palaces by the parish and the State. The appliances can rarely bear comparison with those of the boys' schools. Connected with most of the schools for girls is a preparatory school with two or three classes, receiving beginners (often including boys) generally at 6 years of age. The higher school proper has in the larger towns eight classes, of one year's duration each. In some of the larger towns there exists, connected with the higher school proper, a so-called continuation school, having for its objects (1) to prepare for admission to the university, or (2) to the higher training college; (3) training of teachers, or (4) imparting knowledge necessary for a good general education or one required in practical occupations.

The school year is divided into two parts-the spring and the autumn terms. The summer holidays extend over the months of June, July, and August. In general, the annual instruction covers only a time of thirty-two weeks. In the preparatory school the hours of attendance are mostly three to four a day; in the school proper and the continuation school, generally five (home work excepted). Of the three modern languages studied in school, two are, as a rule, optional. In many schools this is also the case with geometry, needlework, singing, and drawing.

use.

Instruction by means of questions and answers is the one chiefly in Examinations at the end of the school year rarely take place at girls' schools, except in those schools which prepare for the university. The pupil is examined on admission, and then, if at the end of the spring term she has a sufficient number of marks at the repetitions, moves into a higher class; if not, she has the opportunity of making up her marks by studying during the long summer vacation.

Competitions and distributions of prizes hardly ever occur.

Religious instruction begins in the preparatory school with narratives from sacred history, orally rendered and illustrated by pictures, and with easy hymns learned by heart. In the school proper, Bible history is studied out of a text-book; Luther's smaller catechism is learned, with explanations; later on, a Bible manual, and, in the highest classes, church history. Bible reading takes place partly during the Scripture lessons and at morning prayers.

The girls' school of Sweden attempts more and more to make the Swedish language its principal subject. The pupils are taught to express themselves clearly and distinctly in speaking and writing their mother tongue. They are also made acquainted with our best poets and prose writers. Reading is taught by the phonetic method. At about 10 years of age the study of grammar begins; later, composition, which first consists of writing down something told or read to the pupil. In the higher classes, the history of Swedish literature is studied; Norwegian and Danish authors are also read.

Instruction in Swedish history generally begins in the highest class of the preparatory school. In this, as well as in the lower classes of

the school proper, the historical facts are imparted chiefly by the teacher's oral narratives out of ancient Scandinavian history. In teaching, attempts are made more and more to abandon that method which consists of the mere learning of names, dates, and dry compilations, and instead to give the pupils a detached and connected description of historical events.

The study of general history begins at the age of 11 to 12 (the study of Swedish history is continued), and is carried on according to the same principles as those for Swedish history. In the higher classes a thorough review is undertaken with the help of more detailed textbooks than those used in the lower classes. In a few schools politics are also taught.

The foreign languages taught are French, German, and English; in the schools preparing for the university Latin is also taught. The first foreign language, generally French, is begun at 8 years of age; the second, usually German, at 10; and the third, English, at 12. In the few schools where Latin occurs it is not studied until after the age of 16. There are modern pedagogues who vote for the precedence of the English language, as being the easiest from a grammatical point of view. Experiments have been made in this direction. Reading, grammar, translation, as well as speaking and writing, are taught.

The question about the proper way of teaching languages has, at the present moment, awakened a most lively interest. The excessive study of grammar has been given up and practical methods are prevailing more and more. The aim and object of the instruction is that the pupil should acquire the ability to understand and speak the language taught. In several schools the instruction in question is given in the foreign language itself. Foreign languages are also the most favored subjects in the girls' schools. A pupil learning the three modern languages devotes more than half of her compulsory time for homework to that study. At school the languages occupy more than 25 per cent of the time for instruction.

Geographical instruction in the preparatory school has for its chief object to clear up geographical ideas by studying the map and learning the geography of Sweden and of Scandinavia in general, thereby gaining a solid foundation for study. Then the other parts of the world are studied. By providing the school library with good and authentic books of travel, the interest of the pupils is awakened to the need of private study. In the highest classes astronomy is generally studied and there is detailed repetition of the geography of Sweden.

The text books of late endeavor, as a rule, to do away with a superfluity of names, to concentrate the study of geography which the pupil then more unfailingly commits to memory. The new methods serve to connect with geography parts of natural history-for instance, botany, zoology, and mineralogy. In some schools map drawing is taught.

Zoology and botany generally begin in the second class (tenth year),

and are taught during the next four years. In the higher classes physics as well as chemistry and geology are taught. In class 6 (fourteenth year) rules of health are imparted in connection with the study of anatomy, and in the highest class of many schools hygiene forms a special subject of study. In some schools domestic economy and chemistry applied to household affairs are studied in the highest or in the finishing class (in the so-called continuation school).

Since 1892 practical instruction in cooking has been imparted to the pupils in the continuation class of the State model school, the teaching of which is carried on in a cooking school founded by Mrs. Anna HiertaRetzius and placed at the disposal of the higher training college and the model school. Other schools in Stockholm and Göteborg also

teach cooking.

In spring and autumn botanical excursions are made. The duty of collecting a certain number of living plants during the summer holidays is enjoined upon the pupils. The appliances for instruction vary according to the financial circumstances of the schools.

Arithmetic begins in the preparatory school and is taught objectively by means of little balls. Great importance is attached to readiness in mechanical ciphering, which is brought about partly by mental arithmetic and partly by exercises written at school and at home. In class 3 (eleventh year) the pupil should know the four rules of arithmetic properly. Then common and decimal fractions follow, with their application to interest, discount, division of profit and loss, etc. Special importance is attached to the learning of the metric system. In the continuation school algebra is taught, or an easy course of bookkeeping and economical arithmetic is gone through, by those who are going to devote themselves to practical professions.

