Cultural and educational activity of the Association of Young Catholic Craftsmen 'Skała' in Lviv (1856-1914)

Abstract

In the times of the Partitions, the Austrian authorities permitted, in the year 1856, that a Polish association of craftsmen combining mutual aid with cultural and educational activity be established. Within the scope of the activity of 'Skała', two periods are distinguished: paternalistic, until the year 1889, and also democratised, after making changes in the articles of association in this latter year. In the first period of its activity, only be craftsman apprentices being bachelors enjoyed the right to become the full members, and women were not permitted to join the Association. The members of it had no say in the aspect of electing the governing bodies, or the decisions made by them. The reason for that fact was that the organisation was more like a brotherhood of people sharing the same religious convictions. Making changes in the articles of association in the year 1889 introduced the democratic rules of functioning the Association. Since that time on, anyone who was a male follower of catholic faith, be it a cratfsman or an industrialist, was permitted to join it. All the authorities of the organisation were elected. The objective of the Association was to educate catholic youths, nurturing religious spirit among them and educating them to become good craftsmen. The leading forms of the activity were general and vocational further training. The cultural sphere included the activity of own groups of artists: a choir, an orchestra and a theatre ensemble. A significant role in Polish patriotic upbringing was that played by the celebrations of national anniversaries: the Constitution of the Third of May, the national uprisings and the PolishLithuanian Union. The means of attaining this objective was also literary soirées dedicated to poets and writers having merits for Polish nation: Adam Mickiewicz, Kornel Ujejski, Józef Ignacy Kraszewski and Henryk Sienkiewicz.