The Danish Friskole – a Segment of the Grundtvigian-Kold School Tradition
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The Danish Friskole – a segment of the Grundtvigian-Kold school tradition Published by the Danish Friskole Association The object of the association is: – to strengthen and promote fellowship and cooperation among the Danish friskoler; – to safeguard the rights and influence of the home on questions regarding schooling; – to work for the best possible conditions for establishing and running friskoler in Denmark. 1 The Danish Friskole – a segment of the Grundtvigian-Kold school tradition ©2010 The Danish Friskole Association and authors. The text may be reproduced with indication of source. Editor: Thorstein Balle and Margaretha Balle-Petersen Translation: Ann Andresén Layout: Ole Mikkelsen, The Friskole Office The childrens’ pictures were drawn by friskoler pupils and have previously been printed in the Friskole magazine (Friskolebladet). Photos: The Hjortshøj-Egå local archives, Claus Bonnerup and Andreas Duedal Cover: Drawing by Louis Moe 2 Preface This booklet is about the Danish friskole. The friskoler like to tell Hans Christian An- In this booklet, the Danish term friskole(r- dersen’s well-known fairy tale about Klods- plural) will be used. Friskole could be trans- Hans (Numskull Jack) because this story lated as independent private primary (and illustrates the concept of the friskole. This is secondary) school, but friskole is not just why we have chosen the Klods-Hans motif to a word, it is a concept,and it is this concept decorate the cover of this booklet. The wry we wish to acquaint you with in this booklet. and sardonic personality of Klods-Hans is a These schools are a part of the independent figure one can identify with. He who, when school tradition which – with common roots it counts, solves problems much better than in N.F.S. Grundtvig’s and Christen Kold’s his two well-prepared brothers who have concepts of schooling – also include among clung to what they, and the majority in soci- others the folkehøjskoler (folk high schools) ety, believed was the sure way to success in and efterskoler (continuation schools). life. Reality, which is the true test, showed, however, that it was Klods-Hans who, thanks This publication is a result of the growing to his baggage of courage, and unimpressed contact with educators, especially in Eastern ingenuity, managed the unexpected chal- Europe and the Baltic countries, which has lenges in life. It was Klods-Hans who won created a need for more information about the princess and half the kingdom. the friskoler than what could be gained in our brief pamphlets in English and German. This In the following, we will never the less at- booklet was made possible through econom- tempt to describe the Grundtvigian-Kold ic subsidy from the Ministry of Education’s friskole. To this, one must add a broader lottery. perspective. The Grundtvigian-Kold friskoler are a 150 The Danish educational system is built on year-old grass roots movement. This move- compulsory education – not compulsory ment is difficult to describe because it is a schooling. Danish parents are free to choose living and manifold tradition which culti- the municipal school or one of the many vates variety and which is implied in the types of friskoler or private schools subsi- interaction between human beings. It also dized by the state. Parents can also, if they embodies a built-in opposition to the con- have the courage and tenacity, establish a formity which every description cannot avoid new school based on the principle’s they find creating. right. There are many types of private prima- 3 ry (and secondary) schools in Denmark. They can identify with the entire religious, politi- The overall texts have been written in collab- cal or educational spectrum. There is room oration with two friskole parents, Thorstein for the progressive as well as the elite, and Balle and Margaretha Balle-Petersen with there are schools for the German minority support from Niels Thomsen, Løgumkloster, and for the Muslim immigrant groups. These who has written the articles: „A Grass roots are mentioned in a following section (pp. 21 Movement” and „A Christian Tradition”. A and 31). number of the shorter texts have been written by principal, Aksel Bording, Stevns Friskole. But what we talk about in this booklet is first The three concluding „school stories” have and foremost the Grundtvigian-Kold friskole been written by principals: Ernst Kr. Larsen and principals of freedom which influence and Else Nørhave Kjær, Gudenådalens them. First, we tell about the historical roots. Friskole, Torsten Johannessen, Odense Then about the bearing pillars: the rights of Friskole and Knud Frederiksen, Sdr. Vium parents and the minority. And about the prin- Friskole. ciples of freedom: the ideological freedom, the pedagogical freedom, the economic free- We hope that this account of the Danish dom, freedom of employment and freedom of friskole tradition will give others courage the pupils. We then describe some common and inspiration to – just like Klods-Hans in characteristics of the friskole tradition and the fairy tale – create schools according to finally, we become more closely acquainted their own ideas – schools one feels are what with three friskoler – each with their own a school should be. story. At the end of this booklet, you will find some useful addresses. Copenhagen, May 1995 Margaretha Balle-Petersen National Chairman of the Danish Friskole Association 4 Contents Preface . 