Dr. Szabó Lajos: Nők a magyar sportban (A Sportmúzeum Kincsei 3. Budapest, 2003)

THE HISTORY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR GIRLS In Hungary, the first reference to institutional physical education for girls was found in the works of Johannes Amos Comenius. Commenius was a professor at the Calvinist College of Sárospatak and was a strong supporter of equal education of for and girls. Mandatory education, however, was introduced only 100 years later by the „Ratio Educationis", a decree issued by Empress Maria Theresa. Although that decree listed physical education only as an optional subject, several studies on the history of education prove that many schools chose that option. Nevertheless, Hungary had much fewer girl schools than boy schools at the time. The Act on Public Schools issued by József Eötvös, a supporter of modern civilian values in 1868 made physical education mandatory at schools for both girls and boys. The first trained female physical educators graduated at the teacher-training faculty of the National Gymnastics Association in 1881. The physical education curriculum mainly included gymnastics, Swedish gymnastics, athletics, games and, as weather and possibilities permitted, swimming and skating. The introduction of "sport rooms" promoted ball games (basketball, handball, volleyball), yet sport halls were common only in schools of secondary education. At primary schools, educators who already had knowledge of anatomy and psychology put the emphasis on outdoor exercise. Around the turn of the century, sports clubs emerged at schools, providing an opportunity for ambitious and talented girls to exercise. Championships and tournaments were organized among secondary schools which has been a tradition ever since, although a lot of new leisure activities emerged recently which compete with leisure sports. Dedicated physical educators, however, can do miracles with their students as witnessed by "mass marathons" or street-ball competitions.