Anali za povijest odgoja, Vol. 2 No. 2, 2003.
Pregledni rad
Textbooks for Introducing Literacy to Adults at the First Half of 20th Century
Branka Ujaković
; Hrvatski školski muzej, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Be acquainted with the basic skills – reading and writing – is the measure of the education level of individuals as well as of a society. The number of illiterates indicates the level of educational backwardness of a nation. At some point back the census started to notice literate and illiterate population. In the Kingdoms of Croatia and Slavonia it was possible to monitor the number of illiterates since the census in King Stephen’s crown lands (1870, 1880 an 1890). In the end of 19th century (census of 1880) in Croatia and Slavonia 77,9% of adult illiterates was recorded. In the next 30 years this number of illiterate population over 12 years of age decreased to 48,8% (data from 1910). In the same period in Istria and Dalmatia 39% and 63% of corresponding illiterates was recorded. Campaign of suppressing illiteracy in Croatia and Slavonia intensified at the beginning of the 20th century by means of organising courses for introducing literacy and spread to Dalmatia. In addition to the courses the campaign included lectures for people (held by teachers from primary schools, professors, university students and students from higher grades of secondary schools). In this segment of suppressing illiteracy it is important to point out the role of the Society of Croatian University Graduates for Suppressing Illiteracy, established in 1905 (later renamed into Club ABC). The Royal Government also fought illiteracy and in 1902 published the Reading–book for adult beginners in Croatia and Slavonia. Besides this Reading–book published at the beginning of 20th century the Reading–book and method for introducing literacy to adults by Franjo Anderlić, teacher from Zagreb, was published. In his textbook Anderlić worked out on the base of the pray Our Father the method for teaching illiterates to read and write, named Anderlić method. He ran several courses of 10 to 15 days, and his Reading–book gave additional stimulus to the campaign against illiteracy
in Dalmatia. The Society of Croatian University Graduates for Suppressing Illiteracy was very active. Six years after establishing the textbook Primer. New method of training illiterates by Antun Peulić was published by the Society. Also in 1911 Antun Peulić and Rudolf Herceg wrote Instructions for teaching adult illiterate people. Rudolf Herceg was writer of textbooks for introducing literacy to adults, so called Primers, that were re–published for many times. Teachers, professors and students introducing literacy to adults in Istria used Anderlić’s Primer and the Primer published by Club ABC. Students were organised in Societies Dobrila and Istria, for introducing literacy. In March 1912 vice–roy of the Kingdoms of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia issued the decree with instructions about courses for introducing literacy. The aim of these courses was clear: to give a chance to people who did not attend the primary school to obtain except religious and ethic instructions the skills useful in everyday life – reading, writing, calculating. Together with the decree the teaching plan and program for textbooks for elementary education of adults was issued too.
In twenties and thirties of 20th century reading–books intended to adults and to courses introducing literacy, by Stjepan Bosanac and Stjepan Ratković, very popular authors of reading–books for schools in Croatia, were published. They worked together on Reading–book I for adults (Zagreb, 1923), and Ratković wrote The Reading book I for courses introducing literacy (Zagreb, 1931). In 1927 the University extension was established in Zagreb with three–and five–months courses for introducing literacy in cities and shorter ones in villages. During the Second World War on the territory under competence of partisans many courses for introducing literacy were run. We found data about 150 courses for introducing literacy in 1943 and two years later this number increased to 500 courses. Activities about introducing literacy were very intensive from the end of the war till 1948. In 1945 the Primar for illiterates was published (edited by Z. Špoljar, Z. Munko and T. Prodanović). It can be generally considered that the holistic attitude to elementary education in Croatia started in 1947. That year government of Peoples Republic of Croatia issued the Decree about schools for general education of adults as well as Frame plan about people education. Schools were established in major cities and industrial centres (the very first in Zagreb in 1947); the teaching plan and program for elementary education of adults was issued only in 1961. Nevertheless, literacy was further introduced to adults and new textbooks – primaries – were published. In 1948 so called editorial board wrote the Primar for adults.
In fifties, when the national education came under special social care about education of adults, the Primar for adults by Makso Štromar was published (4th modified edition was published in 1954 by Školska knjiga). This paper gives the comparative review of text–books/primaries for
introducing literacy to adults at the first half of 20th century. Design, contents, arrangement of teaching materials, illustrations, the way of interpreting the teaching materials, defi ning of the concept etc. shall be analysed in order to point out similarities as well as diff erences between them.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
334760
URI
Datum izdavanja:
31.12.2003.
Posjeta: 446 *