YOUTHFUL DANES AT WORK AND PLAY
Denmark is renowned for its educational system and for its schools.
These schools are all under Government control, and meet the wants of
every class. The authorities are upheld by the parents, both being
determined there shall be no such thing as an ignoramus in Denmark, so
whether the children are educated at home or sent to school, they must
begin lessons at the age of seven. If they have a governess at home the
parents must give a guarantee to the authorities that the governess is
efficient and capable of giving the standard education to the children.
Should parents elect to take their children abroad during the school
term, they must notify their intention, undertaking that a teacher shall
accompany them and lessons continue while away. Shirking lessons is
quite an impossibility for little Danes, as everybody thinks that
education comes before all else, so parents do not encourage idleness or
extra holidays during the school year.
School attendance is compulsory for all children between the ages of
seven and fourteen. The hours are not long nor wearisome, as the lessons
are arranged with a view to holding the attention of young minds during
the period of instruction. The classes are small, even in the free
schools, never more than thirty-five pupils to a teacher, and generally
less. The lesson lasts forty minutes, and then there is an interval for
play. The thorough education of the pupils for their future work in life
is considered, so lessons in writing, reading, and arithmetic, in the
Kommune schools, are varied by tailoring lessons for boys, and cookery
for girls, after they are ten years of age. At every school gymnastics
play an important part--pleasant lessons these are for all--but perhaps
the lesson the boys most delight in is their instruction in Slöyd. Each
lad has his carpenter's bench with necessary tools, and as we know every
boy is happy when making or marring with hammer and nails, I am sure you
will think these must be enviable lessons. I have seen some charming
models as well as useful things made by the boys--a perfect miniature
landau, complete in every detail, benches, bureaux, carts, tables,
chairs, besides many other serviceable articles. Besides this
pleasure-work at school, the boys, if they are farmers' sons, have
practical lessons at home by helping their father on the farm. The
authorities being anxious to help the farmer, they allow him to keep a
boy at home half the day for instruction in farm-work, but the other
half must be spent at school. The prizes at the municipal schools not
infrequently consist of clothes, watches, clocks, or tools, all of which
are worked for eagerly by the pupils.
The boys and girls of Denmark begin early with gymnastic exercises, and
soon become sturdy little athletes from sheer love of the exhilarating
practice. All Danes pride themselves--and with good reason--on their
national athletic exercises. At the Olympic Games, held at the Stadium
in London, the Danish ladies carried away the gold medal by their fine
gymnastic display. This was a triumph with so many competitors in the
field. It is an amusing sight to see the Danes at a seaside resort
taking their morning swim; each one on leaving the water runs about on
the sun-warmed beach, and goes through a gymnastic display on his own
account, choosing the exercise he considers most calculated to warm and
invigorate him after his dip. The children require no second bidding to
follow father's example, and as they emerge from the water breathless,
pantingly join in the fun. Sons try to go one better than the father in
some gymnastic feat which the latter's stoutness renders impossible! The
merry peals of laughter which accompany the display speak eloquently of
the thorough enjoyment of all the bathers.
Yachting in Denmark is not merely a pleasure for the rich, it is
inexpensive, so all classes and every man capable of sailing a boat can
enjoy it. In the summer-time the Sound and other waters seem alive with
the multitudes of white sails and speeding craft of all sizes. The
Øresund Week, as the Royal Yacht Club's regatta-week is called, is the
time of all others for yachtsmen to display their skill, and a gay
event in the Copenhagener's year. The pleasant waters of Denmark are
beloved of yachtsmen. Sailing round the wooded islands, you are
impressed by their picturesque beauty, which is seen to advantage from
the water. One is not surprised that this popular pastime comes first
with every Danish boy, who, whether swimming, rowing, or sailing, feels
perfectly at home on the water. Everybody cycles in Denmark.
Cycle-stands are provided outside every shop, station, office, and
college, so that you have no more difficulty in disposing of your cycle
than your umbrella.
[Illustration: WINTER IN THE FOREST.]
Football is a summer game here--spirited matches you would think
impossible at this season--but the Danes have them, and what is more,
they will inform you that they quite enjoy what appears to the spectator
a hot, fatiguing amusement. Cricket has few attractions for the Danish
lads, but that is because they cannot play, though their schoolmasters
and parents would have them try. All things English are much admired,
and when a Dane intends to do a thing he generally succeeds, so we can
only suppose he is too indifferent about cricket--although it is an
English game--to excel.
Golf and hockey are also played, and "bandy"--_i.e._, hockey on the
ice--is a favourite winter sport. A "bandy" match is quite exciting to
watch. The players, armed with a wooden club, often find the ice a
difficulty when rushing after the solid rubber ball. This exhilarating
game is known in some parts of the world as "shinty." The Danes are
proficient skaters, and of late years an artificial ground for winter
sport of all kinds has been made in the Ulvedal, near Copenhagen. Here
they have "bandy" matches, ski-ing, and tobogganing, as well as other
winter games. Fox-hunting is unknown in Denmark, but frequently foxes
are included in the sportsman's bag when shooting. These are shot
because it is necessary to keep Mr. Reynard's depredations under
control. Trotting-matches are held on Sunday on the racecourse near
Charlottenlund, and horse-racing takes place too. Lawn-tennis and
croquet are very popular, but the latter is the favourite pastime of the
Danish ladies.