Funkcje społeczne szkół salezjańskich w Okręgu Szkolnym Wileńskim w okresie Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej
Authors:   Uniwersytet w Białymstoku, Kalisz Łukasz 
Published: March 2022

The monograph shows the social functions of Salesian schools in the Vilnius School District during the period of the Second Polish Republic (1918–1939). The publication presents the educational activity of the Society of Saint Francis de Sales and the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. These congregations drew on the achievements of the Italian priest John Bosco, who had created an original pedagogical system called the preventive system. The professional educational activity of Salesian congregations was universal and attractive enough that many countries wanted it to be introduced and disseminated, including Poland. The aim of the monograph is to present the social functions that were performed by schools run by Salesian congregations in the Vilnius School District in the time of the Second Polish Republic. The work is based on historical sources, most of which were the subject of scientific analysis for the first time. Salesian documents, documents of the Vilnius Curia, and documents of the Board of the Vilnius School District were obtained from archives and libraries in Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus. The collected source material, original maps, and attached photographs make the publication a valuable source of information about the Salesian institutions in the interwar period and it is the first publication of this type describing Salesian centres in Vilnius, Dworzec, Reginów, Kurhan, Laurów, and Polepie. The work consists of six chapters. The first chapter describes the history of the founding of the Society of St. Francis de Sales and the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and their development in Poland along with the main forms of educational activity of their founder – Father John Bosco. The main assumptions of the preventive system, which became a breakthrough system of youth pedagogy used in all Salesian educational institutions, are also presented. The beginnings of Salesian activity in Poland before it regained its independence in 1918 were also characterized, taking into account the historical and social context. The second chapter presents the administrative division of the Society of St. Francis de Sales and the circumstances of the arrival to Poland of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. In order for the Salesian congregations to operate in a given area they had to be approved by church authorities and, in the case of educational institutions, also by state authorities reporting to the Minister of Religious Denominations and Public Education. It was therefore necessary to describe the structures of the Church and the effects of the 1925 concordat between the Holy See and the Republic of Poland. In the second chapter, I also analysed the stages of the formation of school districts, taking into account the changes that resulted from state laws. The second chapter includes original maps, which may be a new point of reference for future scientific works on similar topics. The founders and material possessions of Salesian schools are also listed in the second chapter. The third chapter concerns Salesian schools, their location in the structure of state education, and the changes that took place in the analysed period. This chapter also includes legal acts concerning the organization of state education in the Second Polish Republic. Chapter four deals with teaching and preparation for professional work in Salesian schools. It describes the curricula of Salesian schools and their implementation in the form of class schedules. It also describes the teaching workshops and vocational laboratories and the results of the productive work of students. Chapter five is devoted to the students and teachers of Salesian schools. It presents the number and social situation of students, most of whom were orphans or came from poor families. The chapter describes the medical care and hygiene in the schools and their dormitories and presents examples of the fates of the graduates of individual schools. The next part of chapter five is devoted to the teachers and their qualifications resulting from state regulations. The sixth chapter, about the teaching of values in school and out-of-school practice, refers to the theoretical foundations of preventive education detailed in chapter one and provides information on the methods and forms of work with young people. This chapter presents the educational ideals of the Second Polish Republic, extracurricular educational activities, and summer camps. The school and religious celebrations, important from an educational point of view, were also presented, as was the religious life of the pupils resulting from the values passed on by the educators and their concern for providing young people with the appropriate conditions for spiritual development. The chapter ends with a presentation of the consequences of pupils’ bad behaviour and of the Association of Former Pupils of Salesian schools in Vilnius. The whole book ends with a conclusion, abstracts, bibliography, a list of illustrations, and an index of names and places.