MODEL GOVERNMENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1351, 31 January 1912, Page 9

MODEL GOVERNMENT.

Frc-sli air leagues arc now familiar factors in most civilised countries, but fovt Governments tako the share in providing city children with- a change of air that the. Denmark Government does (snys a writer in an Australian exchange)" In that country tho Government not only provides beautiful sc.hoolliouses, furnished with bathrooms and drill halls, and feeds tho hungry children in the winter tim<?. but duriiii; the .summer vacation it sends many of the children away from Hie cities to benefit by the sunshine and fresh air of the. country. When the vacation begins railways and steamers take the children, free of charge, to every part of the country. Most of them go to relations, but a number lire received as guests in the homes of slransjei'rf all through the country, and amongst the hosts are to be found noblemen, farmers, cottagers, clergymen, schoolmasters, mechanics, and fishermen.

The custom began ii\ 18")3, when a cholera epidemic raged in Copenhagen. A number of children were sent to the country to relieve I he distress, and the custom has grown and grown until now about '.'O,OOO children are scut from the cities to the country every year. The Government railways carry the largest number of the children, but: the private companies al&o send special trains t;i take them away at the bpginuinp; of the holidays, and bring them back ;it the end, while most of tho steamship companies give special passages to the children.

Thcro is never any trouble in finding hosts for the children, but every summer thousands of ufi'ers are received from p?o----])lo all through the country. Some ask for the poorest and most starving I'hildron; Olivers demand nice and well-dressed ones. Generally the same child goes year after year to fhe same friends, and often is allowed to take younger brothers and sisters, who in (heir turn inherit the holiday home. Sometimes the poor and fricmlicss children are adopted bv their kind foster-parents, and many a child returns to the city equipped with a new outfit made by fond hands.

'flip physical benefit derived from such a. holiday is obvious, but it has also fho effect of oneniiiK the child's mind io otherforms of life than (hose they are accustomed to in the largo cities, nnil liiaiiy boys and girls on leaving school, find their way to tho country, where they had known such happy hours, and become farm servants and" labourers.

The work of sending the children away is all done through 'the board school. The intended hosts wnd llu'ir offers tn the board, which distributes them .imonist the schools. Thn railway tickets arc also sent to tho board. Every school sends its demands to the office, and no school ever suffers from want of tickets. In the ease of children.,who have not sufficient clothing to travel, the hoard, upon the recommendation of tho school, provides a proper outfit. Then in return for all this kindness a society has been formed for showing hospitality to country children visiting Copenhagen during the holidays. These children come, a school at a time, under the care of their master ami mistress, and thev also are provided with free tickets. Guides meet them nt tho city, and show them all sights, and, in the rase of schools from 'a distance, pinko provision for them to spend the night.