RECENT SCHOOL LEGISLATION.

I. LAW RESPECTING POPULAR SCHOOLS IN NORWAY.

(Passed May 16, 1860.)

Section 1. The object of the popular school is to aid domestic education in instilling into the youth of the country true Christian enlightenment, and to provide them with the knowledge and the skill which every member of the community ought to possess, as also, in as far as circumstances will allow, to extend further that general culture.

Section 2. The popular schools are divided into lower and higher schools. (a) The lower popular school is a district school, in which the children belonging to the district receive the instruction which the law makes obligatory, and also further instruction, which is not obligatory.

(b.) The higher popular school shall be common for several districts, or for a whole school community, or for several school communities, and shall provide a superior degree of instruction for the children belonging to the district union, or to the school communities.

Section 3. Each school community is divided into school districts, the limits of which shall be determined by the school commission, who in doing so, must take care that each dwelling is included in the district of the school which is within most convenient reach.

If the dwellings are situated so near to each other, that a number of at least thirty children belonging to them, who are within the school age, can conveniently attend one and the same school, one shall be opened in a building hired or erected for the purpose. Should the number of children in any one district be so great as to render it unavoidable to have them all taught by one master at the same time, they shall either be divided into sections, which shall attend school at different hours, or assistant teachers (male or female) shall be appointed.

When the distances make attendance at a fixed school difficult or impossible, the school may become movable, but in every place in which it is kept a proper school-room must be provided.

Section 5. The subjects of instruction in the district schools are:-(a.) Reading. (b.) Religion. (c.) Selections from the reading book, particularly such as treat of geography, history, and natural science. (d.) Singing. (e.) Writing. (f) Cyphering.

When the school commission find it feasible, the boys should be taught gymnastics and military exercises. The school shall open and close every day with a prayer, and the singing af a hymn, or with one or the other.

Section 6. As a general rule, each district school shall be open during twelve weeks in each of the two divisions of the year; but the schools in which the children are divided into classes according to their skill and knowledge, shall be open only nine weeks in each half year. Changes may, however, be introduced herein, if the proper authorities think fit. Each week shall have six school days, and each school day, on an average, six school hours.

Section 7. Any time beyond that fixed in the preceding article, which the school commission, with the approval of the communal administration, may assign, for the instruction of the children of a district, whose parents or guardians desire it, shall be devoted to further instruction in the branches comprised in the district school, to which may be added, if it be deemed desirable, one or more of the subjects comprised in the higher popular school.

Care shall be taken that in fixing the time during which the children of the popular school are bound to attend, the most convenient periods of the year be selected.

Section 8. The district schoolmasters may be appointed to undertake the whole of the instruction (the obligatory and the voluntary part) in one or more district schools, or merely in the one or the other division.

Section 9. If there be any children in a district who, having attained their fourteenth year, are found so deficient that they are incapable of taking part in the instruction in the school, the school commune must provide separate instruction for them, until the parish clergyman and the master, to whose school they belong, shall, after consulting together, declare that the children are fit to be admitted into the school.

The expenditure caused by this special provision of instruction, shall be refunded by the parents or guardians of the children.

Section 10. In every industrial establishment in which thirty workmen or more are regularly employed, or in every group of smaller establishments of the kind, situated so near to each other that the provisional administration (stifts directionen) deems it feasible for them to have a school in common, and who employ in the aggregate the number of workmen mentioned above, a special school shall be instituted for the children, which school, besides satisfying the conditions laid down in Sections 5 and 6, shall, during at least sixteen weeks in the year, impart instruction such as the voluntary instruction mentioned in Section 7, as given in the district school.

The same conditions are binding on existing manufactories and other industrial establishments, in which the number of workmen employed is not less than twenty. If children, whose parents are not employed in the establishment, can conveniently attend the school, they shall have the right to do so, provided it can be done without injury to the instruction imparted.

The provisions herein laid down shall not prevent the owners of industrial establishments from making arrangements, with the consent of the respective provincial and communal administrations for connecting the school belonging to the establishment with the general school system of the commune.

Section 11. The school commission may, with the sanction of the communal authorities, erect infant schools, under the guidance of female teachers.

Section 12. The school commission may, with the sanction of the communal authorities, institute industrial schools for the girls.

Section 13. The children in any school community in which the more complete instruction mentioned in Section 7, is not introduced, may be permitted to attend the school of another district in which this instruction is given.

Section 14. Unless when otherwise decided by the school commission, the parents or guardians shall provide the children with the requisite reading and lesson books, writing materials, slates, &c., but the school furniture and teaching apparatus shall be provided out of the school fund.

Section 15. Every district presided over by a separate authoritive body (Formandskab), shall, as a rule, constitute a school community with a common school fund, &c., &c.

