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School researcher completes major work

”Da læreren holdt skole” (in English: When the teacher took class” is the title of the first of five volumes in the major work History of the Danish School. Everyday life, conditions and visions over 500 years. In this volume, readers get an insight into the time before 1780, including the time when custom dictated that only boys should receive teaching.

[Translate to English:] Fembindsværket om dansk skolehistorie er redigeret af professor Ning de Coninck-Smith fra DPU – Danmarks institut for Pædagogik og Uddannelse og adjunkt Charlotte Appel fra Institut for Kultur og dentitet på RUC. Carlsbergfondet har støttet økonomisk med 13 millioner kroner, og Aarhus Universitetsforlag står bag udgivelsen.

This volume will be followed by four more in the series, which all have titles beginning with the words "When the school..." Once the volumes stand side by side in a bookcase, the titles will form a very concise summary of 500 years of Danish school history: "When the school took shape" about the time from 1780 to 1850; "When the school was systematised" about the time between 1850 and 1920; "When the school came into its own" about the time from 1920 to 1970; and "When the school became everyone's" about the time after 1970.

As a comment on the attitude to learning seen in recent decades (and its purpose) the press release issued in connection with the publication of the last volume in the series states:

"Schooling moved from an individual right – and a path to societal equality – to a lifelong obligation in the service of economic prosperity."

The last time anyone sat down to write a major collected account of the history of the Danish school was one hundred years ago. Twelve authors have contributed to the work, whichfollows developments right up until the present day.

Translated by Peter Lambourne