Dr. Szabó Lajos: A magyar ifjúság testi nevelésének története (A Sportmúzeum Kincsei 5. Budapest, 2004)

Testnevelési törekvések az 1848-as szabadságharc és forradalom, valamint a Habsburg önkényuralom időszakában

THE FIGHTS FOR ACCEPTING PHYSICAL EDUCATION could be followed first of all in the articles of the weekly papers and periodicals appearing in ever increasing number. Ferenc Ney wrote a leading article (editorial) in the January 1845 number of Buda-Pesti Híradó with the title The Importance of Physical Exercises. The significance of interaction between physical and mental education was stressed by Ferenc Mentovich in the February 1846 number of Erdélyi Híradó. The first Hungarian pedagogical periodical, Nevelési Emléklapok edited by Lajos Tavasi - launched in 1846 -, was also dealing with the question of physical education. In the revolutionary mood of the days in March, the question of regular physical activity for the youth came into the limelight together with other pedagogical reform pursuits. The university students of Pest, with the leadership of Pál Vasvári summarized their demands in 9 points on 17 March, 1848. The sixth paragraph claimed the establishing of physical exercise institutes. József Vereby in his Data to the gymnastic training in Hungary, published on June 20,1848, suggested the leadership of Ministry of Public Education, led by József Eötvös the followings: 1. Introduce physical exercises (for the summer and winter months) even in the smallest schools of Hungary. 2. Establish a main central college in Pest, where mainly gymnastic teachers are trained to be employed all over Hungary, 5. Require it from the teachers, graduating from teacher training institutes, to have gymnastic qualifications. 4. Gymnastics has to be taught mainly in Pest, but in most of the bigger towns of Hungary. So not only the 10-12 year-old pupils had to learn physical exercises, but the youth, men, young girls and women, too. Gymnastics means everyday strength exercises, bends, climbing, handling of weapons, fencing, riding, rowing (Wettrundern), swimming, dance, etc... The First Hungarian Educational Congress (July 20,1848) with 257 participants had the same opinion. The participants (among others Lajos Tavasi and Ferenc Ney) accepted the working out of such a reform syllabus in which physical education is a compulsory subject not only in the kindergartens but in the secondary-schools, too. All this was postponed by the supress of the revolution, so the ambitions were carried out only after the Compromise of 1867. The dictatorship of General Haynau was replaced by an absolutistic system directed from Vienna, when national characteristics were pushed into the background. "Gymnastics" was listed among special subjects in the work of Leo Thun (Organisations Entwurf). Their realization depended on the leadership of different schools.