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JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

Education courses for adults in ČSR (1918 – 1938)

The development of educational activities in the interwar period
was greatly affected by the economic crisis (having negative
effects on economy, politics, culture, etc.). Most notable was the
impact on the economy, resulting in budget cuts for many
ministries, including the Ministry of Education and National
Enlightenment. The crisis contributed to high unemployment
rates, deterioration of the standards of living, and even
pauperisation of people. Demoralization of society was just a
natural consequence of the crisis.

In some regions with extremely high unemployment rates,
“hunger valleys” emerged. The government tried to soften the
negative impact of unemployment with different supporting
projects (food and milk projects) and with financial incentives.
The Slovak Office at the Ministry of Education tried to eliminate
unemployment with popular education and enlightenment
activities. In cooperation with enlightenment boards and
committees, municipalities, trade unions, workers’ associations,
public school administration and the Kuratorium for Shelters for
Unemployed Youth, the Ministry decided to fight the
unemployment with education using trained popular educators,
teachers, methodologists, and other professionals. For that
reason, the Ministry organized different educational activities
and courses in towns and villages: courses for the unemployed,
for librarians, directors, women, popular educators or those
working with alcoholics, etc. (Jelínek, 1936, p. 17).

Educational courses for the unemployed and the young were
defined within the legislative framework of ministerial
regulations.



Decree No. 118.920 issued by the Ministry of Education
and National Enlightenment on 10 November 1923
stipulated that the courses were to be offered in
municipalities with more than 200 unemployed people on
benefits within a radius of six kilometres;



Decree No. 48.067/32 issued by the Ministry of Education
and National Enlightenment dated 7 June 1932
supplemented and amended the Regulation No. 118.920 on
Free Courses for the Unemployed issued on 1 November
1924 specifying special education courses for the
unemployed (especially young people) of at least 40 hours
focusing on general education – lectures on economics,
social and political issues, labour laws; the Constitution
and administration of Czechoslovakia; questions – about
culture, upbringing, literature, healthcare; and professional
training – language courses, stenography, course of typing,
bookkeeping, technical courses and courses for
unemployed women;



Decree No. 148.209/33 issued on 19 December 1933 on
practical domestic skills courses for women.

All courses had to adhere to certain guidelines determining
course specialization (lectures), a number of classes, and
practical tasks to build up mental and physical strength. Highly
skilled professionals, teachers of further education and office
workers were in charge of delivering lectures. This general
program was modified and adapted to local circumstances and
needs, or supplemented with other appropriate activities (trips,
free visits to events organized by enlightenment boards and
committees, and to theatres and cinemas (Jelínek, 1936, pp. 63–
65).

Based on the decrees of the Ministry of Education, several
courses for the unemployed youth in Bratislava were organized
together with educational courses for women provided by
different institutions.

4.1 Courses for the unemployed youth in Bratislava
between 1931 – 1934

In 1931, at the instance of the former minister of education and
national enlightenment,

Dr. Markovič, the Bratislava city council

decided to offer four educational courses for juvenile labourers.

The courses stretched over two months; the participants met
twice a week (259 hours of instruction in total) and were
provided with free lunches. The Slovak Enlightenment
Association was in charge of the courses to which 180 men and
50 women enrolled in a short time.

Women were taught in one group since they usually had a good
command of an official language. The lectures were briefly
summarized in German or Hungarian languages, too. The course
consisted of nine two-hour long lectures on physical culture,
social intercourse, female body development, home hygiene,
personal hygiene of children, sexually transmitted diseases,
important documents, social legislation, and civic education.
Other activities such as watching films, a Slovak language
course, a German language course, handiwork, sewing, and
dressmaking were also included in the educational process.

In order to facilitate understanding, men were divided into two
sections: Czechoslovaks and Germans; and Hungarians. The
courses for men consisted of seventeen two-hour long lectures:
health science, social intercourse, male body development,
sexually transmitted diseases, physical culture, important
documents, and civic education. They were complemented by
watching films, physical education, games, swimming, Slovak
language classes, and German language classes. Some men also
received professional training at apprenticeship vocational
schools (Bezplatné kurzy pre mladoletých

nezamestnaných v

Bratislave, [Free courses for the unemployed youth in
Bratislava], 1931, pp. 145–146).

Since the courses in Bratislava met with positive response, their
mission continued.

Kuratórium pre pečlivosť o mladoletých

nezamestnaných

[The Kuratorium for Care of Unemployed

Youth] developed a programme for the unemployed aimed at
their successful placement into vacant jobs. Boys and girls aged
14 to 20 were given an opportunity to expand their knowledge
and acquire new skills for their future practical lives. 159 boys
and 62 girls enrolled and the Kuratorium created three
departments. The courses contained 63 cycles of lectures (199
hours of instruction 5 days a week) on the subjects of medicine,
social legislation, social protection, civic education, history, and
geography. Language courses (Slovak, German, French, and
English) as well as swimming, physical education and games
were also available.

Women had to attend 85 lecture cycles (381 hours of instruction)
on the same subjects as men complemented with classes of
housekeeping, swimming, sewing, and handiwork. The English
language was not offered to women.

Course participants were given free board (expenses covered by
the city council) – breakfasts and lunches for men, women were
also given dinners. In addition, they were offered shoes and
stockings and the poorest ones were given winter coats too
(Kurzy pre mladoletých nezamestnaných v Bratislave [Courses
for the unemployed youth in Bratislava], 1932, p. 123).

In his work Nezamestnaná mládež [The Unemployed Youth]
(1933, pp. 135–136), Štefan Juraš states that in 1933 the Slovak
Enlightenment Association organized three courses for the
unemployed youth. The courses were attended by young people
aged 17 to 20, mostly from the environs of Bratislava, who had
previously been employed in different professions (artisans,
carpenters, upholsterers, musicians, shop assistants…) but had
lost their jobs. Men (47 boys of Czechoslovak nationality and 50
boys of German and Hungarian nationalities) attended 64 half-
day meetings (359 hours of instruction) in the YMCA building.

“Mladoletý” – an archaic term meaning non-

adult, juvenile (Bělič, Kamiš, Kučera,

1979).

“Kuratórium pre pečlivosť o mladoletých nezamestnaných” – “The Kuratorium for

Care of Unemployed Youth” comprised of the representatives of the city and the
following institutions: Osvetový Sväz [Enlightenment Association], Okres

ná pečlivost

o mládež [District Care of Youth], Dorastový sbor [Youth Association], Odborová

rada [Trade Union], Nemocenská poisťovňa [Health Insurance Company], Rodinná
škola [Family School], and the representatives of vocational apprentice schools
and other institutions (Kurzy pre mladoletých nezamestnaných v Bratislave, [Courses
for the unemployed youth in Bratislava], 1932, p. 123).

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