Shayner A.

Lviv Inter-Regional Academy of Personnel Management

Ukraine

СOOPERATIVE SCOOLING AS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THE FORMATION OF UKRAINIAN VOCATIONAL ECONOMIC EDUCATION (THE END OF THE XIX ^TH AND THE BEGINNIN OF THE XX ^TH CENTURIES)

SYNOPSIS

The peculiarities of the formation and development of the Ukrainian cooperation ideas through the cooperative schooling implementation into the vocational education and cooperative ideas penetration into the sphere of the pupils’ upbringing as the background of the national economic system organization are highlighted.

Key words: cooperative schooling, economic education, cooperative societies, cooperative movement, West Ukrainian Lands, elucidative and cultural activities.

PREFACE

The Ukrainian cooperative movement as a form of social and public activity appeared in the sixties of the XIX ^th century. The investigation and generalization of the cultural – elucidative activity of the Ukrainian cooperative societies wholly and their initiations in the sphere of the native schooling particularly will become positive experience of the education democratization and nationalization in the modern period.

Scientific researches of I. Andrukhiv, L. Vovk, P. Hay – Nyzhnyk, O. Kovalchuk, Z. Hipters, O. Maliuta, V. Marochok, N. Pobirchenko and others are dedicated to the investigation of the cultural – elucidative activity of the Ukrainian cooperative societies. Mentioned research works reveal the integral picture of the Ukrainian cooperative societies’ origin and their activities, summarize the main tendencies of their development.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

The historical and pedagogical problem of the Ukraine cooperative schooling on the West Ukrainian Lands at the end of the XIX ^th and the beginning of the XX ^th centuries with a thorough description of the peculiarities of its origin, development and penetration into a sphere of pupils’ education hasn’t been singled out into a certain area of the scientific research yet.

The objective of this scientific publication is to highlight the role of the Ukrainian cooperative schooling on the West Ukrainian Lands in the upbringing of the pupils’ self – dependency, confidence in their own powers and pupils’ economic world outlook formation.

The word “cooperation” is described in the reference books ‘as a drawn voluntary – collective pooling of property and labor for mutual objectives succeeding in different spheres of economic activity’ [3, 169 ]. Though, this word is understood as cooperation, collaboration, mutual or cohesive activity.

The domestic cooperative movement appeared as an integral part of the social and economic life of the country. Not only did the cooperative societies attract by the possibility to improve the material values, forms of management, the terms of goods purchasing but also the coordination of the social relations, the means of society restructuring.

Cooperators were the Ukrainian cultural workers, the representatives of the higher democratic circles, but in accordance with the rapid cooperative movement spreading, its full involvement by the citizens, the cooperation became a national phenomenon, a sole mass strength of the national struggle. In the territory of Ukraine it appeared not only as a means of the population economic self – defense , but also, first of all, as a national phenomenon within the scope of which, a range of possibilities in the direction of nation rebirth is crystallized . Besides, on the way to the fulfillment of the major tasks, the cooperative societies faced with illiteration, and low cultural level of population.

For the efficient activity of the cooperative societies, the peasants had to master the skills of the trade independent organization , accounting, and supervision for the society’s activity.

The progressive leaders of the cooperative movement insisted on raising of the educational standards either by speaking about the cooperative education or the education in general.

‘The beginning of the subsequent organization of the societies has revealed that release of our people from the economic poverty will be done only then, when our people are not literary dark as they are now. Only when they equal culturally with other peoples; in that case they will be able to prosper economically. Till they are in the darkness, that hides the sun rays from them, people will not be able to drag out of poverty …….. [10,17].

Due to the efforts of the cooperative societies, schools, institutions of vocational education, and special courses as well as the network of libraries, reading halls, book stores were set up. Though, the cooperative societies are considered to be as voluntary associations of national – conscious leaders, scientists, teachers, the representatives of general public which carried out the organizational, elucidative and cultural activities directed on the improvement of the people’s economic well – being, and the realization of the educational objectives among children, the youth and adult population.

