Preliminary communication
CROATIAN ACADEMIC YOUTH CLUB TOMISLAV BEFORE WORLD WAR I
Siniša Horvat
; Prva gimnazija Varaždin
Abstract
In summer months of 1905 a group of Varaždin democrat students founded the
Croatian Academic Youth Club Fidelitas which was later renamed as Tomislav in 1907.
The purpose of the club was the development of social activities and the promotion of
teaching activities amongst its members and general public. In the following ten years
the club developed a rich and systematic activity on three different levels: the organization
of cultural and entertainment events, the organization of non-academic public
lectures and offering literacy courses. In order to attract the attention of Varaždin public, academicians used to spend
their free time during the Christmas and Easter holidays by organizing Drama nights,
musical and literary programs, the so-called jour fixe, folk summer parties, regency
dances and concerts. Through the organization of the mentioned events they made a
contribution to the cultural and social life, as well as provided the means necessary for
humanitarian activity and the organization of all other activities. The purpose of giving
public non-academic lectures was to introduce the general public to new advances in
various fields of science and art, in order to raise general level of education of the population.
As a consequence of organizational difficulties as well as political and ideological
conflicts with the local authorities, the mentioned activity was eventually reduced
to only several organized lectures throughout 1907 and 1908. However, the literacy
improvement activity was far more successful. In order to improve literacy, the academicians
organized regular courses for the illiterate people, and eventually they managed
to run the courses during the academic breaks. Therefore, winter courses were
normally given during Christmas break and the spring courses during Easter breaks.
The usual duration of the course was several weeks and the course was normally held
in Varaždin public schools. The courses were free of charge for the students because all
the expenses were covered by the Academic club.
Despite the fact that they were trying to stay politically neutral, Varaždin academicians
were engaged in the preparation and organization of massive student strike
against viceroy Slavko Cuvaj in 1912. Supported by Croatian Academic Youth Club
Tomislav, a one-day student strike was held on March the 14th and the Varaždin youth
joined the general strike of Croatian youth which was held on the 19th of March, 1912.
Following the official ban of all associations that was introduced at the onset of World
War I, unfortunately the club had to suspend all legal activities for a couple of years.In order to attract the attention of Varaždin public, academicians used to spend
their free time during the Christmas and Easter holidays by organizing Drama nights,
musical and literary programs, the so-called jour fixe, folk summer parties, regency
dances and concerts. Through the organization of the mentioned events they made a
contribution to the cultural and social life, as well as provided the means necessary for
humanitarian activity and the organization of all other activities. The purpose of giving
public non-academic lectures was to introduce the general public to new advances in
various fields of science and art, in order to raise general level of education of the population.
As a consequence of organizational difficulties as well as political and ideological
conflicts with the local authorities, the mentioned activity was eventually reduced
to only several organized lectures throughout 1907 and 1908. However, the literacy
improvement activity was far more successful. In order to improve literacy, the academicians
organized regular courses for the illiterate people, and eventually they managed
to run the courses during the academic breaks. Therefore, winter courses were
normally given during Christmas break and the spring courses during Easter breaks.
The usual duration of the course was several weeks and the course was normally held
in Varaždin public schools. The courses were free of charge for the students because all
the expenses were covered by the Academic club.
Despite the fact that they were trying to stay politically neutral, Varaždin academicians
were engaged in the preparation and organization of massive student strike
against viceroy Slavko Cuvaj in 1912. Supported by Croatian Academic Youth Club
Tomislav, a one-day student strike was held on March the 14th and the Varaždin youth
joined the general strike of Croatian youth which was held on the 19th of March, 1912.
Following the official ban of all associations that was introduced at the onset of World
War I, unfortunately the club had to suspend all legal activities for a couple of years.
Keywords
academic club; cultural and entertainment programs; literacy courses; public non-academic lectures; adult education; youth strike against viceroy Cuvaj; Varaždin grammar school
Hrčak ID:
171598
URI
Publication date:
30.12.2016.
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