The ukrainian-language educational literaturein educational sphere of Volhynia Voivodeship (1921 - 1939)

Abstract

The spread of Ukrainian educational content in the educational space of Volhynia Voivodeship has been analysed and its influence on the formation of national self-awareness, moral and ethical values among a young generation has been elucidated. The purpose of the research is to analyse the variety and content of the Ukrainian-language educational literature at state and private schools, as well as extracurricular education during the interwar period in Volhynia. The methodology of the research consists of the principles of objectivity, historicism, systematicity, and scientificity. The method of analysis and synthesis has been applied. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that for the first time the practice of using the Ukrainian-language educational literature in the educational sphere of Volhynia Voivodeship has been researched; the ways of the Ukrainian-language books distribution among readers have been clarified; there has been analysed the content of the Ukrainian-language educational literature; an attempt has been made to determine a collective portrait of the authors of Ukrainian-language educational literature. The Conclusions. Native language didactic literature played an important role in preserving the national identity of the Ukrainians, which was a source of knowledge and patriotic education in the educational sphere of Volhynia Voivodeship. At state primary school, textbooks written in the Ukrainian language were used, but with an assimilative educational content. The use of the Ukrainian-language educational literature at private schools and an extracurricular environment confirmed the national worldview of youth through the study of the Ukrainian language and literature, their own history and geography, as well as the foundations of the Orthodox religion. School libraries, private bookstores, cultural and educational institutions were filled with the Ukrainian-language books owing to income from publishing houses and the “Native School” society. The authors of the Ukrainian-language school literature of the interwar period were the Ukrainian intellectual elite, mainly Galicians. Common features of a collective portrait of the authors are their pedagogical work, social activities and experience of an active participation in the Ukrainian national liberation movement. It was these common biographical guidelines that became decisive in the Ukrainian-language educational literature.