The cooperative societies played a significant role in the Ukrainian cultural boost and had a great influence on the development of the domestic schooling at the end of the XIX^th – and the beginning of the XX ^th centuries.

Numerous archives, the scientific and pedagogical sociopolitical literature analysis testify that during the Austro- Hungarian and Polish domination on the West Ukrainian Lands, the possibilities of the cooperative schooling development at the state level for the Ukrainian people were limited in connection with the direct dependence from the empire legislative base, general and vocational system of education.

As a state system of education didn’t provide those needs, the social movement was being established at the end of the XIX ^th – and the beginning of the XX ^th centuries in the land that dealt with the organization and formation of elucidative and economic activity, development and spreading of the Ukrainian cooperative schooling, headed by such societies as “Prosvita”, “Ridna Shkola”, “Narodna Torhivlia”, “Silskyi Hospodar”, “Maslosojuz” etc. They paid great attention to the vocational and economic education of the population that had to become the basis for the Ukrainian’s successful economic and cultural raising of the living standard.

For that purpose special executive bodies of the cooperative schooling were formed, appropriate directive deeds were adopted, theoretical recommendations and summaries, methodological guides were prepared by the above mentioned societies.

Public and cultural figures of Halychyna deeply realized the role of the cooperative outlook formation in children, bringing them to respect cooperative work.

‘ In all our schools, where we send our children for a general mastering of the study, it is necessary to teach them the science and history of cooperation …. . Nothing else can teach our children to understand the reality so quickly, think and act socially as the science about cooperation; when the states introduce the cooperative schooling into their schools, the Ukrainian nation that hasn’t got its own country yet, gets its strength only from the general public independent activities has to draw attention on that powerful factor of the public education [2, 9].

Defining the meaning of the concept ‘the cooperative schooling’ we have to note that this phenomenon is broad and multifaceted. Selfless devotion of the Ukrainian cooperation to the educational sphere is expressed in several aspects:

1) The financial assistance to the educational institutions that comprised the provision of fellowships (awarding of the grants) and salaries to the teachers, funds for different needs of the institutions publication of textbooks, manuals (including books in cooperation issues) periodicals, setting up of the libraries, reading halls, organization of the lectures, courses etc;

2) The setting up of the educational institutions and schools of different types by the cooperative societies;

3) Immediate implementation of the cooperation ideas into the general school practice.

Hence, the cooperative schooling at the beginning of the XX ^th century is interpreted as an element of the cultural elucidative and socio-pedagogical movement of the Ukrainian cooperation that foresaw the establishment of the cooperative institutions and schools network with the purpose to diffuse education and cooperative ideas among the Ukrainian pupils and population.

The idea of the cooperation implementation into the school practice firstly appeared in England – the motherhood of the cooperative movement [1, 10].

During the handling of the cooperative congress in London 1898, there was a conference dedicated to the elucidative activity of the societies that gave a foundation to the setting up of the cooperative courses for children [4, 11-12 ].

The French experience to promote the cooperative ideas began in 1881 with the establishment of mutual-aid societies, the business purpose of which was to accumulate savings in case of the illness and old age. The first mutual-aid fund appeared in 1881 in Paris and was called ‘the School Municipal Mutual-Aid Society of the XIX ^th District’.

Therefore, ‘the National Union of the School Mutual-Aid Societies' was organized in Bordo in 1906. That organization provided the streamlining of the Department Unions of the School Societies, the holding of the canvassing and elucidating campaign among the Youth.

The Union promoted the setting up of ‘the Out-of-school Mutual-Aid Societies’ and ‘Pupils’ Forestry Officer Societies [7, 4-7].

Belgian School mutual – Aid societies were organized in schools in 1896 and beginning with October 1900 they settleв the federation in Turno that counted 332 societies with 60,638 members [7, c. 7-8].

Widespread development of the school societies was noticed in Italy since the cooperators’ congress in 1908 after the broad propaganda of the school mutual aid. The Minister of the Land Proceedings and a famous cooperator Raynery issued a law that regulated school mutual – aid societies. ‘Rome School Mutual – Aid Society’ was established in 1909, by the year 1914 this society had embraced 47 branches and 2476 members. All School Mutual – Aid Societies were a part of ‘National Federation’ with the nucleus in Rome [4, 22 – 26].

