The Danish Folk High School Adapts to a New World

Denmark s informal, residential schools provide practical work experiences ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————in humanistic, innovative settings. The Danish Folk High School Adapts to a New World merican observers of the Dan Grundtvig and Kold a new dignity ish folk high school movement SAMUEL S. CORL, III__ and pride of heritage. A have marveled at the human The early curriculum of the folk istic bent of these remarkable insti turmoil of the early years shaped high school reflected the nationalistic tutions, and their seemingly anti- these schools, and the ones to follow spirit of Grundtvig and Kold. Stu establishment romanticism. For more them, in natural harmony with both dents came for the winter to study than a century, these schools have the character of the rural Danes who Danish history, world history, geog been unique in their approach to began them, and the political and raphy, Danish language and litera preserving Danish culture, while religious radicalism of the inspirator ture, German, zoology, botany, furnishing a free and open oppor of the movement, Nikolaj Severin geometry, drafting, arithmetic, physi tunity for Danish youth to explore Frederik Gnmdtvig, pastor, poet, cal training, singing, and "intelligence national and world issues and prob and educator. training"—the analysis of moral, lems. Grundtvig railed at the "schools psychological, or statistical subjects. These are schools without credits, of death" which forced literate Danes At R0dding, much of that curriculum without examinations, without grades to abandon their language for the remains today. A typical folk high or certificates of attendance, and stuffy but prestigious Latin of the school, if there is one, offers world often, for Americans, characterized formal schools, and at the insistence and national issues, Swedish gym by a fluid, non-restricting curriculum. of both the Danish elite and the Ger nastics (a form of exercise, dance, To dwell on these features, and to man occupiers of southern Danish and basic tumbling that is non-com allow oneself to be caught up in the lands that Danish was somehow in petitive, unlike the familiar competi romantic nostalgia of the movement, ferior to German for the conducting tive version in this country which however, is to miss significant and of important business and social af requires special apparatus and so startling developments which have fairs. His cohort in the early days of phisticated training and coordina occurred over the past decade. These the movement, Christen Kold, im tion), arts and crafts, language, and developments reflect Denmark's bued the schools with a passionate Danish literature, mythology, and struggle between the forces of mod religious flavor which has persisted language. English is taught in almost ern urbanization and industrialization in but a few of the schools to the every school, French in most. and its Nordic past. present day. Their concern for the The more than 100 folk high The first Danish Folk High School, common people in Danish society, schools are vigorously supported by R0dding H0jskole, opened in 1844 which at that time meant the com the national treasury, which contrib near the center of the Jutland penin mon farmers, has survived to vitally utes 85 percent of the annual cost of sula. This location, close to a dis influence decisions and curricula in operation, and underwrites low in puted German border, boded ill for these schools today. terest loans for the purchase or con the fledgling school, for successive struction of buildings and land. The changes in Denmark's southern Winter—A Time to Study principal amount of the loan need not boundary placed the school inside Originally the folk high schools were be repaid, thus the schools are only Germany for a time, before returning structured to provide additional edu responsible for an interest payment it to the Danish people. The second cation to an agrarian population each year at rates well below prevail of the folk high schools, Askov, is which was long on work experience ing market standards. Students usu probably better known. It was but short on Nordic history, mythol ally spend about $200 a month dur founded by the headmaster and ogy, folk music and dance, and dia ing their stay in a folk high school as teachers from Redding when their log on the major cultural and politi their share of the operating costs, but former school was swallowed up by cal issues of the day. Winter in even this amount can be reduced, the Germans in 1865. The political Denmark, depressingly gray and cold, sometimes to zero, by "scholarships" was a perfect time for farmers with provided by the student's home com no fields to tend to leave their homes munity, by generous unemployment Samuel S. Corl, III, is Associate Pro and live together in a close human benefits which are characteristic of fessor of Education, Michigan State community, University, East Lansing. to learn from and about the democratic socialism firmly en each other, and about their Nordic trenched in all of Scandinavia, or by ff you are interested in more informa heritage. Especially, it was a time to other social benefits. tion about Denmark©s The level of Folk High learn without books, using their Schools order Professional Paper na support tendered these schools is but 1981- tive 1, "The Danish Folk High School of Danish. Young Danes who had one visible symbol of their import the Seventies." by Samuel S. Corl, III, left formal schooling behind at the ance in Danish society. from the ASCD headquarters office. age of 12 or 14, and who had spent Folk high schools today resemble Copies are available at $5 each; pay the intervening years becoming wise in many ways the original schools at ment must accompany all orders under to the demands of a real and often R0dding and Askov. Many of the $20. grave world, found in the schools of same buildings that were used in the 338 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP Students at the Kunslhojskolen, in Holback, prepare to fire pots by the ancient method. last century are used today. Students schools range from the very con still conform to the three- or six- servative inner-mission schools spon month course structure originated in sored by a wing of the official Dan the early days of the movement; they ish Lutheran Church, to the avowedly come in October, usually, and their political schools such as the Maoist stay ends either in December or "Red High School." There are folk March. Today's students bear little high schools which are supported by resemblance to those of the early the labor union movement, intended years, however. While the early in to educate their members and lead habitants of the schools were agrarian ers. There are folk high schools for people, simple and always mea- the elderly, and for the single parent, gerly educated, today's student is and for the amateur gymnast. Schools The giant windmill, constructed by students typically younger (18- to 23-years- for the development of artistic and and teachers at Tvind, near Ulfborg, provides old on the average), has completed musical abilities exist under the same energy for the school and community. some or all of the curriculum in the legal framework, and with the same «———————————————————————————•• Danish gymnasium, and is often us government support, as one notable tional product. Rising capabilities in ing the folk high school to gain self- innovation in which students travel industrial production, coupled with confidence or communal experience throughout the world. The only kind advanced agricultural methods, have prior to moving into the business of folk high school not to be found in pushed and pulled people away from world or higher education. While a Denmark is one for the gifted youth farms and into the big cities of Co stay at a folk high school officially —this conflict with egalitarian values penhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, and Es- counts for nothing when applying for is more than the government will bjerg. Recent unemployment miseries admission to the university or begin support. have encouraged the Danish parlia ning industrial or business enterprise, ment to extend the formal schooling most students are convinced that it available to students from the typical is a worthwhile experience. Aside The New, Urban Dane nine years of common school to ten, from being a welcome intersession The profusion of "schools for pur with legislation pending to provide between adolescence and adulthood, pose" is in part a testimony to the optional eleventh and twelfth years it seems to be a time for close and commitment of the Danish people to in every local community. The gym intense interaction with peers, for ex a diversity of interests and a demo nasium, once reserved for the intel ploration of ideas in a very informal cratic educational program, in pan lectual cream of Danish youth, now atmosphere, and a time for reflection due to the astounding changes in the attracts an increasing proportion of and for absorbing the many benefits population these schools serve. The the population which, as recently as of existence in a close, warm, and new, urban Dane is a result of the 30 years ago, would have been work nurturing human community. In addi rapid industrialization of the country ing the fields. tion it is, for some, a grooming forum following the second world war. Den Along with urbanization have for political radicalism. mark, once noted for its pork and come those problems all too familiar There are almost as many different dairy products, now exports these to American educators: drug use and kinds of folk high schools as there commodities at levels amounting to abuse, alcoholism, depression and are institutions in Denmark.

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