also held with public and municipal assistance. The subjects are
the same as in the continuation schools (principally Norwegian
and arithmetic), and the instruction is in the hands of the primary
school teachers. While the continuation schools are attended
chiefly by children that have just left the primary school (age 15
and 16), the pupils in the night schools are rather older (17—19).
In 1898—1899, there were 389 night schools being carried on,
with a total of 5519 pupils. The average number of classes was
60, and the expenses per pupil fa. 3.36.
In most of the counties there are County Schools (amtsskoler),
one or more. In these schools, the education for a practical life
is continued on the lines of the primary school and the continuation.
school. The county schools are managed by the County
School Board, which also appoints the teachers. The arrangement
and plan of the instruction is determined by the County Council
with the approbation of the fang. The county school course is
for two years or one year. They are some of them intended for
mixed schools, some for separate courses for ëach sex. In the
mixed and .the boys’ courses, the instruction, as a rule, lasts for
6 or 7 months of the year. The girls' courses are shorter jx, 3
or 4 months. Most of the county schools are ambulatory, and
move from parish to parish, remaining 1 or 2 years in each place.
Of late years, however, several of the county schools have become
fixed.’ The syllabus, as a rule, is the same as that of the primary
school, but the aim is a higher one. The girls receive instruction
in needlework and, as a rule, house management, and the’ boys
in sloid and technical drawing. In a few schools, instruction is
also given in gardening, agricultural subjects and English. The
instruction is being imparted more and more through the medium
of lectures.
In addition to the county schools, there ■ are the so-called
People’s High Schools (folkehoiskoler)1 in several of the counties.
At these schools, which are private, special attention is paid to the
influencing of the personality of the young men and women, and
fostering an affection for their country and mother-tongue. No
attempt is made to train the phpils for any particular position in
life or examination, but the end aimed at is that on returning to their
homes, the pupils may feel themselves at home in whatever sphere
of life they are called upon to enter. The pupils live at the
school, and make up as it were, a household with the manager’s
family; and particular attention is given to the intercourse between
masters and pupils.
In aid of the county schools, the people’s high schools, and
private schools with a similar object to that of the county schools,
and for studentships for needy pupils at such schools, the state
grants thrice the amount voted to the schools by the county fund.
Direct government grants are also made to a few advanced people’s
high schools. A sum of about 180,Q00 fa. has been voted for the
budget-year 1900—1901 to the county schools and the people’s
high schools, and for studentships for needy pupils in such schools,
the corresponding amount contributed by the counties being
60,000 fa. The municipalities in which county schools are held,
also provide premises, etc: Eor the same period, a sum of
:32,000 kr. has been voted as a direct government grant (without
presupposed contribution from the county) to advanced people’s high
schools and for studentships for needy pupils at such schools. In
the school-year 1898B-99, 45 county and people’s high schools were
being carried on, 9 of them being private. There were 101 masters
and 56 governesses teaching at the schools, and the number of
pupils was 1273 boys and 942 girls.
Of late years, adult men and women, chiefly of the working
classes, have been instructed in the so-called WorMng-Men’s Colleges
(arbeiderakademier) in the phenomena of nature and of human
and social life, and in the development of human culture and its
results upon thought and commerce. The first working-men’s college
was erected in Kristiania in 1885. Several towns and rural districts
have since then followed its lead. In 1899, 35 working-men’s
colleges were in existence, 10 of them in the country. The instruction
is" given in the form of lectures (in the evening), with which
is associated conversation upon the subject in hand. The lecturers
have been scientific men, schoolmasters, military men, doctors, etc.
Admission is generally free. The government grant to the workingmen’s
colleges is equal to half what is furnished by the. municipality,
or acquired in any other way. On the proposed budget
for 1900—1901, 23,685 fa. is put down as the amount of the
grant to the working-men’s colleges.
In addition to the before-mentioned summer courses at the
University and the Bergen Museum, the Publie libraries may be mentioned
in connection with the schools and working-men’s colleges.
At the present time, the state makes a grant of 20,000 fa. annually