126 
is suspended. These long vacations enable the scholars to earn, at 
least in part, the wherewithal to pay for their schooling. 
THE UNIVERSITY 
Down to 1847 the Grammar School in Reykjavik was the highest 
educational establishment in Iceland, while for professional studies the 
university in Copenhagen was the usual resort. But as the instruction 
at the Grammar School was given, partly at least, with a view to pre- 
paring the scholars for ihe Church, those who had passed examen ar- 
tium (stddentspréf) could be ordained. But in 1847 a theological se- 
minary was established in Reykjavik, followed by a medical college in 
1876, and a law school in 1908. Finally, in 1911 the University of 
Iceland was founded, and dedicated on the 17th of June the same year, 
the hundredth anniversary of the eminent statesman and scholar Jén 
Sigur®sson. The university has four faculties, viz. Theology, Medicine, 
Law, and Philosophy, representing Icelandic philology and history. The 
university is a State institution under the management of a Rector, 
elected by the joint teaching staff from among themselves for a term 
of one year, and supported by the Academical Consistory, composed 
of the deans of the faculties. 
The academical year is counted from the 1st of October to the 15th of Fe- 
bruary and from the 15th of February to 30th of June. There is no fixed 
time for the duration of courses of studies, but the minimum for theology 
is assumed to be 32 years, for law 4 years, and for medicine 5 years. 
In many cases, however, the time exceeds the periods here given. 
The degrees conferred by the university are ‘“kandidat’, candidate, 
in the three first-named faculties (candidatus theologi®, candidatus 
medicinz et chirurgie, candidatus juris), and meistari (magister artium) 
in the faculty of philosophy. Doctor's degrees may also be obtained, 
but it is rather rare, and only acquired by those graduates who go in 
for a scientific career. 
Those who desire to study other branches of science than those taught 
at the university of Iceland must still go abroad. The majority of Ice- 
landic students who visit foreign universities go to Denmark and Ger- 
many, while others proceed to France. England, etc. 
LIBRARIES 
The National Library (Landsbékasafn Isiands), founded in 1818, is 
the largest library in Iceland, containing some 124 thousand printed 
volumes and about 8000 MSS. lis collection of books on chess, be-