Poland today

Pełen tekst

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(2) B y the same author: Poland the Unexplored Come with Me through Krakow Come with Me through Warsaw Flags (with a chapter, “The White Eagle”) Heroes o f Liberty (with the story o f Sobieski) Stories o f the World’s Holidays (with a chapter on the Third o f May). Come with Me through Budapest Father Takes Us to Boston Father Takes Us to Washington The Story o f the Marys The Story of the Williams.

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(4) I. l T o d a y th e tru m p e te r o f K rakow s o u n d s th e “ H e y n a l” from th e w a tc h in g to w e r o f th e C h u rc h o f o u r L ad y , w h ich is illu m in a te d w ith llo o d lig h tin g .. I.

(5) 1. P O L A N D. T O D A Y BY. GRACE H U M P H R E Y. M.. ARCT. NOWY. I. PUBLISHING. S WEAT. 35. CO. WARSAW.

(6) C OP Y RI G H T. 1935. BY. GRACE. H U M P H R E Y. 1?. 'Vtk'-urei# WWlUSltt. P R I N T E D Z A K t A D Y. IN. P O L A N D. W Y D A W N I C Z E. H Ms/a. BY W. M.. A R C T. W A R S Z A W I E.

(7) C O N T E N T S. In tro d u c tio n I. II.. i ................................................ T h e F o u n d a tio n T h a t D o e sn ’t S how ... ... 15. G d y n ia , th e M iracle C ity. .................... .. 22. ....................................... ... 36. III.. T h e N ew S chools. IV.. R ailro ad s a n d R oads. V. VI. V II. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII.. 11. ............................. .. 61. ... 71. H e a lth M a t t e r s .............................................. ... 82. In d u s try. ... 98. .. 112. S p o rts. A g ric u ltu re. ...................................... .. ........................................................ .................. .. S ocial S e r v i c e ................................................ .. 130. A rt a n d C u ltu re. ... 147. ....................................... P o lish W o m en of T o d a y. .................... .. 169. T h e P o la n d of th e F u tu re. .................... ... 175.

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(9) A b u s in e s s s tr e e t in th e m o d e rn c a p ita l of P o la n d .. w. , ien we w ere in tro d u c e d P a n i R. stared at me. “ A re you,” she h e s ita te d a little , th e n w en t on qu ick ly , “ are you th e M iss H u m p h re y w ho w ro te P o la n d th e U n e x p lo re d ?’" “ Yes, I p le a d g u ilty .” “ I ’m so g lad to m e e t you. I ’ve w an te d to , ever since I re a d th e book. B u t — m ay I te ll y ou w h a t I th o u g h t w hen I fin ish ed it th e first tim e ? “ “ O h, p lease do. I re a lly w a n t to kn o w .” “Y ou, an d so m a n y w rite rs w ho com e to P o la n d , to ld a b o u t o u r p a st -— a g re a t p ast, glorio u s a n d ro m a n tic an d trag ic — an d you to ld it in a m o st in te re stin g w ay. B u t ex cep tin g A m erica every c o u n try h a s a p ast. W hy d o n ’t you,” she sm iled a t m e a n d th e n was im m e d ia te ly serious, “w hy d o n ’t y ou te ll a b o u t th e P o la n d o f to d a y ? ” “ Y - e s ? ” I re p lie d vaguely. S he w en t o n eagerly.. 11.

(10) “ F o r th e p resen t-d ay P o la n d is ju s t as glorious, ju s t as ro m an tic, fo rtu n a te ly n o t as trag ic as w as th e P o la n d of th e p ast — if visitors h av e th e eyes to see. T h e re b o rn P o la n d is a very young state in to d a y ’s fam ily of n atio n s, b u t h as re ally accom plished m u ch in these few years. W hy d o n ’t you w rite a b o u t i t ? ” I t was now m y tu r n to stare a t h er. A long silence. “ I w ill,” I p ro m ise d solem nly an d h e ld u p m y h an d . W h a t a d iffic u lt ta sk I ’d p ro m ised to try to d o ! T h e new P o la n d is so m an y sided, h a s done so m u c h in v ario u s lines, how te ll it a ll? A n d w h ere to b e g in ?. U lica M ickiew icz, th e m ain s tr e e t o f W iln o , w ith th e c la s s ic p o rtic o o f th e c a th e d r a l an d its s e p a ra te b e ll to w er.. 12.

(11) T h e m o n u m e n t o f A d am M ickiew icz, “ th e p o e t o f p a trio tis m ” , is p a rtic u la rly fin e a t n ig h t. Y ou re m e m b e r th e s to ry o f its u n v e ilin g ?. X. tM.

(12) P o lish c itie s, la rg e a n d sm all, h a v e m a n y tr e e s on b u s in e s s s tr e e t s a s w ell a s in re s id e n tia l ^ d is tric ts . T h is b o u le v a rd in Lw ow is a fa v o rite p ro m e n a d e .. O ne o f th e m ain s tr e e t s in P o z n a n , w ith th e c ity th e a te r , o n e of th e u n iv e rs ity b u ild in g s , a n d a G othic c h u rc h ..

(13) THE FOUNDATI ON THAT DOESN’T SHOW. w. e ta k e it fo r g ra n te d , in v isitin g a new c o u n try , th a t it has, of course, a ll th e n e e d e d m a c h in e ry o f g o v ernm ent in th e tw e n tie th c e n tu ry . I n m ost cases th a t’s tru e . N o t tru e a t a ll of P o la n d in 1918. P a rtitio n e d once, tw ice, a th ir d tim e b y h e r greedy a n d u n sc ru p u lo u s n e ig h b o rs, th e r e ’d b een n o P o la n d on th e m ap of E u ro p e since 1795. S tep b y step th e A llies of th e W o rld W ar d eclared f o r th e P o les in 1917 an d 1918. T h e y recognized th e P o lish C om m ittee a t P a ris as an o fficial P o lish o rg an izatio n . W oodrow W ilson in c lu d ed a n in d e p e n d e n t P o lish sta te am o ng h is fam ous F o u rte e n P o in ts — th a t was, I th in k , in J a n u a ry of 1918, an d a few m o n th s la te r F ra n c e a n d E n g la n d a n d Ita ly ag reed th a t th is w as one of th e p eace co n d itio n s. T h e P o lish tro o p s w ere recognized as an in d e p e n d e n t a llie d arm y . A ll th is was a n en orm ous h e lp w h en on th e ele v e n th of N o v em b er, 1918, th e re b o rn state o fficially began. B u t it was o n ly a h e lp . T h e A llies d id n ’t m ak e th e new P o la n d . I t was d o n e b y th e P o les them selves. W h en in d e p e n d e n c e w as re g a in e d , th e re was chaos in P o la n d . T w o -th ird s of th e c o u n try h a d b e e n d ev astated d u rin g th e war,, w ith a b a ttle fro n t th a t in som e places b a d m oved b ack an d fo rth no less th a n seven tim es. T h e p e o p le w ere w orn o u t b y th e long contest. T h e y w ere starving. R a ilro a d s a n d facto ries a n d ag ricu l tu r e w ere in ru in s. T h e re w as u n e m p lo y m en t, th e re w as no tre a su ry — b u t fo u r cu rren cies! — th e re w ere th o u san d s of enem y so ld iers still in th e la n d , a n d alw ays on th e eastern h o rizo n th e m en ace of B olshevism . J u s t to get th e sta te sta rte d , th e re was e v ery th in g to do.. 15.

