Educational aspects of the functioning of folk universities related to the people's movement in Poland in the interwar period

Abstract

People's universities were to meet the needs of the rural population, awaken the creative forces of the rural environment as well as activate and deepen the individual and collective life of rural residents. The Ignacy Solarz People's University had close ties with the peasants' movement. It was a leading educational institution for adults, which showed enormous impact both on the inhabitants of the countryside, but also was a huge inspiration for theorists and practitioners associated with Polish folk universities. The article is an analysis of educational concepts proposed by the founders of folk universities, especially Ignacy Solarz, associated with the peasant movement in interwar Poland. It shows social and educational activities, defining the essence and basic assumptions that distinguish a folk university from other institutions of institutional education, shows aspects of the educational impact of folk universities as well as the program content and methods of educational work that were to lead to the renewal of rural culture, the development of local government and local government, and the realization of people's Poland.