Bács-Kiskun megye múltjából 24. (Kecskemét, 2010)
Summaries
and it worked until 1949. The main aim of the society was education. At the beginning its most important program was reading daily and weekly newspapers and delivering lectures, as well, but after getting liquor licence it was rather a pub than a book club. Members spent a long time with card playing and drinking. Of course, the society had good periods when its members were 200 and the inhabitants of the village took part in the parties, as well. But it had bad periods too, first of all in connection with different crisis time like World War I. In those years the society was not able to work. After World War II the society did not have a possibility to continue its operation so it was assimilated to an organisation established by the communist regime. Summaries _______________________________________________________________________________________ Gá bor Cseri REFORMED ASSOCIATIONS IN KISKUNHALAS IN THE FIRST PART OF THE 20TH CENTURY In Kiskunhalas a lot of reformed associations, established in the 1920s, operated for a longer or a shorter time and had a significant role in the cultural life of the town. The essay shows the activity of three reformed associations. The aim of the School Literary and Debating Society of Kiskunhalast established in 1924 was the promotion of religiousness and patriotism, the education and self-education of a religious and patriotic generation and also the education of the members and of the general public. The association not only organised performances and parties, operated a library, subscribed to some newspapers but ensured skittles and billiard for the civilized entertainment of the members, as well. The Károly Szász School Literary and Debating Society of Kiskunhalas worked within the frame of the secondary school operated by the Church as a students’ voluntary organisation. The members wrote treatises, recited and reviewed them. Between the essays there were translations of literary works, folk-tales, and descriptions of objects, regions, anecdotes but later the members talked about actual political and social problems, as well. The Female Reformed Union of Kiskunhalas was established in 1923. The society and the Girls’ Union did charity work, helped the orphanage and organised religious parties. They supported the poor, organised charity events, yearly Christmas fairs and gave clothes for the poor children. They also arranged concerts a couple of times in the building of the town theatre and took part in distribution of different church publications, psalms, prayer books, calendars and newspapers. 422