(14) P o la n d b e g an w ith no fixed b o u n d aries. N o t till th e follow ing J u n e w as th e tre a ty -m a k in g a t P a ris fin ish ed , a n d even th a t d id n 't fix all fro n tie rs. P o la n d h a d to fig h t fo r th e m — fig h t fro m th e very firs t days of h e r re e sta b lish m e n t. A few days b e fo re th e A rm istice th e U k ra in ia n s in v ad ed G alicia a n d o ccu p ied Lwow. T h a t city w as reliev ed , b u t th e co ntest w ith th e U k ra in ia n s d rag g ed o n fo r m o n th s, u n til A p ril of 1920. T h e re w as a w eek’s fig h tin g w ith C zecho-Slovakia. T h e n th e tw o states ag re e d to fix th e b o u n d a ry b y vote of th e p eo p le living th e re . B u t th e p le b isc ite w as n ev er h e ld a n d th e lin e was n o t fin a lly d e te rm in e d till th e su m m er of 1920. T h e re w as fig h tin g w ith th e G erm ans too — a t P o zn an an d in U p p e r Silesia. P o la n d ’s w estern fro n tie r w as th e su b je c t of long d iscussion a n d h o t d eb ate. A v ote w as in d eed ta k e n , b u t it was im p o ssib le to c a rry o u t th e w ish of th e voters. I t was M ay of 1922 b e fo re a sp ecial com m ission o f th e A llies a rra n g e d th is line. T h e lo n g est b o u n d a ry of all, o n th e east, b etw een P o la n d an d S oviet R ussia, was se ttle d o n ly a fte r tw o years of w ar. P eace cam e w ith th e tre a ty of R ig a in M arch of 1921, b u t a y ear a n d a h a lf w e n t b y b e fo re th e la st d e ta ils of th e fro n tie r w ere d e fin ite ly fixed. N o t easy fo r a re b o rn sta te to h ave no b o u n d aries. T o d ay P o la n d ’s a re n o t o n ly fix ed , th e y ’re g u a ra n te e d b y solem n p acts of non-aggression. E a c h c o u n try b in d s h erself, fo r a te rm o f years, n o t to in v a d e th e te rr ito r y of h e r n eig h b o r. P o la n d ’s fro n tie rs h a v e com e to stay. T h e new P o la n d fo u n d h e rse lf w ith one, tw o, th re e , fo u r codes o f law — P ru ssia n law , A u stria n law , R ussian law a n d th e N ap o leo n ic code. A nd besides th ese fo u r, th e re w ere th e m any re g u la tio n s in tro d u c e d b y th e A u stria n an d G erm an occu p atio n s d u rin g th re e years. Som e acts, fo rb id d e n an d p u n ish a b le in one region, w e re in a n o th e r p e rfe c tly legal. W h a t a ta sk — to change a n d a d a p t, re ta in in g th e b e st of th e fo u r cod es a n d k e e p in g th in g s going m ean w h ile! A n en o rm o u s task, w h ic h to d a y isn ’t e n tire ly fin ish ed . E very few m o n th s th e com m issio n of ju d g es a n d law yers p u b lish es a n o th e r section of laws. B u t th e m o st im p o rta n t p a rts a re com pleted. T h e new' sta te b e g an w ith no a d m in istra tio n ; y et is th a t c o rrect? I t w as alm o st w orse th a n n o n e a t all, fo r th e re w ere six adm in istra-. 16.

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(16) T h e P o le s a re p ro u d o f th e ir a rm y , w e ll o ffic e re d a n d w ell e q u ip p e d , a n d tu rn o u t b y th o u s a n d s fo r a re v ie w .. tio n s th a t h a d to h e g ra d u a lly co n so lid ated a n d w elded in to one. Six! you exclaim . A u stria n P o la n d an d G erm an P o la n d and R ussian P o la n d m ak e th r e e ; b u t six? Yes, fo r U p p e r Silesia h ad a d iffe re n t a d m in is tra tio n fro m P o z n a n ia ; th e eastern provinces b elo n g in g to R ussia h a d a d iffe re n t a d m in istra tio n fro m th e V istula p ro v in ces; an d tow ns u n d e r th e G erm an o ccu p atio n w ere ad m in is te re d q u ite d iffe re n tly fro m tow ns u n d e r th e A u strian . T h e re was besides a sm all d istric t w h ich h a d H u n g a ria n ad m in istra tio n . F o r a c e n tu ry an d a q u a rte r th e P oles h a d know n p ractically n o th in g of self-governm ent. O nly in A u strian P o la n d h a d th e p eo p le h a d som e ex p erien ce, o n ly th e re w ere tra in e d officials to b e found. O u t of chaos a new g o v ern m en t was created . W as ever a n o th e r m a d e so q u ic k ly ? E x a c tly one w eek a fte r th e elev en th of N ovem b e r th e C ab in et was an n o u n ced . M em bers of P a rlia m e n t w ere elected a t th e en d of J a n u a ry an d h e ld th e ir firs t session on th e elev en th of F e b ru a ry . Im p o ssib le to h av e set u p th e m a c h in e ry of a m o d e rn sta te if a long, slow p re p a ra tio n h a d n o t b een going on fo r y ears; im p o ssib le to h av e achieved th is, w ith o u t th e genius and th e co m p ellin g force an d th e m ag n etism of P o la n d 's “m an of th e h o u r” — Jo zef P ilsu d sk i — so n eed ed a t th is tim e.. 18.

