E.—s

Rugby, in Warwickshire, is said to be the only town in England where boys and girls between 14 and 16 years of age must attend school part-time. They attend one day a week, whether they are employed or not, and this has been the case since 1920, when the junior day (continuation) school was opened. School-hours are from 8.30 a.m. to 12.15 and 1.15 to 5 p.m. Boys and girls from 14 to 16 may attend junior evening classes, which are voluntary and free, and may take any subject they choose provided thay take it for at least one term. Boys attend these classes from 7to 9 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and girls from 6.45 to 8.45 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. There are games for both on Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. The day courses are— Boys : Industrial courses for building, engineering, and similar occupations ; distributive trades course. Boys and Girls : Commercial course for those in clerical occupations ; courses in agriculture for those engaged in agricultural pursuits. Girls : Housecraft courses for those employed in factories, shops, or the house. English and physical exercises are taken by all girls and boys ; French by the commercial girls ; art by the housecraft girls ; the remaining subjects taken are vocational and practical. Three hundred pupils attend the evening (voluntary) classes for —Literature and drama; music (vocal and instrumental) ; physical training; scientific circles ; handicrafts; needlework; typewriting and shorthand ; French ; art. In Vancouver pupils must stay at school until they are 15 unless they secure exemption, and in California full-time till 16 and part-time to 18 or 21 years. In New Zealand only an Order in Council is required to raise the primary-school leaving-age to 15 years. DENMARK. Throughout this report I have referred under various headings to aspects of Danish education. Speaking generally, the organization of the system is similar to that in other countries —namely, elementary schools for all up to 14 or 15 years, with provision for transferring, at 11, the brightest pupils to the middle school (mellemskole), and, of these children, again the brightest at 15 to the gymnasium, where they remain till they are 18 and sit for the examination (Studenter) that determines admission to the University and the professions. A few schools are directly under the control of the Government ; others are controlled by the municipalities ; others again are under private control. Most of the latter receive a subsidy from the State. It is usual for Danish town children to attend school for six hours a day for six days a week, every teacher's week being thirty-six hours. In the rural districts, however, where there are many one-teacher schools divided into two classes, it has been the custom for a long time for one class to attend for three hours in the morning and the other for three hours in the afternoon, or for each class to attend for three days of six hours. This enables the older children to help at home for three days a week. The school curriculum is fixed for each individual school by the School Committee and must be approved by the School Board. Attendance at school is compulsory till 14, but an effort is being made to extend the elementary school course to 15 for those who do not enter the mellemskole. At the age of 14 children leave the rural elementary school and most of them go to work on the home farm or engage themselves as apprentices to a neighbouring farmer. For the next four years they have no contact with school. But at 18 a large number become pupils of the folk high schools. Rural education may be summarized thus : — Seven to fourteen years : Period of compulsory elementary education. Fifteen to eighteen years : No school work : employment on the farm. Eighteen to twenty-five years : Pupils of the folk high schools for part of each year. The folk high schools are an original contribution to educational organization. They are private boarding-schools and form no part of the national system of education. Yet they have exercised a profound influence on the life of the kingdom. They were founded in 1844 by N. S. F. Grundtvig, a pastor, poet, historian, and educational reformer, and developed by Christen Kold, who gave them their inner spiritual character and their plain and simple outward form. The aim of the folk high school is to impart to the young people a " rule of life " which gives them a more profound understanding and enables them to lead a spiritual and active life in their future homes and among their fellow-citizens. The schools are open for men from November to April —i.e.. during the winter ; and for women from May to July —i.e., during the summer. They are attended by young people from about 18 to 25 or older. In 1933 there were sixty schools in operation with a yearly attendance of some 6,400 students —3,500 men and 2,900 women. The high schools are private institutions at which attendance is quite voluntary. As a rule they are owned by the principal. The pupils and the staff reside together in the school-houses, and it is claimed that this living together as a large family does much to further feelings of fellowship. Subject to certain conditions the State subsidizes the schools in proportion to the salaries of the teachers, building-expenses, &c., and gives a number of scholarships, but it takes no part in their organization or management. The Scholarships cover about half the cost of the tuition and board, which at present is usually just over £3 per month for women and a little under £4 a month for men (70 and 80 kroner respectively). .

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