SWEDEN AND NORWAY.
Whoever visited tlic pleasant rooms of the Swedish schoolhouse
at the Exhibition must have observed that very great attention is
paid to object-teaching in Sweden. There were to be seen pictol’ial
representations for natural history, characteristic landscapes
for geography, models forgeometry, &c. ; in short) each subject had
its objects for illustration, as far as possibility would permit. The
value of these means of instruction being correctly appreciated,
drawing, by wliich the eye must be taught to see, has also been
carefully attended to ; and the effort to carry out a practical System
in the teaching of this subject was apparent even in the wallcharts
wliich had been hung up in the schoolroom in question.
The comparatively poor and thinly settled country possesses no
special branches of industry in wliich form plajs an impoitant
part. With the exceptton of the old faience and porcelain manufactories
(represented at the Exhibition by Gustavsberg and bj
Börstrand), the industries are mainly occupied in providing for the
necessities. of the country itself, wliich, as far as articles of luxury
are concerned, have kept within such moderate bounds, that up
to the present a national eharactör in forms could not develop
itself. But the efforts of the government to elevate the education
of the people by means of schools, even in the reinotest districts,
are very commendable ; and a clear picture of the present condition
of the People’s and Middle Schools was given in two reports, wliich
had been written expressly for the Exhibition. It must also be
mentioned with praise, that the government had taken care to supply
all the necessary verbal Information, while it was unfortunately
iuipossible for the reporter to- obtain such Information from otlier,
even very important stätes, in spite of persistent efforts.
Geometry and linear drawing begin in the People’s School; but