(17) T h e ta n k s, a lso P o lish m ad e, w e re g re e te d w ith a ro u n d o f a p p la u se a t th e re v ie w on th e e le v e n th o f N ovem ber.. M ost im p o rta n t of all in th a t d iffic u lt p e rio d ju s t a fte r th e A rm istice, th e new P o la n d b eg an w ith o u t an arm y — w ith only rem n an ts le ft fro m th e A u stria n a n d th e R ussian a n d G erm an arm ies a n d re m n a n ts of th e L egions of P ilsu d sk i. (N o t u n til A p ril 1919 d id th e P o lish soldiers w ho h a d b e e n fig h tin g in F ra n c e a rriv e a t W arsaw .) A n a rm y w as th e very firs t th in g to create, fo r Lwow w as ask in g fo r h e lp a n d th e U k ra in ia n s m u st b e p u sh e d back. T h e n P o la n d was in v a d e d b y th e tro o p s of Soviet R ussia an d a tw o-year w a r b e g an — a w a r th a t p ro v e d to b e alm ost a life-andd e a th stru g g le fo r th e new state. P ilsu d sk i d id n o t in tro d u c e co n scrip tio n , b e c alled fo r v o lu n teers. I' rom a few th o u sa n d in N ovem b er of 1918 h is arm y grew to a h u n d re d th o u sa n d in J a n u a ry , an d in A ugust of 1920 h e h a d six h u n d re d th o u sa n d — ab o u t h a lf th e R ussian force. T h a n k s to th e very stro n g n a tio n a l feelin g an d to P o lish courage, ro u sed to th e h ig h e st p itc h in th is em ergency, th a n k s to th e m ilita ry genius of P ilsu d sk i, d isastro u s re tre a t was tu rn e d in to a glorious v ictory . T h e b a ttle of W arsaw , called b y th e P o les “ th e m ira c le of th e V istu la,” is c o u n te d b y h isto ria n s one of th e decisive b a ttle s of th e w o rld , fo r it saved w estern E u ro p e fro m a B olshevist invasion.. 19.

(18) T o d ay P o la n d h a s a m o d e rn a n d effic ie n t arm y, w ell officered a n d w ell e q u ip p e d . B ecause o f h e r g eo g rap h ical po sitio n , w edged in b etw een c o u n trie s w ho h av e b e e n h e r foes fo r a th o u sa n d years, sh e feels th a t she m u st h av e an a rm y an d an e fficien t o n e ; b u t w h a t P o la n d w ants m ost of all, fo r a c e n tu ry o r tw o, is peace a n d a chance to w o rk , th e o p p o rtu n ity to prog ress an d to solve h e r in te rn a l p ro b lem s. A t th e b e g in n in g P o la n d h a d to b u y , w h ere she co u ld get th e m , arm s a n d m u n itio n s, even c lo th in g fo r h e r soldiers. Now she is p ro v id in g h e r ow n supplies. “ M ade h e re in P o la n d ,” said a young m an sittin g n ex t m e a t a m ilita ry review on th e ele v e n th of N ovem ber, “o u r ow n rifles — o u r ow n guns,” as a d e ta c h m e n t of m ach in e g u n ners m a rc h e d by. “Yes, th e se to o ,” as m o to r tru c k s w en t p ast, som e w ith pon to o n s, som e w ith a n ti-a irc ra ft guns a n d g ia n t searchlights. “D o you m a k e y o u r ow n ta n k s ? ”. I asked as th o se. aw k w ard ,. T h e c a d e ts o f th e O ffic e rs ’ S c h o o l, d re s s e d in th e u n ifo rm of 1830, m a rc h e d from S ta re M iasto to th e B e lv e d e re , on th e a n n iv e rs a ry of “ th e N o v e m b er in s u r r e c tio n ” .. 20.

(19) e ffic ie n t fellow s lu m b e re d in to view, gaily cam o u flag ed on th e ir sides. “ T h e sm all ones a re P o lish , th e la rg e r size w e b o u g h t ab ro ad , I th in k . A h , lo o k u p , lo o k u p ! ” A w h irrin g so u n d a n d tw o h u n d re d an d fifty a irp la n e s flew over th e field — th e y too w ere P o lish m ade. I t is one th in g to e n ro ll an arm y a n d d rill it. I t ’s a n o th e r th in g to p ro v id e a ll it n eeds, sta rtin g fro m n o th in g . P o la n d h as done b o th . T h e p e o p le a re p ro u d of th e ir soldiers a n d tu r n o u t b y th o u sa n d s w h en ev er th e re ’s a review . I ’ve even k n o w n th e m to p ay a sm all adm issio n fee, n o t fo r seats, b u t fo r stan d in g room . F ro n tie rs, code of law s, a d m in istra tio n , arm y — a ll th is P o la n d lias achieved. T h e re ’s one th in g show ing in d ire c tly th e stan d in g th is re b o rn sta te h as re a c h e d : she h a s a seat on th e C ouncil of th e L eague of N ations. A ll th e G reat P ow ers are now re p re se n te d at W arsaw , n o t b y m in isters, b u t b y am bassadors, fo r P o la n d is h e r self to d a y a G re a t P ow er.. T h e “ fa m ily ” a t th e B e l v e d e r e - M a r s h a l P ilsu d s k i, w ith h is w ife (s e a te d ), h is tw o d a u g h te rs , so m e o f h is a id e s w ith th e ir w iv e s a n d c h ild re n .. 21.