In spite of great hindrances, with the development of the cooperative movement in Ukraine, the leading representatives of the publicity began the diffusing of the school cooperation idea.

The school societies and the study of cooperation were introduced into the schools by the organization ‘Ridna Shkola’. The study of cooperation was implemented into the III^rd and the IV ^th forms of the four – year public schools, the seven – year public schools together with gymnasiums started cooperation teaching in the VI ^th and the VII ^th leaver’s classes. Only highly – qualified teachers and specialists of the cooperation with elaborated sole syllabus could teach this subject.

The syllabus included theoretical and practical courses, the first one was based on the lectures delivering where students theoretically acquired the main principles of the cooperative ideas, and the second forecasted the setting up of the school society.

Implementing such a course into the comprehensive schools, the administration of the society aimed at not training the cooperator – practitioners, as this task was carried out by the special vocational schools of ‘Ridna Shkola’, but mainly to bring up the conscious followers of the cooperative idea [5].

One of the most important educative features in the cooperative training was the members’ meeting of the school society where the youth could debate the urgent issues; pass the judgments which further were implemented. During the school meeting, different views crossed, the advocates or proponents had to uphold the opinions or rights, convince other of the truth of their statements and such practice prepared the youth to the public speaking, strengthened their will, formed the character and developed the inclination to the creative initiation.

The school societies as the pupils’ societies were organized in schools like common societies with the governing bodies (common meetings, management, supervising council), but with due account taken of the certain pedagogic requirements concerning the children’s age. That’s why they were under the supervision and leadership of the school teaching staff [ 5].

According to the school’s and pupils’ needs, the school societies were engaged in: 1) the provision of the textbooks and school accessories; 2) replenishment of the school library with books, magazines and periodicals; 3) the organization of the school museum and collection of things for its expansion; 4) the organization of the school events, lectures and excursions.

School productive societies dealt with the production of woodwork, apparel work, school accessories, toys etc. Such societies were in the form of the school workshops, study groups.

There were also savings banks or credit funds as special funds that developed in the children a habit to save and plan their personal life or the life of the whole group, to custom them to the efficient and reasonable use of the public property.

A member of a school society could be any child who made admission and membership fees. The pupil could enjoy any rights stipulated by the statute. The property of the society consisted of the admission and membership fees, single fee, profit from the turnover, stock of commodities, investments and cash assets that were in the school savings banks [ 8, 2].

The teaching staff of the school played very important role. The teacher – guardian or the instructor vested with functions to strengthen the cooperative education of the children, to give advice on the everyday life of the school society. He had to run the expansion of the school society so unnoticeably and skillfully as not to limit the pupils’ independence and initiative.

The teacher – guardian on the preparation level was obliged to get acquainted pupils with the basic concepts of the cooperatives, prepare them theoretically during the debates, assist in children’s working out a positive altitude to the school society and the necessity in its setting up. Only after their full understanding the notion of cooperation, the teacher – guardian could help them organize a society. He taught them how to arrange the first meeting, the procedure of a chairperson’s choosing, explained them how to handle the negotiations, elect a panel and secretariat, draw up the minutes.

The organization of the school savings bank was similar to the school society. Either the teacher – guardian or the instructor had to negotiate the collaboration with the local credit institution. One or more savings banks could be in the school, such procedure crested a possibility to take part in the mutual activity of a great majority of pupils.

The students had to organize a meeting where an appropriate statute or instruction, the board of directors were stipulated [11].

According to the statute, the member of the school savings bank could become any student who paid in the admission and the membership fees. Every member of the school savings bank had a right to enjoy advantages of the savings bank services, to take part in the general meetings with a casting vote, to elect and be elected to all the governing bodies of the school savings bank. The Funds of the school savings bank accumulated from the admission and membership fees, presents and sings up for membership, interests from the loans taken, current capitals and income of the different institutions. The school savings bank didn’t restrict itself to the raising of the minor savings, it also prepared the youth to the work in the public life by their taking part in the activity of the administration and check- up committee, that consisted of the lyceum or gymnasium pupils. The board of the school savings bank used the students’ books the whole year.

