Elementary Education in Polish Territories in Opinion of Publicists of Selected Journals from the Second Half of the 19th and at the Beginning of the 20th Centuries

Abstract

The aim of this article is to show publicists’ views on elementary education in Polish territories in the second half of 19th and at the beginning of 20th centuries. To collect data they were used two methods: historical-critical analysis of sources and analysis of the press content. The attained material was submitted to qualitative analysis. An important role in forming views on the subject of elementary education of children from the nobility and gentry in the second half of 19th and at the beginning of 20th centuries was being played by pedagogical journals and the ones targeted at women. The readers were convinced of necessity to look after the popper „educational beginning”, that was the basement of the further education. Because a large number of children were thought at home, the parents were paid attention to the proper choice of teachers and to watch over the direction of education. Education on the elementary level was performed by the lower organized privately-run girl’s boarding-schools, usually for girls only. Children from lower social classes mostly attended elementary schools.