(20) GDYNIA,. THE. MIRACLE. CITY. I f you ask a g ro u p of P oles w h at is th e o u tsta n d in g ach iev em en t of th e ir co u n try , in th e y ears since 1918, th e answ er is sure to be, G d y n ia ! U n d o u b te d ly it is a g reat acco m p lish m en t. In th e su m m er of 1918 som e P o les in St. P etersb u rg , foreseeing th e re tu r n of P o la n d to th e m ap of E u ro p e , began m ak in g co n stru ctiv e p la n s ; one o f th e m a n y suggestions was th a t th e strip of seacoast sh o u ld b e d ev elo p ed — fo r th e y fe lt sure th is w ould be re sto re d to h e r, as it h a d b een d e fin ite ly stated in th e fam ous F o u r teen P o in ts: “ an in d e p e n d e n t P o lish state, w ith secure an d free access to th e sea.” B u t a le c tu re in St. P e te rsb u rg could never have c reated this m ira c le city w hich h as no c o u n te rp a rt in th e w hole w orld. D iscus sion a b o u t it cam e as a re su lt of d iffic u ltie s over th e la n d in g of m u n itio n s a t D an tzig d u rin g th e w ar w ith Soviet Russia. In d e e d it m ay h av e b een a D an tzig official, u n w illin g to h elp P o lan d in th e em ergency, w ho gave th e P o les th e idea w hen he said scornfully, “ L an d y o u r m u n itio n s som ew here else — lan d th em at G d y n ia !” A fte r peace was m ad e w ith R ussia, th e re was co n stan t ta lk all over P o la n d , fo r tw o years a n d m o re, th a t th e state sh o u ld b u ild a p o rt on th e seacoast, to en su re th e m ax im u m of n a tio n a l p ro sp e r ity. P e o p le discussed its econom ic value, its p o litical value. B ut w hen th e g o v ern m en t d e te rm in e d on th is p la n , no one guessed th e fu tu re of G dy n ia o th erw ise th e y ’d have follow ed th e sug gestion, m ad e b y one o r tw o farseein g m en , an d b o u g h t up th e lan d fo r m iles a ro u n d . G d y n ia ? I t w ould b e m erely a la n d in g p lace — a n d possibly in course o f tim e a sm all su m m er resort m ig h t grow u p n earb y .. 22.

(21) In 1920 G d y n ia w a s a little fis h in g v illa g e , w ith m a rs h y g ro u n d a n d p e a t b o g s ru n n in g b ack to th e h ills .. M y first visit to G d y n ia was in M ay of 1929, b u t fo rtu n a te ly I Was w ith a P o le w ho’d been th e re several tim es befo re 1924 (w hen w o rk on th e p o r t b eg an ) an d co u ld te ll m e how it lo o k ed w h en it was a tin y fish in g village. N o b u ild in g s ex cep t th e shacks of the fish erm en . N o w h a rf save a sm all one w h ere excursion b o ats from D an tzig la n d e d passengers fo r an afte rn o o n , fo r even th e n th e beach was fam ous.. T o d ay G dynia is a m o d e rn c ity of fifty th o u s a n d , w ith w ide s tr e e t s a n d a ttra c tiv e b o u le v a rd s, w ith sc h o o ls a n d p a rk s , a n d a p o rt w ith th e m o st m o d e rn e q u ip m e n t - a m irac le city!. 23.

(22) A m o d e rn a p a r tm e n t h o u s e ru b s s h o u ld e r s w ith a th a tc h e d c o tta g e th a t re m a in s' from th e d a y s w h e n a fa rm c o v e re d p a rt of th e s ite of G dynia.. T h e fis h e rm e n h a v e a s p e c ia l b a s in o f th e ir ow n, a c r o s s th e b a y fro m a ro w of g ia n t c ra n es, s ilh o u e tte d a g a in s t th e sky..

(23) In 1929 I a sk e d w h y th e ra ilro a d s ta tio n w a s so la rg e , b u t it is now g re a tly o v e rc ro w d e d a n d a n e w o n e is p la n n e d for.. A t th e p a s s e n g e r do ck a s p e c ia l s ta tio n h a s b e e n b u ilt, so th a t to u r is ts le a v e th e s te a m e r, c ro s s a c o rrid o r, a n d fin d th e ir tr a in s w aitin g ..

(24) T o d ay w h ere used to be p e a t bogs an d m arsliy g ro u n d , th e re ’s a city of fifty th o u sa n d — a n d th o u san d s m o re if you count, as som e d ay w ill be co u n ted , th e m a n y p eo p le w ho w ork in G dynia an d live in som e n e ig h b o rin g village. I t is, I th in k , th e o n ly p o rt in th e w o rld th a t’s w h o lly a rtific ia l, b u ilt w here th e re was no tow n, no com m erce of an y k in d , no riv e r giving access to th e co u n try in la n d . A n u ltra -m o d e rn city w ith w ide pav ed streets, b o u lev ard s p la n te d w ith trees, electric lig h ts an d sewers, schools an d p ark s, a n d a p o rt w ith th e m ost u p -to -d ate e q u ip m e n t in its m an y w are houses a n d in th e g re a t basin s w h ere ships fro m m an y lan d s b rin g an d ta k e aw ay th e ir v a rie d cargoes. W h ere fo rm e rly was a lo n g stre tc h of m arsh es is th e g reat p o rt. O n a n d o n it reaches, one b a sin a fte r a n o th e r — one fo r th e navy of P o la n d , a n o th e r fo r y ach ts a n d p le a su re craft, a th ir d fo r fish er m en, a sp ecial one fo r coaling, o th e rs fo r th is k in d of com m erce and fo r th a t. To w alk a ro u n d th e m a n d see th e w hole p o rt on foot is a m a tte r o f th re e h o u rs o r m ore. I t ’s easier to m ak e a to u r of th e h a r b o r b y m o to r b oat. J u s t stro llin g along th e streets of G d ynia is fascin atin g — th e ta n g of th e salt a ir, th e forest-crow ned h ills th a t m ak e, w h erever you lo o k , a b e a u tifu l b ack g ro u n d , a n d so m eth in g tin g lin g and e le c tric in th e very atm o sp h ere. T h e re ’s an a ir of b u stle and activity. E v ery one is b u sy in G dynia. N ew b u ild in g s are going u p on n e a rly every street. N o id le rs stan d in g a ro u n d — th e re is no u n e m p lo y m e n t h ere. You look in th is d ire c tio n an d see th e b la c k lines o f g ian t cranes o u tlin e d ag ain st th e sky. F ifty-seven cranes w hen 1 was th e re in th e a u tu m n of 1934, b u t p ro b a b ly m o re b y now — figures are only te m p o ra ry fo r G d y n ia! A n d th e c a r d u m p , p ick in g u p a car of U p p e r Silesia coal, em p ty in g it in to th e h o ld of a steam er, th e n p u ttin g th e c a r g en tly dow n, sen d in g it ro llin g o ff to a sid etrack a n d ta k in g u p a n o th e r, th e w h o le process lastin g exactly th re e m in u tes b y m y w atch. T u rn y o u r h e a d an d you see th e fam ous b each , o ften so crow ded th a t you can scarcely fin d a place. A ll su m m er long th e re are w eek en d excursions to G d y n ia from every p a rt of P o la n d , w hen th e p ro m e n a d e s are cro w d ed w ith stro llers, w hen places fo r ea tin g an d d an cin g can scarcely acco m m o d ate th e ir p a tro n s ; an d th e next. 26.