3 1. A grass roots movement . 6 The „folkelige” . 7 2. The rights of parents. 9 3. The rights of the minority . 11 4. Freedom in the friskole . 13 The Principle of Ideological Freedom. 13 The Principle of Pedagogical Freedom. 14 The Principle of Economic Freedom . 14 The Principle of Freedom of Employment. 15 The Principle of Student Freedom. 15 5. The Grundtvigian-Kold friskoler . 17 Governed by the parents.. 17 Emphasis on the narrative and song . 18 A Christian tradition . 19 6. Other private primary schools . 21 7. The stories of three friskoler . 23 7.1. To start from scratch. .. 23 7.2. Influenced by generations . 26 7.3. From municipal school to friskole.. 29 8. Useful addresses . 31 5 1. A grass roots movement The friskoler didn’t begin with schools or a profit on agriculture, cooperative dairies education. They began with the grass roots and slaughterhouses were established. When movements which, from the middle of the one felt the grocer was making too much of 1800th, transformed Danish society. Before a profit, cooperative stores were founded. then, we had an absolute monarchy where Where there was no place to discuss, meeting the paternal king felt he knew better than halls were built. the „common” man. This pertained to all matters: politics, education, religion and On the whole, one didn’t wait for the central business. But in the middle of the 1800th, government, the municipality or officials to the population began to feel that they were take care of things. When something needed capable of taking responsibility for their own to be done, the people themselves took the affairs. initiative. The people did what had to be done – often with a great economic risk and First came the religious revivals. With the with an amazing lack of knowledge and ex- religious revivals, the people no longer be- perience. lieved that the church and the ministers had a monopoly on how to obtain salvation, and It was in the same way, one established they discovered that they themselves had schools. This was often connected with the to take the responsibility for their relation- fact that the municipal schools were inad- ship with God. When they realized this, equate. But the real reason was that people everything else was easier. If one can take were confident they knew what was best the responsibility for the salvation of one’s for their children. If the municipal schools soul, then one can also be responsible for the could satisfy their needs, they were used. If education and upbringing of one’s children. not, a group of parents established their own And if one can do this, then one can also take school. care of monetary matters, trade and politics. No matter how complicated it seems, nothing In principle, it was felt in those circles that it can be a greater responsibility than one’s re- was best if parents taught their own children, lationship with God and the question of how but when they couldn’t manage this, they the life of one’s child will be shaped. arranged for collective education. This was their own responsibility. Thus, the friskoler This is how it began. Where ministers were began. There was no need for administrators incompetent, one established free congre- or experts. What was needed were teachers gations, and the congregations hired their who could act as parents – along with being own ministers. When the merchant made knowledgeable. 6 The „folkelige” cooperative dairies expressed, but didn’t al- The common denominator for all of this was ways live up to – that one should vote accord- what was called the popular or ordinary, in ing to one’s „head”, not according to one’s Danish: the folkelige. This is an expression „heard”, meaning that the farmer with two that rings with fanfare, but it is not so easy to cows should have just as much influence as define. It includes everything to which a hu- the farmer with thirty or – one man, one vote. man being is willing to commit himself and his fellow man. It is not necessary to equalize economy, intel- ligence and knowledge before one can con- What does this involve? First of all, two sider oneself equal. All humans are born with things that are equally important: fellowship the same dignity.