The restoration and activity of the prosvita society's reading rooms in drohobych land in the interwar period

Abstract

The article treats of a process of the restoration, establishment, and activity of reading rooms of the Prosvita society in Drohobych county in the 1920s – 1930s. On the basis of archival documents the information on the dates of creations and closings of the society’s reading rooms by the Polish power is presented, their quantitative structure, material condition, and surnames of the responsible for the reading rooms persons are specified. The main reasons which hampered the functioning of reading rooms, in particular, obstacles of the power during restatements of their statutes and creating of artificial barriers in their work, shortages of qualified and active cadres, and influences of the leftist ideas on educational activity are defined. The achievements and non-realized possibilities of reading rooms of the Prosvita society are elucidated, the relations between them and the Polish state administration are cleared out. It is proved that the reading rooms of the Prosvita society in the interwar period acted as a driving force and a component of the all-Ukrainian cultural and educational movement, assisted the transformation of the Ukrainians of the land into a well organized community, formed national consciousness and patriotism.