(25) T h e C asin o a t G dynia is an a ttra c tiv e e x am p le o f m o d e rn a rc h ite c tu re , w ith s tr a ig h t lin e s a n d a n u n e v e n sk y lin e .. A b u s in e s s s tr e e t in G d y n ia, ru n n in g dow n to th e h a rb o r. B e n e a th “ A b ra h a m ’s o a k ” u s e d to s it th e o ld fis h e rm a n , A b ra h a m , w h o se ta lk w ith P r e s id e n t W ilso n r e s u lte d in P o la n d ’s g a in in g th e c o v e te d s trip o f s e a c o a s t..

(26) T h e fo rm e r farm on K a m ie n n a G ora is d o tte d o v e r w ith th e m o st a ttra c tiv e v illa s a n d g a rd e n s* w ith w in d in g ro a d s .. T h e b e n c h w as fa m o u s, e v e n b e fo re th e w a r. O v e r th e w e e k -e n d i t ’s so c ro w d e d y o u can s c a rc e ly fin d room ..

(27) w eek , m o re p e o p le still! A las, it’s n o t h u m a n ly possible to en larg e th e b ea c h , fo r it ends a b ru p tly w h ere th e b lu ff reaches dow n to th e sea, leav in g n o t an in ch o f space a t its foot. O r you lo o k across K osciuszko S q u a re to th e h ill m a rk e d by th e ta ll, w h ite cross, w h ere th e c a th e d ra l is to be. A lread y it is p la n n e d a n d excavating h as b e g u n , b u t it tak es m a n y years to fin ish a ca th e d ra l. “ A n d w ill you te a r dow n th e little c h u rc h you b eg an w ith ? I asked. “ O h, no.. W hy, it’s te n years o ld. th a t’s a la n d m a rk in G d y n ia!". T h e city h a s seen a p h e n o m e n a l in crease in la n d values. T h e p ric e of a sq u a re m e te r to d a y u sed to b e th e p rice fo r a w hole h ectare — th a t’s a b o u t tw o acres a n d a h a lf. B u t th e state reap ed no b e n e fit. N o r is G d y n ia a p lace w h ere p ro fite e rs (o r sh o u ld one ca ll th e m p riv a te e rs ? ) re a p e d a ric h harvest. I t is th e fish erm en th em selv es w ho a re th e gainers. Som e of th e m ow n la n d along th e m a in s tre e t a n d h av e b ecom e m illio n a ire s. A t one side of th e tow n lies K a m ie n n a G ora, a w ooded h ill th a t used to b e p a r t of a farm . T in s la n d w as b o u g h t b y a com pany w ho c u t it in to b u ild in g lo ts an d o ffe re d th e m fo r sale. E v erybody th o u g h t th e im p o rta n t th in g was a lo t in th e su m m er reso rt, n o t dow n in th e d is tric t a ro u n d th e p o rt. W h en p e o p le a t la st re a liz e d th e fu tu re of G dynia, streets w ere la id o u t an d p lan s m a d e fo r a p o p u la tio n of a h u n d re d th o u san d . I t sh o u ld n o t grow lik e a bo o m tow n in A m erica, follow ing any b o d y ’s fancy, b u t a fte r a d e fin ite p lan . Soon th e h u n d re d th o u san d was a ll too sm all a n u m b e r a n d city p la n n e rs set to w ork fo r a city of a q u a rte r of a m illio n . I t h a s six p a rts — th e p o rt, th e business cen ter (th e n u m b e r of stores goes u p a h u n d r e d a y e a r), th e ad m in istra tiv e c en ter, and ih re e re sid e n tia l sections — one fo r w orkingm en, a n o th e r lo r o fficials an d m iddle-class fo lk , an d one fo r th e upper-class w hose v illas a re set in g ardens, w h ere houses m u st cost a c e rta in sum. A n d in each section space is reserv ed fo r schools, fo r p lay g ro u n d s, fo r p ark s. H ow ever, w ith th e w isest of p la n n in g , it seem s im p o ssib le to th in k fa r en o u g h a h e a d in G dy n ia. T h e tim b e r y ard s a t th e dock. 29.

(28) have b een tw ice en larg ed , as th e sh ip p in g of P o lish oak a n d p in e su d d en ly increased. Now th is last site lias been o u tgrow n an d tlie tim b e r business is to h av e a special place in a b asin th a t’s u n d er co nstruction. “ H ow a b s u r d ,“ m en said in 1932 as th ey w atch ed th e b u ild in g of th e cold storage p la n t, “ to m ak e it so larg e! A t th e m ost a fo u rth of th is space w ill b e n ee d e d .” B u t th e n u m b e r of eggs an d chickens, sausages an d h am s sent ab ro a d , th e p o u n d s of b u tte r in creased b y leap s an d bounds. Two years la te r it was necessary to ad d tw o m o re stories, giving h a lf as m u ch ag ain of cold storage space. T h is p la n t is now th e second larg est in th e w orld. T h e rice h u sk in g facto ry lias b e e n tw ice en larg ed . T h e w are h ouse fo r P o lish sugar h as grow n from one b u ild in g to four. How lo n g w ill th e sp ecial w areh o u se fo r c o tto n fro m A m erica serve? T h e a ttra c tiv e ra ilro a d sta tio n is e n tire ly too sm all, th o u g h in 1929 I ask ed w hy th e y ’d b u ilt it so huge. To relieve congestion a sp ecial sta tio n h a s b een b u ilt a t th e passenger sh ip dock, so th a t to u rists now leave th e steam er, pass th ro u g h th e custom s, an d cross a c o rrid o r to th e tra in s w a itin g to sta rt fo r W arsaw a n d K rak o w an d P o zn an . P ro b a b ly th e p re se n t statio n w ill b e k e p t, b u t a new one w ill b e b u ilt — f a r th e r over, in th e cen te r of th e G d ynia of th e fu tu re . P e rh a p s m ost of all th e school b o a rd fin d s it d iffic u lt to keep p ace w ith th is m ira c le city. F ive h u n d re d a d d itio n a l c h ild re n in a y e a r; b e fo re p laces can b e m ad e fo r th em , com e seven h u n d re d m ore. E ig h t h u n d re d th e follow ing y ear, a n d th e n a th o u sa n d six h u n d re d a d d itio n a l boys an d g irls d e m an d in g m o re an d m o re class room s, m o re teach ers, m o re b u ild in g s. As if in d e sp a ir of ever. 30.

