A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve: Studia Ethnographica 6. (Szeged, 2008)

Markos Gyöngyi: Adatok az apátfalvi gyermek 20. századi életéből

Data on Children 's Life in Apátfalva in the 2(/

h Century by GYÖNGYI MARKOS Present study discusses the life and education of children living in Apátfalva, situated 8 km from Makó, in three thematic parts: infancy period (1-6 years old), life of the schoolchildren, and children's participation in family and calendar feasts. Children between 1-6 years old were called by special names in Apátfalva. Present study introduces their sleeping places, washing habits, clothes and eating habits (from breast feeding to the family table). Looking after small children was a shared task in joint families. Until the end of the 19

lh century one of the young wives used to stay at home alternately caring for and breast-feeding all the children in the family. In other families the young wife with the youngest child stayed at home. If they had to take the small child out to the fields, he was earned in a barrow, protected by a tent built from a wide skirt. The cattle-herd's family built a special hut from boughs and grass to protect their baby. A special little carriage was made for the small child to help him learning standing. The school period was considered the most important part in the spiritual and physical development of a child. His time was shared between the family, the school and his age group. The history of the school in Apátfalva goes back to 18

lh century. The public elementary school with 6 classes met the requirements of the age. The equipment of schoolchildren staying in school for the whole day was rather simple (a slate, 1-2 books, a note-book). Boys carried their things in a linen bag, girls in a rush bag together with their food for the whole day. We also describe the clothes of the schoolchildren, as well as their eating and sleeping habits. Their closeness to and knowledge of nature is also presented. Children in Apátfalva were trained to work already at an early age. They were expected to do jobs corresponding to their age (handing different tools to their parents, feeding small animals around the house). Parents and grandparents encouraged children to learn how to work by making small tools for them as toys. Schoolchildren already helped in household duties. Training to work was influenced by the financial situation of the family, as well as by economic need. Before 1920 wealthier farmers sent their children to work as farm labourers to Swabian families in the Banat region, so that they learn how to work precisely. Poor families sent their sons to work as swineherds and their daughters as nursery-maids. Before 1920 children also worked as forest shepherds in the Banat region from April to autumn. In the school period children played a lot and spent most of their time together in their age group, as well as made friends with each other. There were special games for girls and boys, also games they played together.