Somogyi Múzeumok Közleményei 13. (1998)

Varga Éva: Írástudók Somogyban a két világháború között (1919-1939).

474 Literacy in the county of Somogy between the World Wars (Section one) ÉVA VARGA The subject of this study was the county level examination of the general standard of culture between the World Wars. The seemingly extremely positive image of the cultural situation accepted in historical common knowledge, primarily based on contemporary élite culture, is brought into question by the data unearthed in the course of the study. Similarly, a number of projects at county level dealing with other regions of the country could change fundamentally the image of the history of the level of culture and education with respect to the period between the World Wars. This annual volume, due to considerations related to the dimensions of the work and the topics covered, presents the study to the reader in two sections. The first section offers an outline of the main characteristics of the cultural history of Somogy and its county town between the World Wars, and also the local cultural framework. Educational issues and theatre culture in the county of Somogy are the main topics discussed. Societies and associations are, due to a lack of documentation, dealt with only briefly. However, this is compensated for by the provision of an outline of the operation of the county music lovers' and museum associations. The study also fulfils the general requirement for the historian, in dealing with culture or improvement of the mind, to paint what should be primarily a general social, economic and political picture of the situation. In addition, this section of the study contains many facts which in fact provide a sound foundation for the subject material to be expressed subsequently.