(29) catch in g u p , th e y b u ilt th e la st fo u r schools w ith an elastic schem e, so th a t e x tra stories w ill give fifty p e rc e n t m o re room s. E v er since 1924 G dynia h a s h a d a h o u sin g shortage. M any, m any new houses h av e gone u p , b u t w ith a p o p u la tio n increasing a th o u sa n d a m o n th , fo r m o n th a fte r m o n th , th e city n ev er has en ou g h . T h e o w n er of an a p a rtm e n t h o u se doesn’t n eed to ad v er tise fo r te n a n ts, o r h av e an ag en t to show p e o p le th ro u g h th e b u ild ing. T h e m o m e n t h is p la n s h av e b e e n a p p ro v e d by th e city com m ission, every single a p a rtm e n t is leased — b efo re w o rk m en b eg in digging fo r th e fo u n d a tio n . W ho w o u ld n ’t b e a la n d lo rd in G d y n ia? “ Yes, yes,” an o ld fish e rm a n w hose sh ack h a d stood on th e m a in stree t, b ew ailed h is lo t, “ I sold a b it of la n d an d got eno u g h m oney fo r a five-story b u ild in g — it h a s shops on th e stre e t floor, th e n offices, a n d th re e flo o rs of a p a rtm e n ts ; a n d ev ery th in g ’s ren ted . N ev er a vacancy. O nly — som etim es I th in k th e o ld days w ere b e tte r. N ow I h av e to lo o k a fte r m y business affairs. Now I have to p ay taxes.” N early all th e b u ild in g s in G d y n ia have th e long, stra ig h t lines th a t a re c h a ra c te ristic of to d a y ’s in te rn a tio n a l ty p e of a rc h ite c tu re . T h e y ’re m ad e of b ric k , p la ste re d on th e o u tsid e (th a t’s to m ak e th e m w arm e r in th e w in te r), a n d th is p la ste rin g is o ften do n e in two colors — green an d gray, ta n an d rose, g ray an d rose, gray-w hite a n d d a rk b lu e. T h e re a re m an y b alco n ies — each a p a rtm e n t has one an d som e h av e tw o ; a n d in th e very larg e co u rts th e re are gardens. P oles a re g reat lovers of flow ers a n d in sp ite of th e h a rd w in te rs th e y th riv e in G dynia. Roses do especially w ell. I know one g ard e n w ith a h u n d re d a n d fo rty va rieties. T h e shacks of th e. T h ree m in u te s b y y o u r w a tc h , a n d a c a rlo a d of S ile s ia n co al is e m p tie d in to th e h o ld of th e s te a m e r. F o u r h u n d re d a n d fifty to n s a n h o u r! *. 31.

(30) fish erm en — are th e y still th e re to p ro vide a co n tra st? T h e space w h ere th e y stood n e a r th e beach was n eed ed fo r im p o rta n t b u ild in g s ; so the governm ent b u ilt a p a rtm e n t houses fo r th e fish e r folk m ostly tw o room s an d a k itc h e n , w ith T h e tra in in g s h ip fo r s a ilo rs w a s a p r e s e n t to G d y n ia a n d is n a m e d ’’th e g ift o f P o m o rze ” . steam h e a t, a n d a b a th fo r every fo u r fam ilies. C an y ou th in k of a s h a rp e r co n trast th a n betw een thenfo rm e r h o u se k e e p in g a n d th is? G d y n ia h as m a n y th in g s y ou’d scarcely ex p ect in a b ra n d new c ity a sta d iu m , larg e eno u g h fo r a ho rse show w ith rid in g and ju m p in g contests, fo r tra c k a th le tic s an d several te n n is c o u rts: R o ta ry C lub a n d a Y. M. C. A .; five b a n k s an d e ig h t C onsulates: a sa n a to riu m a n d five h o sp ita ls (th re e of th e m p r iv a te ) ; tw o h ig h schools fo r g irls an d one fo r b o y s; th e b eg in n in g of a m u seu m : a school of com m erce an d a tra in in g school fo r th e m e rc h a n t m a rin e ; an ex trem ely lo n g v ia d u c t over th e ra ilro a d track s a t th e p o r t; a m o d e rn m e th o d of sew erage d isp o sal th a t p o u rs h a c k in to th e b ay p u re d istille d w ater a n d leaves fo r sale a n a rtific ia l f e r tili z e r w h ich , m ix ed w ith sand, yields am azin g crops. B esides th e city it self w h ich h a d grow n an d a lte re d so in five years a n a a h a lt th a t. b e e n e n la rg e d tw ice to k e ep p a c e w ith th e g ro w in g c ity .. 32.

(31) E m ig ra n ts s ta y in th is h o te l w h ile w a itin g fo r th e s te a m e rs o n w hich th e y a re to s a il fro m P o la n d .. I co u ld scarcely b eliev e m y eyes a n d ask ed in am azem en t if it re a lly w as th e sam e G d y n ia, I h a d tw o su rp rises on m y last visit. O ne m o rn in g , stro llin g a ro u n d b y m y self an d ex p lo rin g , I cam e su d d e n ly o n a s tre e t m a rk e d “U lica Jerzeg o W aszyngtona”— th rillin g to fin d th a t in P o la n d ’s new p o rt. A n d one evening I was a guest at th e E n g lish C lub, a flo u rish in g o rg a n iz a tio n w ith m o re th a n two h u n d re d m e m b ers — B ritish e rs, A m erican s a n d E n glish-speaking P o les — w ith a d ire c to r fro m O xford. N e arly all th e business of th e p o rt, I le a rn e d to m y am azem en t, is co n d u cted in E nglish. So m a n y P o les w a n t to le a rn E n g lish th a t th e teach ers in G dynia h av e n ’t h o u rs e n o u g h in th e ir days. W h e re does th e m o n ey fo r G d y n ia com e fro m ? W hen w o rk on th e p o r t b e g an in 1924 a F re n c h -P o lish sy n d icate was fo rm ed and th e p la n was to b u ild on cred it. Two y ears la te r cam e a change of g o v ern m en t in P o la n d a n d G d y n ia was ta k e n over b y th e state. Since th e n each p iece of co n stru c tio n a t th e p o rt h as b een p a id fo r in cash. F o r th e e le c tric lig h t p la n t, fo r streets an d sewers, fo r m o to r buses ru n n in g fro m th e c e n te r of tow n to th e v ario u s su b u rb s, th e. 33.

