Túri Zoltán szerk.: Tiszavilág. A Tiszazugi Földrajzi Múzeum Közleményei 2. (Tiszaföldvár, 2007)
ÉRTEKEZÉSEK - Szabó István: Szabadművelődés a Tiszazugban
Szabadművelődés a Tiszazugban Dr. Szabó István * Public education in the Tiszazug region — In the judgement of Hungarian history in the post-world war era, the first 3-4 years deserve special attention. The militant radical right wing movements ceased to exist after the war, and democratic tendencies came to the fore. The period of the multi-party system, which lasted until 1948. the "year of about-face", was, in many respects, based upon the social, economic structures and institutions that were dominant between the two world wars. The new political elite came into existence and took power only after this, and fundamental changes occurred in all areas, including public education. The exploration of these few years of the changing of the regime is essential not only because it is imperative to make clear distinction between this era, and the years of communist dictatorship, named after party-leader Rákosi, but also because during these years the achievements of the years between the two world wars were still in effect. We can draw and summarise conclusions that might be useful when dealing with the problems of the next change of the regime in 1990. For this, thorough and detailed research and publications are necessary in the areas of education, civilisation, culture and arts. Public education (that is to say, the "out-of-school " education) forms only a small part of this, especially if we concentrate on the years 1945—1950 only. This paper is confined to the research of the public education of the Tiszazug region, and deals with those settlements only that existed as independent villages before 1950. Our task is informing from a methodological point of view as well: since the exploitation of these few years calls for the analysis of the forms and achievements of out-of-school education and public, or part-time education that date back to the 1'9'''century. All similar attempts that aim at the civilisation and culture of the public outside the regular school-system must be rooted and based upon those. This paper is trying to concentrate primarily on the public education of the villages of the Tiszazug region after World War II. Where possible, or where the author felt it necessary for the sake of continuity, he borrowed examples of the products offree education. The nation-wide network of out-of-school education committees, which had been effective for decades, and which was paralysed due to the war, was reconstructed after 1945 under the name of "public education councils". The operation of the gradually strengthening official public educational organisation was terminated referring to decrees 77.000/1922 and 181.000/1937 B.M. Its operation was cut down with an edictal break without establishing posterior institutions, which would have ensured fair liquidation, and incorporation. Several civilian organisations shared the same fate (including the Artistic Association of Szolnok, fire-fighter associations etc.), and parties (MADISZ, DEFOSZ). The belongings of these organisations, which had ensured their asset and operability, their documentation, properties (motion-picture projectors, film reels, photos, pageants, books, journals, manuals, and visual aids) having become derelict went to the devil. They were winnowed and perished. It is only tiny pats oj the documentation —fragmented though — that survived due to some accidents or the carefulness of some attentive administrators: the details of a few local events, the register of their individual activities; these were preserved alongside with their personal documents. These surviving records were incorporated in the local history movement, which came to existence later: to provide original or copied records or photographic annexes to accompany their applications. All these, however frequently they may be found, are only fragments, and it takes painstaking work to picture the importance of the era in the area of public education. Történész-muzeológus. Damjanich János Múzeum. 5000 Szolnok, Kossuth tér 4.
