The Institutionalisation of Pedagogy in the Second Polish
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Konrad Nowak-Kluczyński BHE 40/2019 The Faculty of Educational Studies ISSN 2544-7899 Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań DOI: 10.14746/bhw.2019.40.3 ORCID: 0000-0002-7814-1650 The institutionalisation of pedagogy in the Second Polish Republic period – the case of the Department of Pedagogy and Didactics at the University of the Piasts (Wszechnica Piastowska) Abstract: The institutionalisation of pedagogy in the Second Polish Republic period – the case of the Department of Pedagogy and Didactics at the University of the Piasts (Wszechnica Piastowska) The Second Polish Republic is a period of the institutionalisation and disciplinarisation of peda- gogy. The interwar period is characterised by the institutions, established for the pedagogical ed- ucation of teachers, and agendas that arise along with them, at Polish universities, aiming at ped- agogical education and generation of pedagogical knowledge. The example of such actions was the establishment of the Department of Pedagogy and Didactics at the University of the Piasts (Wszechnica Piastowska). It was due to the efforts of the first directors of the Department – Antoni Danysz, Bogdan Nawroczyński, and Ludwik Jaxa-Bykowski, that the Poznań academic pedagogy had played a significant role in the structures of the University of Poznań, and in the scientific de- velopment of Polish pedagogy. Despite it being shut down in 1933, within the continuous cooper- ation with the Department of Psychology, the Poznań University, gave the opportunity and shaped the future teachers. Keywords: pedagogy, the Department of Pedagogy and Didactics, Wszechnicza Piastowska, The University of Poznań, Antoni Danysz, Ludwik Jaxa-Bykowski, the University of the Western Lands, the interwar period Introduction The institutionalisation and disciplinarisation of pedagogy in Poland was initiated during the period of building the structures of an independent state – the Second Polish Republic. Since 1918, a number of institutions had appeared, established for the purpose of pedagogical education of teachers and social workers1, and simultaneously, agendas 1 In 1918, the National Pedagogical Institute was created by the initiative of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Warsaw. A year after, a private university had begun its functioning, created by the Scientific 42 Konrad Nowak-Kluczyński begin to arise at Polish universities2, aiming at pedagogical education, and the creation of pedagogical knowledge3. Danuta Drynda evaluates the functioning of pedagogy as a discipline in the circum- stances of the Second Polish Republic, within the context of the general situation in Polish science, determined by the basic fact, that the newly established Polish state was reborn on the principles of the capitalist system, and in this form, survived until World War 24. In the conditions of the Second Polish Republic, the accomplishments of pedagogy of the parti- tions period had become insufficient at the time. The object of the pedagogical inquiries was no longer solely the educational process occurring within the school walls, but also, in non-school institutions, as well as, in the course of social activity. In 1919, on the pages of Polish Science (Nauka Polska), Zygmunt Mysłakowski postulated that Polish pedago- gy should be scientific and philosophical, and that it “should be Polish”5. Courses Society created a year before – the Free Polish University (Wolna Wszechnica Polska). Later on, due to the efforts of Maria Grzegorzewska, the National Institute of Special Education was established in Warsaw, in 1922. Moreover, in the 1921–1927, and in the 1930–1930 periods, the National Teachers’ Institute was oper- ational. 2 The agendas at Polish universities, aiming at pedagogical education, and the creation of pedagogical knowledge, started in 1919, with the Faculty of Pedagogy and Didactics at the University of Poznań, direct- ed by Antoni Danysz, previously a professor at the Jan Casimir University in Lviv. A year after, in 1920, the Pedagogical Institute at the Catholic University of Lublin was created. Zygmunt Kukulski, a historian of ed- ucation and the publisher of the sources for the history of education, was appointed head of the institute. The Pedagogical Study at the Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, may be considered as another agen- da. Formally, the establishment of the Pedagogical study took place only in 1921, however, already on 14 July 1917, the Faculty of Philosophy Council appointed the department commission, to develop a project of a re- form of studies and teaching in high schools. Władysław Heinrich, philosopher and psychologist, had become the its first director. In 1926–1928, within this unit, two faculties