(32) T h e m a in s tr e e t in G d y n ia, w ith a b a n k a n d th e p o s t office.. sta te m ad e lon g -term lo an s to th e city of G dynia. O ne lo an , for fifty years, w as sold ab ro ad . G d y n ia is to th e P o les m o re th a n a p o rt an d a su m m er resort. I t is th e sym bol of P o la n d ’s freed om . A ll over th e co u n try p eo p le ta lk e d to m e a b o u t G d y n ia, a n d alw ays w ith th e greatest p rid e. T h e y m ay d isa p p ro v e of th is o r th a t e x p e n d itu re , b u t n o b o d y re g re tte d th e m o n ey sp e n t o n G dynia. T h is city a t th e gate of th e B a ltic is th e k ey to th e econom ic d ev elo p m en t of th e new P o la n d , if n o t th e k ey to h e r very existence. N o r is th is a new co n cep tio n . W h en th e Swedes in v ad ed P o la n d in th e m id d le of th e sev en teen th c e n tu ry a n d fo r m o n th s co n q u ered a n d la id w aste, th e y o ffe re d to leave if th e P oles w o u ld give th e m th e ir seacoast a n d th e d is tric t n e a rb y -— th e p ro v in ce of P om orze. “N e v e r!” w as P o la n d ’s answ er to th is pro p o sal. “ B u t w h en th e w h o le b o d y is sick,” a rg u ed th e Swedes, “ d o ctors a m p u ta te a leg to save a life .” “Y es, a leg. B u t n e v e r th e h e a d ! ” a n d soon th ese in v ad ers w ere d riv e n fro m th e lan d .. 34.

(33) A n d w h en , a h u n d re d y ears la te r, th e k in g of P ru ssia le a n e d over th e m a p , p o in tin g o u t to h is g enerals w h a t h e w o u ld ta k e a t th e firs t P a r titio n of P o la n d , asking th e ir a p p ro v a l of h is schem e, h e tu rn e d w ra th fu lly o n one of th e m , b o ld eno u g h to suggest th a t P ru ssia sh o u ld h av e P o z n a n ia , a n d c rie d , “Y ou fool! you fool! C an’t you see th a t if w e h av e th is — ” a n d h is fin g er tra c e d th e P o lish seacoast a n d P o m o rze — ” th e o th e r w ill la te r fa ll in to o u r h a n d s ? ’ A n d it d id , in th e second an d th ir d P a rtitio n s. G d y n ia, th e m ira c le city , is as im p o rta n t p o litic a lly as eco n o m ically . A tin y stre tc h of seacoast, in co m p ariso n w ith P o la n d ’s very lo n g la n d fro n tie rs, b u t th e com m erce h e re is fa r g reater. In 1922 P o la n d ’s sea tra d e w as seven p e rc e n t of th e w hole. In 1926 it h a d grow n to tw enty-seven p e rc e n t; in 1932 sixty-seven; an d tw o years la te r seventy-four. F ro m zero th e m e rc h a n t fleet h as grow n to fifty-five sea-going vessels. T h e re a re forty-seven lines sailing re g u la rly fro m G dy n ia, a n d e ig h t of th e se c a rry th e w h ite a n d re d flag of P o lan d . Isn ’t it c o rre c t to call it a m ira c le city ?. M iles o f b re a k w a te r s h e lte r th e p o rt fro m th e o p e n sea .. 35.

(34) T H E. N E W. S C H O O L S. G d y n i a is, it’s tru e , a d ra m a tic , successful achievem ent, b u t it to u ch es th e ev ery d ay life o f th e p eo p le only in d ire c tly . T h e re ’s o n e th in g in w h ic h P o la n d h a s m ad e am azing progress, w h ich com es h o m e to every fa m ily in little tow ns a n d villages a n d g reat cities — schools. She b eg an w ith an a p p a llin g p e rc en tag e of illite ra te s — a re su lt o f th e d e lib e ra te p o licy of th e th re e p a rtitio n in g P ow ers — w ith m a n y schoolhouses in ru in s, w ith alm o st no P o lish tex tb o o k s (an d n o u p -to -d ate ones in h isto ry an d g e o g ra p h y ), w ith a scarcity of tra in e d teach ers. W h a t she h as acco m p lish ed in th ese few years is, to m y m in d , th e m o st o u tsta n d in g th in g in P o lan d . T h e w h o le e d u c a tio n a l schem e h a s b e e n re b u ilt on a new p la n — th e firs t c o u n try in E u ro p e to a lte r th e tra d itio n a l four-years-eight to th e A m e ric a n eight-years-four. N o, n o t q u ite correct. T h e P o lish schem e is seven y ears fo r every c h ild ; th e n fo u r in th e gym nasium (h ig h school) a n d tw o in th e ly ceu m (tech n ical school fittin g young p e o p le to s u p p o rt th e m s e lv e s ); th e n th e u n iv ersity. A t th e en d o f th e w a r w h en m a n y p lan s w ere discussed, some p erso n s p ro p o se d th a t every s tre e t in W arsaw sh o u ld b e rep av ed w ith a sp h a lt. T h e n v isito rs fro m fo reig n lan d s w o u ld b e am azed a n d cry, “ W h a t p ro g re ss!” “ T h a t can com e la te r on ,” a rg u e d o th ers. “F irs t w e m u st b u ild schools.” I n every p a r t o f th e co u n try , b u t p a rtic u la rly in w h a t u sed to b e R u ssian P o la n d , p e o p le p o in te d o u t to m e th e ir new schools — a n d alw ays w ith g re a t p rid e . A p e a sa n t h o st w en t o u t of th e w ay to show m e th e village school, an a ttra c tiv e b ric k b u ild in g , w ith. 36.

