The Danish Folk High School: An Experiment in Humanistic Education.

This historical and comparative study examines the folk high school movement in Denmark from the standpoint of the New Humanism as expressed in the writings of Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, Sidney Jourard, and others. These schools are unique among the many educational forms and institutions western man has developed. Private, nonprofit residential schools, with a term of five months, accepting students over age 18, they offer neither examinations nor diplomas. Their goal is first the "enlivenment," and only secondarily the "enlightenment," of an individual. They seek to bring students into contact with their culture in both their community and the wider world, and to make him aware of his place in that culture. Their method is the "living word"; this means that whatever goes on at the schools, whether it be lecture, discussion, seminar, or some other activity, must have meaning for students. Fellowship among students and between students and teachers is an essential part of the experience. The author concludes that folk school practices and philosophy are congruent with the new humanistic view of man, and that the success of the movement attests to the value of humanistic principles as a basis for education. (Author/LY)