The National Hospital and the Lying-in Hospital, both govern-
ment institutions, whose head physicians are almost all University
professors, are utilised as University clinics.
The practical training of theological students is carried on at
the practical theological college connected with the University.
Two institutions for the promotion of science are the Royal
Literary and Philosophical Society (.Dei kongelige norske Viden-
skabers Selskab) in Trondhjem, founded in 1760, with a library
of about 70,000 volumes, and the Literary and Philosophical Society
(Yidenskabsselskabet) in Kristiania, founded in 1867, with which
is associated the Fridtjof Nansen Fund for the Promotion of Science,
whose capital at present amounts to about kr. 450,000.
The Bergen Museum, founded in 1825, is a centre about
which is gathered no little scientific life in the western part of
the country. The museum possesses valuable collections, especially
of natural history specimens, a considerable scientific library, a
biological station with laboratories and aquaria, etc. Annual summer
courses are held at the museum for primary school teachers,
and in the winter, lectures to working-men. There are also museums
in Tromsn, Stavanger and Arendal, with natural history and
historical-antiquarian collections.
For the preservation of ancient Norwegian monuments, there
is an association founded in 1844, and supported by a government
grant. The Norwegian National Museum, Norsk folkemuseum,
(founded in 1894 in Kristiania), collects, and exhibits everything
throwing light upon the cultural life of the Norwegian people.
The Industrial Arts Museums in Kristiania, Bergen and Trondhjem,
whose object is to promote the Norwegian industries, with regard
to tasteful and practical- form, possess valuable collections.
The Archives of the Kingdom come under the Ecclesiastical
and Educational Department. The state archives are in Kristiania;
Bergen and Trondhjem each have their diocesan archives.
Sums are voted annually by the state to enable scientific men
and artists to travel abroad. Various bequests have also been
made towards the support of artists and scientific men, e.g. H o u e n ’s
Bequest (about 370,000 kr.), B e n n e c h e ’s Bequest (about 80,000 kr.),
S c i o e f f e b ’s Bequest (about 60,000 kr.), F i n n e ’s Bequest (about
80,000 kr.), H e n b i c h s e n ’s Bequest (220,000 kr.) and H a n s G u d e ’s
Bequest (about 40,000 kr.).
V. SCHOOLS FOR DEFECTIVES. WAIFS AND STRAYS.
The law of 1881 for schools for defectives, and subsequent
additional laws, • regulate the instruction for deaf, hlind, and
imbecile children. At the head of the defectives’ school affairs is
a director under the Ecclesiastical and Educational Department.
In book subjects, the aim of the schools for defectives is the
same as in the primary school, and in addition the pupils are
educated for - a practical life. The school course is, as a rule,
8 years. Deaf children are admitted at the age of 7, blind children
at thé age of 9, and imbeciles, at present, at the age of 14 or
15. The state bears the expenses of their education, while the cost
of maintenance of poor children during their stay at the school
is borne by the municipalities. The government expenditure on
education in 1898—99, amounted to about 300,000 kr., or about
350 kr. per child. The cost, of maintaining each child may be
put down at the same amount.
There are 5 schools for deaf children, all government institutions.
Two of these : are at the same time destined to admit new
pupils, and to be division schools for the most intelligent children
(A-children), 2 are division schools for less intelligent children
(B-children), and 1 is a mixed school for the least intelligent
children (C-D-children). Children are admitted every year. The
instruction is given by the articulation method. In the school-year
1898—99, there was a total of .308 children at these schools, with
about 60 masters and governesses.
The state has 2 blind asylums, and also supports a private
school for blind adults. In 1898—99, there were altogether 130
pupils in the blind asylums, with 20 teachers of both, sexes.
There are 3 asylums for imbecile children, all of them government
institutions. The boarding-school at one of them is carried
on by private means, but will probably be taken over by the
state in 1901. In 1898-—99, the number of pupils in these asylums
was 420, with 67 masters and governesses.