dren larger than himself and about as old. His work, however, was a decided success. After confirmation he served as tutor for three years, when, having reached the required age of 18, he entered the normal school at Snested. He seems not to have profited much by the instruction there until a religious revival aroused him spiritually and intellectually and made him an eager student. Teaching. After graduation from the normal school, Kold spent some years in tutoring, and participated in some revivals in which he began to experience his own powers of speech. At this time he also read some of Ingemann's romances. He saw how great Denmark had once been, and how low it had sunk, and was seized with a desire to lend a hand in raising it again. "Oh, that I possessed the kind of words that are necessary to make Denmark great, and strong, and happy!" Moving to southern Jutland, where he continued as tutor, he found the people dead to patriotic impulses, and having read still more historical romances, he felt that he must do something to stir the people. "I felt now that I could have no peace until I had gotten this work started-to raise Denmark again to what it had once been."2 Kold had an idea that much could be and must be done with the rising generation. Therefore as an experiment during the winter of 1840-41, he gathered about him 15 young men every Wednesday evening and read to them chiefly from Ingemann's romances. They talked together about the contents and sang patriotic songs. This was something new, and people laughed at it. But his experience with these boys gave Kold the idea which he developed later into his high-school plan. Varied experiences.-Kold became dissatisfied with the methods in vogue in elementary instruction and instituted a reform in his own work. Instead of compelling the children to memorize vast portions of textbooks, he told the contents to the children in story form. The children were delighted, remembered perfectly what he told them, and then the process of learning which before had been so laborious took care of itself. This revolutionary method, however, brought him into difficulties with pastor, bishop, and department, and the antagonism became so great that he soon found himself without an appointment. Saddened by this opposition and denial of opportunity to do the only work he wished and was able to do, he learned bookbinding, and went to Smyrna as a missionary's servant and helper. Terminating his services with the missionary, he spent some years there at his trade. The longing for his native land became too great, however, and he returned, walking from Trieste, some 800 miles, and drawing his belongings in a little wagon. This experience gave him an excellent 1 Austlid, op. cit., p. 43. opportunity to study the common life of the people in the sections through which he passed. He enlisted for the war of 1848-1850, but finding himself poorly adapted for musket drill, he resigned. The war served him a purpose, however, for it awakened Denmark, and he could now see how a spiritual force operates on a large scale with a whole people; previously he had seen it only in the case of individuals. Founds a people's high school.-Kold burned with desire to help perpetuate the spirit which the war had aroused in his people, but realized that sporadic efforts with a speech here and a speech there would avail but little. His experiences, notably his Wednesday evening class of boys, taught him that he must gather the young people in a school in order that they might be under his continuous influence for a considerable time. Thus only could he hope to effect an awakening and build up an enthusiasm that would last. By the aid of Grundtvig and other interested friends, he was enabled to make a humble beginning of a school in 1851 at Ryslinge, in Fyen. A prospectus of the new school announced that instruction would be only during the winter, from November 1 to April 1. Tuition, including board and lodging, was fixed at 60 kroner for the entire five months. The instruction was to embrace an outline of general, Bible, and church history, northern mythology and history of Denmark, geography, especially of Denmark, selected readings from Danish literature, and singing. Instruction was also to be given in the common-school branches with a view to their practical use in life.1 The school began its work with 15 students and 2 teachers. Kold had at last entered upon the realization of his cherished dreams, and was happy. given Characteristics of Kold's school.-The first year the students at Kold's school ranged in age from 14 upward, but this year's experience taught him that for such a school the students must be grown up, i. e., 18 years of age or more, as Grundtvig had maintained. The work with the younger boys was not nearly so satisfactory as with the older. After the first year 18 was set as the minimum age for entrance. This became the settled policy for all later schools. Another characteristic feature of this school was the short term, only five months during the winter. On this point, too, Kold's school set a precedent which has been followed by the other schools. It is the time when men can most easily be spared from the work of the farms. Likewise, the expenses at Ryslinge were set so low as to bring the school within the reach of all young men of energy. The expenses were only 12 kroner a month. At Rodding the amount was 40 kroner.2 The intimate character of the association of teachers 1 Hollmann, Den Danske Folkehöjskole, p. 59. These amounts equal about $3.25 and $10.80, respectively. and students is shown by the arrangement whereby Kold and his assistant teacher slept with the boys in one large sleeping room. The boys could thus listen to the teachers' conversation about worthy things until they fell asleep. Kold's continued work and influence.-After two years Kold moved his school to Dalby, where he remained for six years. Here he experienced a hard struggle before winning the people's favor for his school venture. Force was given to the opposition also by Kold's activity in behalf of elementary schools conducted in accordance with his ideals as opposed to the spiritless memorizing and fact cramming of the public schools. While his influence widened, his enemies also increased. By a protest of these to the ministry, signed by 344 persons, the State aid of 800 kroner, which Kold's school had been receiving, was held up for a year. Kold's life was embittered also by newspaper attacks and the dire poverty to which he was reduced. However, he was warmly defended by friends and students, who sent a counter protest to the ministry. Finally the local school commission served notice that they would inspect the school and judge for themselves of its work and merits. They came as avowed enemies of the school, nine men strong, including the county chairman, two deans, and the parish pastor. They proposed to