Section 16. The school fund arises from-(a.) Interest on capital possessed by the school, or which may accrue to it. (b.) Voluntary gifts. (c) Certain legal fees paid on various occasions, and granted to the schools. (d.) Fines paid in accordance with the provisions of the present law. (e.) Grants which may be made by the larger school community, or out of the public moneys.

Whatever other property the school may previously have possessed, it shall continue to enjoy.

The school commission may, with the sanction of the communal administration, determine that school money shall be paid by those children who participate in the non-obligatory instruction, and whose parents are not in indigent circumstances.

Whatever additional funds may be required to cover the expenditure of the school shall be provided by the school community according to the regulations established by the communal authorities with the sanction of the provincial authorities.

Section 17. All expenses connected with the erection and maintenance of factory and other such schools, shall be borne by the proprietors, and in the case of joint schools, by the proprietors in proportion to the number of workmen each employs. The industrial establishments to which schools are

attached, shall, on the other hand, be exempted from all contributions to the schools of the commune.

Section 19. The communal administration possesses authority in all matters concerning the schools, and in consequence no expenditure which the commune, in accordance with this law, is not bound to defray, can be imposed upon it without the consent of the communal administration.

Section 20. The expenses connected with the erection of school buildings, and keeping them in repair, with the heating, lighting, &c., of the schools, and the maintenance of the schoolmasters, &c., &c., shall be defrayed out of the common school fund, unless the school commission, with the sanction of the provincial direction, determine that they shall be borne by the district.

Section 22. If the expenditure connected with the school cause a disproportionate burden to be imposed upon some one district in particular, the communal administration shall as much as possible equalize the burdens when levying rates, or by means of contributions from the common school fund.

II. HIGHER POPULAR SCHOOLS.

Section 33. The school commission should introduce higher popular schools in all places where they seem likely to answer the purpose. They may, with the sanction of the communal administration, be erected (with or without assistauce from the fund of the amt*) as separate schools, or in conjunction with a district school, or with a seminary for schoolmasters. They may be erected for one parish alone, or for several parishes in common. Several districts acting together may determine to establish a higher popular school. So also several school communities or districts, each of which have established the lower division of a higher popular school, may join together to establish the higher division of the school. Higher popular schools may also, on the proposal of the amt authorities, be established at the cost of the amt fund. Section 34. If the entire course of instruction in a higher popular school be extended over more than two years, the school shall be divided into two sections, the lower of which shall comprise the instruction given in the first two years of attendance, and the latter, that of the ensuing years. The instruction in the lower division shall form a complete whole in itself, yet shall be calculated to serve as a basis for the more extended instruction in the upper division. Section 35. If circumstances render it desirable, each division of the school may be kept in a separate locality within the district for which the school has been established.

III. LAW RESPECTING Higher public SCHOOLS.--(Law of 1867.)

Section 1. The object of the Higher Public Schools is to extend the general instruction in the popular schools, and also to prepare pupils for the University and for the higher special schools.

Section 2. The higher public schools are (1.) Middle or Intermediate Schools; (2.) Gymnasia, which are either classical, or scientific.

Section 3. The Middle School prepares pupils for the Gymnasium, both of the classical and scientific grade, and at the same time gives a general culture to those who close their school studies with its final examination at the end of the sixth year.

Section 10. In the Middle School, besides the studies of the popular school, the German language from the first year, Natural Science and Drawing with the second year, Geometry from the third year, Latin and English from the fourth; French from the fifth year.

Section 11. If a Real class is added to the Middle School more attention is paid to geography, political economy, drawing, and book-keeping.

Section 13. Singing, gymnastics, and military exercises, are obligatory in both the Middle Schools and the Gymnasium.

A territorial division. Norway is, for administrative purposes, divided into Stifter, Amter, Herreder, &c.-Trans.

LAW RESPECTING PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN SWEDEN.

(Proclaimed January 29, 1859.)

[The law respecting primary popular schools in Sweden, especially in the rural districts, the compulsory attendance of children at school; the penalties incurred by disobedience; the subjects of instruction, &c., is similar to that of Norway.]

1. The object of the public elementary schools founded by the State, is partly to impart a degree of general culture superior to that which can be acquired in the popular schools, and partly to lay the foundation of the scientific instruction which is carried further in the University, and in the higher special schools.

2. All these schools shall be organized according to one plan, so that the studies and exercises shall have the same basis in all.

3. With respect to the different amount of knowledge to be imparted to the children, and the consequent number of classes to be introduced into the schools, they shall be divided into lower and higher schools.

The higher schools are those in the two upper classes of which instruction is given in all the branches comprised in the plan of elementary education, or those in the two upper classes of which instruction is only given in those branches which are comprised in practical (real) education.

