Zombori István (szerk.): Magyar cserkészet - Világcserkészet = Hungarian Scouting - World Scouting (Szeged, 1989)

MÉSZÁROS István: A magyar cserkészpedagógia

The first account of scouting in Hungary appeared in the 1909/1910 yearbook of the Nagybecskerek secondary school; the first troops were organized in 1910. None of the above mentioned national features became exlusive in the domestic scout movement; it became a movement with definite pedagogical purposes along with valuable content. The Hungarian scout pedagogy was formed between 1910 and 1920 and was basically created by Sándor Sík. a Piarist teacher and a well-known pedagogue of the age. His conceptions on education were explained fully in his work, „Leander's Handbook" which was published in 1922. One of the basic ideas of this scout pedagogy was to satisfy a young person's overwhelming need for activity and romantics and at the same time turn him into a more complete person and a better Hungarian. That is where the main slogan of Hungarian scouting comes from: more human humans- more Hungarian Hungarians. The first essential condition to be reached was that the scout should have the strength of doing what he thinks is right on the basis of his firm moral belief instead of doing something he himself consideres wrong. Becoming a better Hungarian aimed at softening class distinctions in society by not making any kind of social distinction within the scout movement, children's social backgroud did not count at all. The third importand element of this pedagogy was the establishment of religious education. This meant an every day practice of religious moral doctrines which, to a great extent, also helped friendships among people belonging to different religions, the ecumenical attitude. To achive these goals and to approach the ideal purpose, a scout law of ten points was worked out which was not a simple translation of the similar British or other foreign laws but an alternative for the Hungarian conditions. This is expressed in the fact that Hungarian scout pedagogy is basically a community pedagogy. Although, its fundamental purpose is the varied formation of the individual, it happens to the benefit of the community and for the sake of useful work. This is one of the reasons why learning about being Hungarian was considered important. Minstrel scouting was an important means of developing a real Hungarian — consciousness and getting acquainted with Hungarian folk-art. Pál Teleki and Zoltán Kodály played an important role in the spreading popularity of the Hungarian folk-songs, folk customs, and the knowledge of Hungarian village life. Parallel to this movement a new scout group the „ Young Hungarians" which was mainly the movement of adult scouts, emerged which examined the social condition of society alongside national traditions. We can state that the Hungarian scout pedagogy declared a need for an overall and radical social change and with this it became worthy company for the greatest civil and humanist reform endeavours of the time. 47