examine each individual student in the several subjects, as was the customary method of procedure in the public schools; but this Kold resisted with force and dignity. No, Dean Rohmann; if that is the method the commission desires to employ, to examine my boys one by one, then I must inform you that I do not want any examination; and the boys do not want it, either. They are here on their own account, pay their own school expenses, and we have no right to force them. If that is your plan, the school is hereby closed from this day on.' According to Kold's philosophy, the function of his school was essentially to arouse his boys spiritually and intellectually. To test the results of such work by an examination of the amount of facts acquired by his students was unfair and contrary to the fundamental principle of the school. Kold was then asked to proceed with the work of the school in the usual way, and the dean put questions to the school as a whole. The results were surprising and pleasing. The students gave evidence of a remarkable fund of knowledge despite the fact that they had not been cramming books. During the examination in general history the dean put the question, "Can you tell me the name of the Roman general that defeated Attila?" This staggered the school for a moment, but a little fellow answered, "Aëtius." "This answer saved our school," Kold said afterwards.2 The result of the inspection was entirely satisfactory. The teachers and students were praised, the delayed State aid was forthcoming, and the standing of the school was assured. Subsequently Kold built a still larger school at Dalum, where the number of students increased to more than 100. Upon manifold requests of girls to attend the school he started in 1863 a three months' summer course for young women. This proved so successful that it became a permanent feature, and has since been an essential part of nearly all people's high schools. It is thus seen how the character of Kold's schools established the policy of the Danish people's high schools in the matter of the students' mature age, the five months' course, low expenses, a summer course for girls, and intimate association of teachers and students. It was due to his influence also that stimulation and development of personality and spiritual life came to be regarded as the chief function of the schools. At a meeting in Copenhagen in 1866, at which Kold was the chief speaker, he closed his address with these words: I do not know as much about enlightenment as I do about enlivenment. I enliven first, and enlighten afterwards, or at least enliven and enlighten at the same time. This, I believe, is right, for enlivenment is what is needed. He says he learned this when he worked among people who could receive no enlightenment before they had been enlivened. They were plain folk who, so to speak, knew nothing of enlightenment. They needed to be enlivened. I believe, too, that the more one learns to know the Danish people, both in and out of Copenhagen, the more one will experience that they can not be truly enlightened before they have been enlivened.1 Estimates of Kold.-By the time of his death, in 1870, Kold had had some 1,300 students under his charge, and a host of other people had received lasting impressions for good from his sturdy personality. He became known and loved throughout Denmark as the man who had given his life for the spiritual and national regeneration of the common people. Mr. Thornton, an Englishman, estimates him thus: Kold was a sort of rustic blend of Socrates and Pestalozzi; he had a ready store of idiomatic Danish, had thought much of life and its problems, had a keen insight into human character, possessed an unlimited store of illustrations and experiences, and was consumed by a passion for communicating to others what had brought light and help to himself.' Comparing Kold's work and influence with that of Grundtvig, Dr. Hollmann says: Measured by Grundtvig's large ideas of a national people's culture, Kold's little peasant school seems insignificant, but history makes no mistake when 1 Quoted by Schröder, Den Danske Folkehöjskole, p. 122. 2 Thornton, Schools Public and Private in the North of Europe. English Special Re ports, vol. 17, p. 114. it attributes to the little step forward in practical application a decisive significance in the development of the people's high schools. To Grundtvig is due the underlying thought of the people's high school, but Kold's plain peasant school was all that was possible of realization under the circumstances. By Kold's powerful influence, the people's high school was given a solid footing among the rural population of Denmark. He has given the people's high schools their external form and has put into practice the method which Grundtvig indicated within the limits that circumstances allowed.1 Grundtvig himself testified that Kold, in the very best manner, had transformed his ideas into realities.1 III. LATER DEVELOPMENTS. Grundtvig's high school. The idea of a large central people's high school was not abandoned after the failure of the plan to transform the Sorö academy into a people's high school. Especially did the feeling prevail that there ought to be a school where Grundtvig could make his influence felt. Accordingly, on the occasion of his seventieth birthday, friends raised a sum of money which was presented to him for the purpose of founding a high school. The chief donor and most active worker for the cause, C. D. Brandt, came of an aristocratic family in Copenhagen and entertained large ideas for the school. He aimed to build not a mere peasants' school, such as Kold's, which was being copied everywhere. This was to be a pretentious institution where Grundtvig might be given a suitable chair. Grundtvig's wife was opposed to this aristocratic notion. She wanted a school of the Kold type, and preferably Kold himself as principal. Grundtvig himself was undecided. Though the wisdom of the view held by Grundtvig's wife was afterwards proven, Brandt gained his point for the time being. The school was erected near Copenhagen in 1856 and given the name "Grundtvig's High School." Brandt was chosen principal, and Grundtvig delivered a series of lectures. Students did not flock to the school, however, as Brandt had hoped. During the first term there were 20 students, and when in the third year the number dwindled down to 12, Brandt resigned. The school was subsequently moved to Lyngby, some distance farther from the city. Under the succeeding principals the institution was transformed more and more into a school of the Kold type, and became one of the leading people's high schools in the country.2 People's high schools and the rural population.-The experience of Grundtvig's high school indicates the trend of the development—the people's high schools came to be attended almost exclusively by the 1 Begtrup, Folkehöjskolen i Danmark, p. 6. |