Școli și cursuri țărănești organizate de asociația „Astra“, între anii 1939-1940

Abstract

The aim of this research is to present an objective analysis, starting from the texts of the historical documents issued by the Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and Culture of the Romanian People (“ASTRA”) between 1939 and 1940 regarding the schools and the courses organized for young adult peasants in Transylvania. The study presents the events, transformations and challenges that “Astra” had to face while trying to maintain its specific forms of activity and cultural manifestation. During 2 or 3 months, particularly in winter season, the organization of such courses had the gift to breathe life into village, waking up the interest and the participation of local intellectuals, many of them being part of the education system, and to break up the villagers‘ habitual inertia. In accordance with “Astra” ‘s educational curricula, Romanian young students, women and men, were taught notions about: agriculture, pomiculture, apiculture, animal husbandry, household maintenance, orchard maintenance and cultivation, legal notions, cooperative businesses and credit unions, general information about personal hygiene, sexuality, puericulture, Romanian language and literature, Romanian history, mathematics, physics, chemistry, music, religion, ethical and moral values. The lecturers who delivered those classes were doctors, priests, engineers, agronomists, lawyers, notaries, professors, institutes, teachers, officers. These specific forms of cultural and educational emancipation of young adult peasants were undertaken by divisions of “Astra” in at least 34 villages and cities. According to the documents of the “Astra” fund at Sibiu County Service of the National Archives issued between August 1939 and August 1940, through their representatives in the territory and in collaboration with the local Agricultural Chambers or with their own local divisions, “Astra” organized 40 peasant schools and agricultural courses attended by approximately 1194 men and 390 women.