1. The people and their ideals 181 2. Facilities for education 184 3. Directing authority and management of schools 187 4. Teachers' training 191 5. The teacher's life 195 6. The curriculum 197 a. Religious instruction and education 198 b. The classics 201 c. Physical culture 204 d. Vocal music 206 7. Lines of instruction in the gymnasium 207 8. Co-education 210 9. The school year 214 10. School lunches 215 11. Comparative attainments 217 12. Methods of instruction 220 13. Continuity of effort 222 Bibliography 225 Index 229 THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF NORWA _Chapter I_ BACKGROUND AND ORGANIZATION I. INTRODUCTION The history of mankind in Norway covers a period of at least five thousand years and includes a great variety of interesting incidents and conditions. The accounts of the earlier ages may be read only in archaeological formations, while for more recent times, these silent records are supplemented and enriched by traditions. All such accounts are of deep interest and significance but only in a measure reliable. We have no really authentic information regarding Norway's political history until the reign of Harald the Fair Haired (860-930). We do know, however, that, previous to his establishment of the sovereign state of Norway in 872, the people had known only the rule of numerous petty, warring earls and kings. Besides this, the entire country had been subjected to the devastations of the vikings. These sea robbers were the terror of all the coast countries in western Europe and the British Isles until about the year 900 when sea robbery at home was abolished, and the Norsemen became colonizers, migrating to surrounding islands, the west and south of Europe, and probably America. Now when piracy began to decline the people rose to a higher plane of living, and the prosperity attained through peace and industry was found to be the more desirable. A long succession of kings, some good and some evil, ruled the land. Paganism was gradually overcome, and about the year 1,000 Christianity was established.