were established: The Faculty of Pedagogy, and the Faculty of Clinical Psychology. The former was directed by Zygmunt Mysłakowski, while the latter, by Stefan Szuman. W. Heinrich as also the founder of the Scientific Pedagogical Society, and the editor of the “Philosophical Quarterly” (“Kwartalnik Filozoficzny”). His scholarly works were deeply rooted in positivist views. They were reminded during the 75th annual of the establishment of Pedagogical Studies in two volumes, edited by Kazimiera Pacławska. The Faculty of Pedagogy at the Jagiellonian University was created in 1926. Zygmunt Mysłakowski became the first head of the faculty, however at first, W. Heinrich associated this posi- tion with Marian Falski. The pedagogical works of Z. Mysłakowski mainly fit in the school of general pedago- gy which arose from sociological and cultural tradition. The Faculty of Pedagogy and Education Organisation at the University of Warsaw, was established in 1926 by Bogdan Nawroczyński. His works focus on didactics and comparative pedagogy, associated with the school referred to as “pedagogy of culture”. Earlier on (in 1920), the Faculty of Experimental Pedagogy was created, commissioned to Władysław Witwicki, and in 1928, the Faculty of Educational Psychology was established, directed by Stefan Baley. Additionally, significant centres of the development of pedagogy were launched at the Stefan Batory University in Vilnius, and at the Jan Casimir University in Lviv. In Vilnius, the greatest impact on the creation and development of pedagogy was due to the historians of education: Marian Massonius (1862–1941) and Ludwik Chmaj (1888–1959), while in Lviv, two great pedagogues, who combined the philosophical perspective with the scientific perspective and the historical and cultural context, the status of which and the capabilities of creating pedagogical environment after 1994, dif- fered significantly: Kazimierz Sośnicki (1883–1976) and Bogdan Suchodolski (1900–1992). 3 HEJNICKA-BEZWIŃSKA, T., Pedagogika ogólna, Warszawa 2008, pp. 113–120. 4 DRYNDA, D., Pedagogika Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej: warunki-orientacje-kontrowersje, Katowice 1987, p. 39. 5 Ibidem, p. 66–67. The institutionalisation of pedagogy in the Second Polish Republic period 43 In the 1918–1939 period, the Polish pedagogical thought developed under the influ- ence of the ideological and political trends and defined educational needs6. The indepen- dent Polish state, created in November 1918, constituted as a parliamentary-democratic republic. The resurgent Poland, faced a non-uniform situation in its territories, in terms of education. Different school systems operated in different territories. The most important task in regard to educational policy, was to unify the system and the level of schooling in the entire country, as well as, to repair, at least to a certain degree, the results of education- al malpractices of the partitions period7. Until 1939, Polish pedagogy looked promising. Both the level of scholarly studies, as well as, the level of education in Poland, did not deviate from European standards. Importantly, the majority of the representatives of Polish pedagogy received education at European universities. The institutional framework was established during the Second Polish Republic period8. Particular contribution in this aspect, was due to the first di- rectors of the Department of Pedagogy and Didactics and the University of Poznań – Antoni Danysz and Bogdan Nawroczyński. Moreover, an important role was played by Zygmunt Mysłakowski. In 1929, 1931, 1933, and 1931, pedagogical congresses were ini- tiated. Essential impact on the development of pedagogical thought and theories was made by numerous scientific, educational, and teachers’ vocational societies, teachers’ educa- tion institutions, and innovative activities of teacher practitioners9. The scholarly progress in this discipline was also inspired by works of other scientific disciplines, associated with pedagogy, such as: psychology (developmental, and educational), and social studies (on education), that often became a scientific guideline for the scholarly pursuits of the peda- gogues. A significant impact on the educational practice, and the pedagogical thought in the Poland of the interwar period, was made by the so-called new education movement. The reception of the movement’s ideas were aided by numerous translations of the works of its representatives10. The characteristic features of the movement include: the pursuit of reforming education and school in the spirit of considering the features of the child (in- dividual needs, interests, capabilities, psyche). The features were based on the achieve- ments of psychological and biomedical sciences. Additionally, during this period, an im- portant place in the development of pedagogical thought,