Original scientific paper
WORK OF MATIJA MESIĆ ON SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS (IN THE LIGHT OF CORRESPONDENCE WITH JOSEF JIREČEK AND PAVOL JOZEF ŠAFÁRIK)
Marijan ŠABIĆ
Abstract
During his studying years in Prague, at the beginning of 1852 while he was preparing final exams in history and geography at Charles University, Matija Mesić also started his fruitful work on school textbooks. From that time until his appointment to the position of
the rector of Zagreb University (1874) Mesić was involved in issuing of at least twelve school textbooks either as preparer, author, translator or chief coordinator. Although, these textbooks covered all the major school subjects in the Croatian high schools: history,
geography, catechism, Croatian language and literature, this part of Mesić’s work up to now remained in the shade of his scholarly career. During the period of neo-absolutism Mesić prepared seven volumes of school textbooks. It is interesting to note that his unpublished
correspondence with P.J. Šafárik and J. Jireček, presently kept in Literární archiv Památníku národního pisemnictví, dates exactly from that time. These letters are valuable source for the insvestigation of this part of Mesić’s life and work. Author analyzes these letters in relation to Mesić’s work on school textbooks. Presented quotations from letters reveal all the circumstances in which Mesić worked and how much effort and enthusiasm he had put in this textbook publishing activity. Moreover, author also reveals all the troubles
and impediments that Mesić came across during his work on the school textbooks
Keywords
Matija Mesić; school textbooks; Josef Jireček; Pavol Jozef Šafárik; neoabsolutism
Hrčak ID:
126295
URI
Publication date:
18.6.2014.
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