The school savings bank promoted the display of the initiative, entrepreneurship thrift, fellowship [ 9].

The pupils’ economic activity was conducted in two directions: the setting up of the school shops and savings banks. Pupils could acquire such knowledge as commerce, accounting, calculations, and estimation of the goods value while handling the shop, in the savings bank pupils got aquatinted with the elements of the banking, the acquisition of the practical skills was one of the forms of the future profession.

The compulsory theoretical study of the cooperation was implemented into the upper or public school in 1932. One or two hours per week were in schools, two hours in the gymnasiums (VI – VII classes) one hour per week in the teacher’s seminary. The theoretical part of the cooperative course included the study of the broad spectrum of the issues: the economic relations in the district, the division of labor, students acquired the knowledge in the cooperation movement and everything that was connected with that issue.

The study was provided in the form of the popular stories and discussions lecturers, where the teacher explained the minor concepts of the cooperation by examples from an ordinary life, historical facts.

The appropriate material that contained accessibility written interesting stories was published with that purpose. The Youth of the secondary school was recommended to familiarize with the theory of cooperation and its history beginning since the third form by the popular teaching in the public schools the elements of ethnopedagogics are widely used.

On the basis of the most accessible stories the notion of cooperation, the collective economy labor, solidarity, self – sacrificingness were grasped. The statute of the society was thoroughly read out and discussed [ 2, 8].

The gymnasiums and lyceums in their practical course included the following subjects: merchandising jurisprudence (cooperative legislation promissory notes), taxes, cooperative inspection.

The pupils of the IV – VII^th classes were obliged to study the universal history of the cooperation, the Ukrainian history cooperation and the basis of the cooperation theory. The students of the senior classes studied general economic disciplines.

It was recommended to implement different forms of the educative process organization: the whiting of the compulsory reports by the senior pupils, connected with the setting up of the society, the development of the Ukraine economy, the practical work among the population in the cities and countries; the seminar handling with the view of the agriculture learning, the elucidative activity of the societies, the cooperative propaganda, the discussion on the topical themes.

RESULTS

The study of cooperation and the setting up of the school society were the practice of a real public cooperation, friendly unity, solidarity and self – help. The cooperative upbringing has become a practical school of the democracy and parliamentarianism, fostered the notion of the public responsibility, and prepared children to the future life that demanded self sacrifice and altruism for the sake of the collective. However, the real collective didn’t suppress the individual features of the personality, but facilitated their all – round development. The Youth had to think not only over their own problems, but also over their friends’ problems [ 6]. The school savings bank as well as school cooperative societies played a role of the organization that united students, trained them to the thrift as one means of the economic well – being of the people, accustomed them to the rational spending of the school money and doing business successfully. The results of such a thoroughly worked out policy could be implemented in the modern schooling system with the aim of bringing positive results in the field of the prospective work adaptation, acquisition of practical skills, mutual work and prosperity of the nation in the early future.

CONCLUSION

In spite of the complicacy of the setting up and the responsibility that the members of the school society shouldered, their organization at the beginning of the XX ^th century became widespread and appeared as an efficient form of the school self – government, as one of the best means of the young citizens’ upbringing, inculcation in students public skills and discipline. The children’s cooperation turned out to be the best school of the members’ education of that society, which is called human community.

Though, launched by the elucidative and economic societies, the organization of the theoretical and practical education of the cooperation in the comprehensive schools, the broad interest of the general public, and the teachers by the cooperative upbringing of the Youth, their selfless work in that direction contributed to the awareness by the Ukrainian Youth the cooperative ideas, social and economic problems and their involvement into the practical activity in the cooperative unions, economic intuitions, public organizations. The investigation of the past experience will facilitate the further theoretical enrichment of the Ukrainian economic education, defining the prognostic tendencies of the subsequent development of the vocational education, the specification of its meaning.

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