Bay of Naples, and of the
islands of the Aegean. 1t is built on
peninsulaS and islands, and there are
small harbors and quays everywhere
Hundreds of boats and small steam
ers ply among the islands during the
Summer, while foreign yachts come
into Stockholm for the excellent sail
ing in the adjacent sea.
Travellers who have but short time
IN Sweden can obtain good idea of
the country by making the canal trip
between Stockholm and Gothenburg
The canal links a series of rivers and
lakes through the heart of the coun-
try, and on its route of $50 miles passes
through meadows, low hills and wood
lands typical of the agricultural re-
gions of Sweden. Sometimes the boats
steam along through fine lakes, some
times they reach a canal so narrow
that one can reach out and touch the
foliage of trees along the bank.
A FAVORITE vacation land of the
IA Swedish people, and the region in
which they take the greatest interest,
is the Island of Gottland, with the
ruins of Visby. During the twelfth
century, Visby was the chief trading
city of the north; it built splendid
wall with 81 towers, and within con-
structed Is great churches. Then the
city burned; later it was looted. and
a few years after pirate laid it waste.
To cap its troubles, trade routes
changed, and Visby had swift de-
cline.
Today roses tumble over its old walls
and flowers grow in the ruins of its
churches. One, st. Mary's. has been
restored to serve as cathedral, and
a small city has been constructed with
stones taken from the old buildings,
but the Swedish people come to Visby
for its famed ruins and roses"