Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - IV. Education and Mental Culture. Introd. by P. E. Lindström - 1. Elementary Education. By J. M. Ambrosius - Popular Education. By G. A. Aldén, A. Dalin, K. Kjellberg, N. Lundahl and B. Sernander
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382
iv. education and mental culture.
The above facts show that the work done by the folkhögskolor for the
education of the People is, in many respects, of very considerable importance.
Popular Lectures. The aim of these lectures is to impart knowledge,
to incite to independent study, to arouse new thoughts and new interests,
and to form a profitable recreation for leisure hours. They are intended
to serve as a preparation for the reading of texts, and to suggest suitable
literature. In both matter and form they should be accomodated to the
mental range of the auditors. They may deal with any subject, except
vexed questions of politics or religion.
These lectures have been organised all over Sweden, both in country and town by
föreläsningsanstalter, "lecture institutions" that is by workmen’s institutes and
lecture societies. Lectures of this kind are also arranged for at military camps
where the conscripts are trained.
The Stockholm Workmen’s Institute (Arbetarinstitut), the first of its kind in
Sweden, was founded in 1880. Its promoter was Dr Anton Nyström.
State grants in aid of "lecture institutions" have been distributed since 1885.
A sum of 15 000 kronor was granted for that year by the Riksdag, on certain
conditions: the chief of these conditions being that the institute applying for
the State grant should show that it received from the municipality (commune)
and (or) from other quarters an amount at least equal to the grant applied for.
This State grant has several times been raised: in 1914 it was 290 000 kronor.
The number of these State-aided establishments has increased from 8 in 1885
to 124 in 1900 and to 549 in 1914. The highest State grant made in 1913
to a "lecture institution" was 2 900 kronor, the lowest 180 kronor. In the
course of the last-named year over 11 000. popular lectures were held. The
average number of auditors in some of the "institutions" is stated to be from
400 to 500, in others from 40 to 50. In most of them the average is about
100 to each lecture.
Out of the above-mentioned State grant, a sum not exceeding 8 000 kronor
may be applied to travelling expenses for lecturers in out-of-the-way and
financially not very successful "institutions".
In order to enable the lecture establishments to procure suitable lecturers,
central bureaus have been erected, whose business it is to act as links
between the establishments and the lecturers. The first of these central bureaus
was founded at Lund in 1898, the second at Stockholm in 1902, and the third
at Gothenburg in 1903. These central bureaus are since 1906 in receipt of
State aid — for 1913 altogether 8 300 kronor. They publish annually catalogues of
lecturers and subjects for lectures recommended by them, together with lists of
suitable literature on the various subjects. These catalogues are distributed
gratis to all the "lecture institutions". Besides these central bureaus, there are in
certain län associations called föreläsningsförbuncl. Their chief business is to arrange
circular tours for the lecturers to all the establishments in the län. Some of
these associations are in receipt of a minor State grant. As a rule, the lecturer
receives for each lecture a fee of 25 kronor, besides his travelling expenses. If
travelling expenses, hire of lecture halls, and other expenses are added to the
lecturer’s fees, the aggregate expenses for each lecture, on an average for the
whole country, may be estimated at close on 40 kronor.
Each of these föreläsningsanstalter is governed by a. board elected by itself;
and each of them has an inspector appointed by the governor of the län, whose
business it is to see that the conditions stipulated by the State in making the
grant are duly fulfilled. From November 1911 a special "reporter" (föredragande)
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