The lower schools are those in which that instruction is imparted which forms the basis of the extended instruction in the higher schools.

4. In the higher elementary schools the pupils are divided into seven classes. In the lower schools they are divided into tive, three, or two classes.

The course of instruction in each of the four lower classes extends over one year, and in each of the three higher classes over two years; but in those schools in which there are a sufficient number of teachers for the purpose, each of the two upper classes should be divided into two sections of one year each, and in which instruction should be given separately.

7. The subjects of instruction in the first or lowest class of the elementary schools are, religion, Swedish, German, mathematics, geography, and natural science, caligraphy, and linear drawing.

8. In the second class the same subjects are taught, with the addition of narratives from Swedish history.

9. In the other classes the subjects of instruction are: religion, the Swedish, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, German, French, and English languages, natural science, history, geography, and philosophical propedeutics, which subjects shall be introduced in the order mentioned in the lesson plans A and B given hereinafter. With the instruction in the Swedish language shall be combined instruction in the language and the literatures of Norway and Denmark.

10. For the exercises in music, drawing, and gymnastics, separate rules shall prevail.

11. In the first and second classes all the pupils shall be instructed in common. But children of different religions shall, if it be desired, be exempted from participation in the religious instruction.

12. In the other classes pupils whose parents or guardians desire it, may be exempted from participation in the classical lessons, but must in that case receive, during those hours, instruction in such other subjects as may be determined by the regulations.

15. No pupil must refuse to receive instruction in music, drawing, or gymnastics, unless the head master (rector) give his special permission, after considering the reasons pleaded in excuse.

22. The number of hours of instruction weekly in the first and second classes of the elementary schools shall be thirty, in the third and up to the sixth inclusive, thirty-two, and in the seventh, thirty, for those pupils who learn the classical languages, and thirty-two for those who do not participate in this instruction.

The time of instruction must in no case exceed six hours in one day, and instruction must be given on every day in the week except Sunday. After two consecutive hours of study in the school-room, the lessons must cease for at least one hour; but three hours consecutive lessons may in some cases be permitted, provided the pupils be allowed at least two hours' leisure before and after these lessons. When the lessons follow immediately after each other, ten minutes' leisure, which shall be included in the time of the lesson, shall be allowed the pupils towards the end of each hour.

The time for instruction in music, drawing, and gymnastics, and also for prayers, is not included in the above-mentioned six hours.

24. To the pupils of the highest class the rector may once, or at the utmost twice a month, allow a whole day to be devoted to separate studies under the rector's, or some other master's superintendence.

25. The work of each day begins and ends with prayer, and with the singing of a hymn.

28. The age of admission is not below nine years, unless in exceptional cases the rector, on account of particular circumstances, deems it right to admit a younger child.

29. The knowledge required for admission is:

a. To be able to read Swedish fluently from manuscript, as well as from a printed book.

b. Luther's small Catechism, and some parts of the Bible history.

c. To be able to write a legible hand.

d. To be able to do sums in addition and subtraction with whole numbers, and to know the multiplication table well.

Children belonging to other religious confessions than those of the State, must furnish satisfactory proofs of their religious knowledge.

38. Pupils who have remained two years in a one-year class, or three years in a two-year class, and who are still unqualified for advancement into a higher class, shall, unless illness, or some other good reason exists for their deficiency, be dismissed from the school.

42. Pupils leaving the higher elementary schools after having completed the course, receive a certificate in accordance with the result of the examination to which they are subjected.

44. At the end of each school year the teachers shall hold an examination (each in his own branch) of the pupils of all the classes, in public, and in presence of the school authorities, and of men of science, whom the latter may invite to come and lead, or witness the examinations.

The advancement into higher classes takes place after these examinations. 47. Youths who have received a similar course of instruction in private, but whose parents or guardians wish them to be examined together with the pupils who have completed the course in the higher elementary schools, shall be admitted to examination, and shall, like the regular scholars, receive certificates according to proved proficiency.

100. The rector and masters at the heads of classes must take great care that the tasks given to the pupils to execute and learn at home do not interfere with the rest and recreation so necessary for them.

[A plan of lessons for both the Classical and Scientific course is drawn up by the highest school authorities for the guidance of the teachers, in which a certain number of hours is given each week, to each study, in each class. In this plan religion receives from 2 to 6 hours; the Swedish language from 2 to 8 hours; Latin from 10 to 7, and Greek from 6 to 5, in the Classical course; German from 6 to 5; French from 3 to 5; Drawing from 3 to 2; Mathematics from 8 to 4; Natural Science, 2; and History and Geography 3 in the Classical, and 4 in the Scientific course.]