Review article
The Beginnings of the Yugoslav School System in Chile
Ljubomir Antić
; Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The beginnings of our emigrant school system in Chile go back to the First World War. A joint Yugoslav boys and girls' elementary school was established in Antofagasta in 1916, and a school named Yugoslav school in Punta Arenas in 1917. The latter closed down as early as 1918, while the former was in operation also after the war. Both schools were initiated as part of the activities of the Yugoslav emigré movement, i.e. its organisation called the Yugoslav National Defence. In this context, the goals of the schools were determined: to stop the assimilation of our second-generation emigrants and to educate them in the spirit of Yugoslav patriotism. The schools were financed by the emigrants themselves. Data on the short life of the school in Punta Arenas are scarce. Instruction at the school in Antofagasta lasted for two years, and included in the school was also a kindergarten. The school had an enrolment of 110 pupils in the year 1917. Both schools were constantly faced with problems pertaining to finance and personnel, and the number of enrolled children decreased from year to year.
Keywords
emigrants; school system; Yugoslav National Defence; Chile
Hrčak ID:
128670
URI
Publication date:
31.12.1987.
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