Schooling and Celebrations in the Times of the Commission of National Education

A review of Katarzyna Buczek’s Rozmaite święta zawsze winnego uczczenia godne. Uroczystości szkolne w czasach Komisji Edukacji Narodowej, Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, Warszawa 2023

Abstract

The article reviews Katarzyna Buczek’s monograph titled Rozmaite święta zawsze winnego uczczenia godne. Uroczystości szkolne w czasach Komisji Edukacji Narodowej [All Kinds of Holidays Always Worthy of Due Celebration: School Ceremonies in the Times of the Commission of National Education]. The main topic of this book involves the ways in which various celebrations tied to the school calendar were observed, such as the beginning and end of the school year, exams featuring rhetorical performances by outstanding students, farewell ceremonies for graduates, rector elections, as well as funerals of teachers and students. Religious celebrations such as Christmas and Easter are also discussed, along with state visits from prominent figures such as the king, primate Michał Poniatowski, and powerful nobles, including Karol Radziwiłł and Izabela Branicka. Furthermore, the book sheds light on the role of teachers and students in local community life.

The reviewer emphasises the validity of addressing this topic, which reflects Buczek’s extensive research interests, and praises the original approach that offers new insights into the history of education during Stanisław August Poniatowski`s years. The logical organisation of the study is acknowledged, as is the researcher’s use of a wide variety of manuscripts and printed sources, such as school records, occasional speeches, diaries, letters, travel journals of King Stanisław August, periodicals, poetry, and scholarly works in history, pedagogy, and literary studies. According to the author, the monograph’s key advantages include its engaging storytelling, dynamic prose, and meticulous scholarly framework – especially its digressive and commentary footnotes, which not only complement the argument but also reflect the author’s knowledge and passion.

The editorial structure of Katarzyna Buczek’s book is widely praised for its inclusion of an appendix with previously unpublished texts of speeches and poems, a name index, and a list of illustrations. However, some weaknesses are mentioned, including the choice to include only a selective bibliography instead of a comprehensive list of all cited sources, the lack of a classical introduction that would summarise the state of research and provide an overview of the source material (though these aspects can be reconstructed from the book’s extensive scholarly apparatus), and the absence of short, synthetic summaries in each analytical chapter. Furthermore, the section “Instead of a Conclusion” does not establish a research perspective. Despite these issues, the work is still seen as one that makes a substantial cognitive contribution.