Geometry begins in class 5 with geometrical object lessons; the aim is to give a clear idea about lines, angles, surfaces, and geometrical figures. In classes 6 to 8 the three first books of Euclid are generally studied. Drawing is taught by copying diagrams, models, living plants, plaster casts, architectural and other ornament, and by drawing from life. The lessons in needlework aim to make the pupils skilled in such kinds of work as may be deemed necessary to every woman. Knitting, darning, patching, and plain needlework are compulsory; opportunity is also given to learn art needlework. In some schools wood sloyd and dressmaking are taught.

Of late great attention has been devoted to the hygienic conditions of schools. In the larger schools physicians are appointed, in part to superintend the hygienic conditions in general, in part to examine the state of health of the pupils and judge whether they may be admitted to gymnastics. The pupils are drilled every day in Ling's gymnastics. In schools possessing a building of their own there is generally a gymnasium provided, with apparatus and dressing room, where the pupils put on their gymnastic costumes.

Attention has been drawn to the danger of intellectual overexertion and attempts have been made to arrange school work so as to allow the pupils out of door exercise during the earlier part of the day.

Instruction in girls' schools is chiefly managed by women teachers. For the training of female teachers there are in Sweden five training colleges for female national school teachers and one higher training college, all founded by the State, and with instruction quite free of cost. Other female teachers have qualified for the university or for a bachelorship, or else, when teaching foreign languages, have perfected their education abroad. In the higher classes, male teachers from the boys' higher schools sometimes give instruction by the hour.

In smaller schools as well as in private teaching, similar methods are followed and the same subjects are studied as those mentioned above, with considerable modifications.

THE PEOPLE'S HIGH SCHOOLS FOR WOMEN.1

The pupils of these schools are grown-up girls, chiefly belonging to the farmers' class. There is no entrance examination, neither is any stated preparatory knowledge required. As a rule, the pupils are presumed to possess the standard of knowledge imparted in the national schools.

The movement leading to this kind of school began in Denmark. The Swedish schools developed however independently. The first school for women of this class was founded in 1869; now there are 13. The object of the people's high schools for women is to develop the mental faculties of the pupils, to make them comprehend true womanliness and to excite an interest in subjects relating to general education and training in manual work.

The people's high school is no housekeeping school and does not want to be considered as chiefly aiming to impart such knowledge to the girls as exclusively belongs to the province of housework. The object in view is principally to develop the mental faculties of the girls as far as this can be attained by a knowledge of the language, history, and character of the native country, by acquaintance with the laws of nature, and by reading the best that our literature offers. In addition to this are held, especially at the Tärna school, so-called free lectures on religio-ethical subjects.

The school admits the importance of the rougher housework most women have to take part in, and for this reason attempts to organize the instruction so as to make the young girl acquainted with the nature of what surrounds her in daily life, as for instance the air, the water, the articles of food, etc., as well as to acquaint her with those laws which rule even in the most ordinary occupations of everyday life, so that she may be able to understand the reason why a thing is done in

Reports from the Swedish Ladies' Committee to the World's Columbian Exposition, 1893, pp. 31–35.

such or such manner and so that she may be thoroughly trained for life's duties.

The subjects of study are: The Swedish language. The instruction aims to teach the pupils to read poetry and prose well; to understand properly the contents of what is read, and to express their thoughts in writing. Literature with recital of excellent excerpts in the evenings. History and geography. Free lectures on religio-ethical subjects. Hygiene, including the structure of the human body, the laws of health, general rules on the proper treatment of diseases, nursing of infants, etc. Knowledge of natural science, including some of the principles of chemistry and physics. In this connection housekeeping is studied, as for instance laundry, cleaning, boiling, roasting and frying, preserving, • pickling, etc. French ironing is taught at several of the schools for women. Dairy training (the outlines). Arithmetic, domestic bookkeeping, writing, singing, solo and part singing. Gymnastics are practiced only at three people's high schools for women, but gymnasiums are going to be built within a few years at many schools.

By teaching needlework, the effort is to meet and encourage the girls to like female manual work (sloyd) and, at the same time, to develop taste and sound views within that sphere. The instruction in needlework comprises mending and darning, various kinds of knitting and crochetwork, plain sewing and cutting, white, colored, and flat embroidery, hemstitch and masking of several kinds, making of fringe and tassels, etc.

For the second years' pupils, as well as for those who have proved themselves clever in other kinds of needlework, there are lessons in lace-making and weaving of ancient Scanian textile fabrics for curtains, furniture stuffs, etc. The pupils must be quite expert in ordinary plain weaving to be taught art weaving at the school.

To the development of their skill in manual work the school attaches great importance, and a stated plan is followed in the teaching of this subject. The pupils first must prove themselves skilled in mending, knitting, and plain needlework, then they are allowed to choose between the ornamental kinds of work.

Time of instruction.-All the people's high schools for women are connected with those for male pupils, have the same head master, and are in the same localities. The Tärna school has a head mistress of its own, however. While the course for men is kept up during the six winter months, November-April, that for women covers the three summer months, May-July, during which period the farmers are considered as most able to spare their young daughters. One female school (at Bollnäs) is open during the three autumn months; one at (Fornby) during the four months, February-May, simultaneously with the school for men. Coeducation, as at the people's high schools of Finland, is not customary in Sweden. The course for women is comparatively short, as the same teachers are employed for the summer and winter terms.