H. Bathó Edit – Kertész Róbert – Tolnay Gábor – Vadász István szerk.: Tisicum - A Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Megyei Múzeumok Évkönyve 11. (1999)

László Szabó is 60 Years Old

területén. 1995-ben Szolnok Megyei Jogú Város Ezüst Pelikándíjjal ismerte el Szolnok művelődéséért és kultúrájáért végzett munkásságát. Ebben az évben, 1999-ben pedig elnyerte az MTA Debreceni Akadémiai Bizottságának „Pro Scientia" díját és a Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Megyei Tudományos Díjat a megye térségében végzett tudományszervezői tevékenységéért. LÁSZLÓ SZABÓ László Szabó was born in Mátészalka in 1939. He finished his studies at Kossuth Lajos University, Branch of HungarianHistory-Ethnography in Debrecen in 1963. He got his first and up till now only place of work as a historian-museologist of contemporary history in the Damjanich János Museum in Szolnok where he has been engaged in comprehensive collecting, adapting scientific activity as an ethnographer since 1965. His scientific carreer was started by his professor of ethnography, Béla Gunda. His first publication dealt with Tiszahát of Bereg region; after moving to Szolnok his ethnographic research work covered Middle-Plain region and later on the whole Great Hungárián Plain. His attitűdé and method are determined by the social examination and interpretation of the phenomenon of traditions, folk culture. His studies, monographs dealt with the inner structure and operational forms of traditional communities, with the organisation of peasant work, the structure of families and the system of relations. From among his theoretical writings the most significant are the ones that dealt with the determination, terminology and special attitűdé of social ethnography. He took over the work of the Szolnok County Ethnographic Atlas which was started by Zsolt Csalog and Éva Pócs and he published the first régiónál ethnographic atlas in 1974. He undertook an important part in the elaboration of the entry-words for the Hungárián Ethnographic Lexicon. He has been the organizer and the participant of several research teams studying the ethnographic characteristics of different ethnic groups (the Jazygian, the Palots, the Cumanian, the Slovakian líving around Békéscsaba, Tiszazug, Laké Tisza and its surroundings; outside the Great Hungárián Plain: the valley of the River Ipoly, Mozsgó and its surroundings, the surroundings of the River Garam, the hills of Zemplén, the Slovakian of Répáshuta, Gömör, Bodrogköz). In 1978 he got Móra Ferenc Prize for his research in Jászság. He summed up the results of his research in Jászság in his candidate dissertation. The Szolnok County Monograph of Folk Árts, edited by him was the first step to help the folk árts of the Great Hungárián Plain that had been previously unfairly Kedves Tanár Úr! 60. születésnapod alkalmából kollégák, barátok, tanítványok, ismerősök és tisztelőid kívánnak Neked további jó munkát, egészséges és tartalmas életet. IS 60 YEARS OLD neglected, become generally known. In 1997 he became an Academic Doctor of Ethnography. He has been lecturing at the Department of Ethnography of Kossuth Lajos University in Debrecen since 1978 where he qualified in 1994. He was an initiator of starting ethnographic education at the Teacher Training College in Jászberény. Besides his scientific activity he considered it very important to let his results be widely known by the public. His students, colleagues regard him as an excellent scientific organizer. He has been a member of the Scientific Association since 1963. He is the chairman of the Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County Scientific Organizatíon, the generál editor of Jászkunság, the monthly of this organizatíon, which is one of the oldest, contínuously published monthly in the country. He is alsó the chairman of the Social Ethnography Department at the Hungárián Society of Ethnography and the member of the editorial staff for the monthly Ethnography. He is a foundation and committee member of Hajnal István Circle. The ethnographic research activities, scientific meetings, exhibitions organized by him were arranged in co-ordination with the local people, students, enthusiastic teachers and other intellectuals, whose attitűdé, research methods and knowledge developed a lot during the activities. His activity in the field of education and culture in Szolnok was acknowledged by "Silver Pelican" Prize, given by Szolnok Town with County Rights in 1995. This year he was awarded "Pro Scientia" Prize by the Debrecen Academic Committee of the Hungárián Scientific Academy and Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County Scientific Prize for his scientific organizatíon activity in the county. Dear Professor, Your colleagues, friends, students, acquaintances and admirers wish you further success in your work, good health and matterful life on the occasion of your 60th birthday. Róbert Kertész 8