Acta Papensia 2013 - A Pápai Református Gyűjtemények Közleményei 13. évfolyam (Pápa, 2013)

2013 / 3. szám - Műhely - Hudi József: Takácsi nemes község alfabetizációja a későrendi korszakban (1698–1847)

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Acta Papensia xiii (2013) 3. szám

Summary JÓZSEF HUDI

Literacy in the noble village of Takácsi in the era of late feudalism (1698-1847)

The study using archival sources examines the process of literacy in a Hungarian agricultural village. Since the village called Takácsi located in Veszprém county with a population of 1381 in 1847 was inhabited by yeomanry with reformed faith, the author elaborated such contracts from the archive of the Reformed Church of Takácsi which were signed by many. Those who could write signed their name, and those who couldn’t drew a cross next to their name. With a quantitative evaluation of the signs, the author could draw a conclusion concerning the literacy of the total population.

Although a reformed teacher worked in the village from the end of the 17th century, only 4 percent of the farmers were able to write in 1787, but that number increased to 60 percent by 1828. None of the widows whose names were mentioned in the sources could sign their name. By 1870, 68 percent of the total population could either write or read, which showed a spectacular change comparing to the previous century. At that time, 9 percent of men and 22 percent of women could only read, which showed the difference between genders and the reason of which was that the majority of women learnt only to read at school in the 18th century. Women only gradually caught up with the level of literacy of men.

From the 18th century, youth from the village went on with their studies in the reformed secondary school in Pápa, then became students of divinity or students at the academy of law, and graduated as teachers, lawyers and clergymen increasing the number of Hungarian intellectuals. Present study deals with these intellectuals individually.

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