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Young women (20 of them were of Czechoslovak nationality
and 13 of German and Hungarian nationalities) attended 48 half-
day meetings (209 hours of instruction) in the YWCA building.
Contentwise, the lectures covered Slovak, French and German
languages, civic education, geography, history, maths, physical
education, social legislation, healthcare, engineering, sports and
sewing and handicraft for women.
Another course for the unemployed youth took place in
Bratislava in the beginning of 1934. It was again the Slovak
Enlightenment Association who organized the courses in the
YMCA and YWCA for men and women respectively. One
hundred and thirty men enrolled and they were divided into two
sections (Czechoslovaks and Hungarians; Germans). The
lectures of Slovak language, maths, German, engineering,
physical education and games were planned for 50 half-day
meetings (345.5 hour of instruction). Other subjects included
agriculture, social legislation, watching films and slide
transparencies.
Sixty-five women were educated together in one section. Just
like men, women were taught every day (except for Sunday) and
then two times a week in the afternoon (total of 48 half-day
meetings – 187.5 hours of instruction) the following subjects:
Slovak language, German language, social hygiene, civic
education, anatomy, first aid, maths, chemistry of everyday life,
lectures on social legislation, family education, geography,
history, sewing and patching, and handiwork. Once a week they
went to a spa and were given free tickets to the theatre and
concerts by the director of Slovak National Theatre.
While courses for women were a success, many men became
frustrated since they were unable to find a job despite having
completed several courses. Instead of courses, they now
demanded jobs or labour camps (Kurzy pre mladoletých
nezamestnaných v Bratislave [Courses for the unemployed youth
in Bratislava], 1934, pp. 122–123).
4.2 Education courses for women
The trend suggested a need for a higher level of women’s
education. The change came with the Decree No. 112.234/1924
issued by the Ministry of Education and National Enlightenment
in Prague on 10 October. The decree ordered the district boards
to provide courses for a broad network of women. Courses
promoted by the Slovak Enlightenment Association in Bratislava
were organized with an aim to awaken an interest in public,
civic, and economic life of the whole society, in self-education
and domestic economy in relation to general public interests.
The Congress of popular educators in Spišská Nová Ves (10 July
1929) reinforced this idea, too. It was difficult to design a course
curriculum ad hoc due to vast differences between regions in
Slovakia. Important also was to find the best methodology which
also had to be adapted to individual regions and towns where the
courses were offered. There were two types of courses:
theoretical courses focused on expanding horizons and education
of public affairs; and practical courses dedicated to cooking,
sewing, housekeeping, childcare, etc. Courses were offered in
Trnava, Dolný Kubín, Turčiansky sv. Martin (the women’s
association Živena), Spišská Nová Ves, Rimavská Sobota, etc.
Popular educators also encouraged education of women from the
rural areas, either directly in their villages, organising courses
focused on practical skills – cooking, cooking and sewing,
sewing in combination with other theoretical subjects, as of 31
December 1931, 35 courses were running in 21 districts (Kurzy
pre ženy na dedinách [Courses for the women from rural areas],
1932, pp. 90-91), or in towns, such as
Kurz slobodného učenia
sedliackeho [Course of free farmer’s learning] sponsored by the
Vyššia škola ľudová SUS [Higher Volksschule] aimed at girls
aged 17 – 26.
The course was the most suitable addition to vocational schools.
The most important institutions providing education for women
were the Slovak Enlightenment Association, Živena, Institute of
M. R. Štefánik, Higher Volksschule and the Slovak Fruit-
Growing Association, all of which organized one-year courses,
so called náukobehy for the general public. During the years of
economic crisis, women were required to get involved in
economic processes too (household expenses, housekeeping, and
making traditional folk products) so they could become more
independent and become open to better job opportunities. This
was particularly relevant during the times of early twentieth-
century emigration or the times when men were leaving homes
for seasonal work. The childcare and housekeeping rested on
women. Apart from these practical activities, civic education,
promoting democratic ideas, remained the priority.
5 Prominent figures and their contribution to the
development of adult education and public enlightenment
In the newly established republic, very important was to build
the Czechoslovak statehood, and to educate the population so
that they would become conscious of their own democratic
citizenship. The educational process does not cease after
completing compulsory schooling. Very important in this regard
is enlightenment. Contentwise, the priority was given to civic
education focused on the promotion of democratic ideas. The
popular education greatly influenced overall cultural changes
within Slovak society. Concerning the formal aspect of popular
education in the interwar period, traditional forms of
enlightenment prevailed – mostly courses of varied duration and
intensity, lectures complemented with educational films and
activities associated with libraries (Kázmerová et al., 2016).
Educated people who volunteered and got involved in the
cultural-enlightenment work sought to raise the level of general
cultural knowledge among people and challenged prejudice,
superstitions and other social evils such as alcoholism and self-
indulgent lifestyle. They introduced new ways of life to rural
people and taught them about healthcare and hygiene, explained
new techniques in agriculture. They wanted to turn the illiterate
mass of the rural population into readers and awaken in them
love and interest for the printed word. “The enlightenment
activities differed from region to region based on social structure
of the population. There was a difference between popular
education in towns and in rural areas, between popular education
of adults and young people, men and women, manual labourers
and farmers, and on an ethnically Slovak territory and in
nationally mixed areas” (Orosová, 2016, p. 20).
Not only did Czech teachers teach Slovak students, they also
build Slovak schools. Many of them assumed positions of
directors, school inspectors or worked in the administration of
the Ministry of Education and National Enlightenment. Many
Czech teachers authored first Slovak textbooks and became
scholars in the field of education sciences. One third of the
Czech secondary school teachers got involved in cultural and
enlightenment societies. They brought to Slovakia a tradition of
physical education and sport, established first clubs of Sokol,
Orol, etc. (Pšenák, 2001).
5.1 Karel Kálal (1860 – 1930)
One of the prominent figures was Karel Kálal who worked as a
teacher in different schools. After 1918, he was appointed
secretary for popular education in Slovakia. In 1922, he assumed
a position of a director of the Business College in Banská
Bystrica.
In the 90s of the 19
th
century, he participated in the development
and strengthening of Czech and Slovak relations. As an active
Slovakophile, he was an ardent advocate for Slovak culture in
the Czech lands. Kálal closely collaborated with the
representatives of Slovak national movement – mostly with
Hlasisti (members of Slovak intelligentsia grouped around a
periodical Hlas [the Voice]). He promoted Czech-Slovak
reciprocity as a necessary defence mechanism against
Magyarization and Germanization. Kálal was one of the leading
representatives of
Českoslovanská jednota [the Czechoslav
Association] (Bakoš, 1996) and
the Luhačovice meetings; he
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