(35) fo rty youngsters b elo n g in g to th a t village an d a h u n d re d m o re com ing som e k ilo m e te rs in every d ire c tio n . I n a to w n of fifte e n th o u sa n d I w ent to see a new gym nasium w ith m o re th a n a th o u sa n d stu d e n ts — som e com ing a long w ay o n bicycles. I n Pozn a n a n d Lwow, in W arsaw a n d W ilno an d m an y a n o th e r p lace I saw schools, schools, schools u n til I b eg an to w o n d er if th e P oles th o u g h t I was an e x p e rt in e d u c a tio n a l m a tte rs. Schools fo r tin y c h ild re n , te c h n ic a l schools a n d academ ies, u n i v ersities new o r reo p e n e d , T h e c o u rty a rd of th e new b u ild in g of th e M in istry tra d e schools, e le m e n ta ry of E d u c a tio n . schools, a n d — an d — an d — W h ile I was a guest a t a co u n try hou se, we w alk ed across th e field s one a fte rn o o n to see how fa r along th e new school was. “ B u t how c o u ld th e p eo p le possibly affo rd to b u ild a n o th e r sch o o lh o u se?” I asked th e countess. “ I rem em b er you said th e la n d h e re isn’t th e b est, an d I can see fo r m yself th a t m ost of th e p e o p le a re v ery p o o r.” “I ’ll te ll you how we d id i t; it m ay in te re st you as b ein g m o re or less ty p ical. I gave th e la n d . T h e p la n s cam e fro m th e M in istry of E d u c a tio n in W arsaw — th e y ’ve p u b lish e d a b o o k of schoolh o u se plan s. A n d th e M in istry lo a n e d te n th o u sa n d zlotys fo r ten years, w ith o u t an y in terest. “ T h e P o w ia t — th a t c o rresp o n d s to y o u r county, as n e a r as I can c o m p are th in g s — gave a th o u sa n d zlotys, so m an y th o u sa n d b ric k s an d so m u c h m a te ria l fo r m o r ta r ; an d besides lo an ed th e b a la n c e of th e m o n ey n e e d e d fo r five years. T h e fa th e rs of som e of th e c h ild re n gave th e ir la b o r, som e of th e m w ith team s. W h a t b ric k s we b o u g h t, w e p a id oidy cost p ric e for.. 37.

(36) “ H ow m u ch does such a schoolhouse cost — five ro o m s? ” “A n d an a p a r t m e n t u p sta irs fo r th e p rin c ip a l. Y ou see, th is is fa r off from th e tow n, and fro m any village. W ell, u p to now it’s cost tw en ty th o u san d zlotys, an d th e re ’ll be som e extras. T h re e ty p ic a l e le m e n ta r y s c h o o l b u ild in g s in th e n e w P o la n d — in a v illa g e (P u sz c z a M arjan sk a ). H ow m an y c h ild re n ? N in ety in th e first tw o classes, an d m o re w ill com e flo cking in as soon as th e b u ild in g ’s fin ish e d .” H ow d iffe re n t fro m th e p ro b le m of th e co u n try school in A m erica, w h ere o fte n th e re ’s o n ly a h a n d fu l of c h ild re n , one o r tw o in a class!” T h is was b u t five o f th e te n th o u sa n d elem en tary schoolroom s b u ilt in th e la st few years, an d P o la n d is still b u ild in g th em . I t ’s n o t en ough th a t th e p ercen tag e of c h ild re n in school ju m p e d fro m sixty-six in 1921 to m in e ty -th re e ; th e aim is a h u n d re d p e rc e n t. W h en you ta k e in to acco u n t th a t th is in clu d es th e fo rm e r R u s sian P o la n d , w h ere o n ly n in e te e n p e r cen t o f th e c h ild re n w e n t to school, an d th e fa c t th a t th e c h ild re n of P o la n d h av e in creased b y tw o m illio n , isn ’t it a re c o rd to b e • p ro u d of? in a sm all tow n (W isla).. 38.

(37) W ith th is in crease in schools, th e r e w e re n ’t en o u g h te a c h e rs to go a r o u n d , not en o u g h n o r m a l s c h o o l s to m eet th e d em an d . T h e first stu d e n ts w ere sen t o u t w ith a m in im u m of tr a in in g a n d a fte r a few years w ere called b a c k fo r sum m er classes. T h is w asn’t m ad e co m p u lso ry , b u t th o u sa n d of th e m atten d ed . A ll su m m er lo n g th e d o rm ito rie s of u n iv ersity stu d en ts are fu ll ol teach ers, com e fo r sp ecial courses. T h e a rm y to o is doin g its p a r t in th e fig h t ag ainst illiteracy . R e c ru its w ho can ’t read an d w rite a re im m ed ia te ly p u t in to special g ro u p s a n d h av e e x tra classw ork d u rin g th e ir m ilita ry service. T h e ir te a c h e rs a re som etim es arm y officers, som etim es tra in e d p e o p le fro m o utside. I n th e la rg e r cities, a n d in som e places in th e c o u n try , th e re are even in g classes fo r grow n-ups a n d c o n tin u a tio n classes fo r young p e o p le fro m fo u rte e n to eig h teen , w ho a re a t w o rk in th e daytim e. W arsaw h as d one p e rh a p s th e m o st along th is lin e , w ith six th o u sa n d p u p ils com ing fo r f u r th e r e d u c a tio n ; m ost of th e m come five evenings a w eek. P o la n d is p rim a rily an a g ric u ltu ra l co u n try , w ith th re e -fo u rth s of h e r p e o p le e a rn in g th e ir liv e lih o o d fro m th e soil. I t follow s th e n th a t a g ric u ltu ra l schools a re of th e greatest im p o rtan ce. A t Low icz an d Zam osc a n d n e a r Lwow I visited fo u r of th ese new schools. O ne w as fo r boys, fro m six teen to tw enty-tw o, w ho live th e re fo r a y ear, h av in g lessons an d d o ing a ll th e w ork of a farm o f sixty acres. As it h a p p e n e d , th e d ire c to r was aw ay fo r th e day, b u t w ith gestures an d som e w ords of G erm an tw o of th e hoys ex p la in e d to m e, ta k in g m e p ro u d ly fro m one classroom to an o th e r, p o in tin g to. 39.

(38) I. * i. T h e a rm y to o ta k e s p a r t in P o la n d ’s fig h t a g a in s t illite ra c y . H e re is a c la s s of r e c r u its le a rn in g th e ir A B C ’s .. c h a rts an d p ictu res. T h e y w ere raisin g tobacco fo r th e governm ent m o n o p o ly , an d sellin g a h u n d re d k ilo s of b u tte r a day, an d le a rn in g how to use fe rtiliz e rs a n d m a k e even w orn-out fields p ro d u c e a fine cro p . B y th e en d of th e y e a r th e ir sales w ould b e eno u g h to cut th e tu itio n fees in h a lf. T h e m a in b u ild in g h a d classroom s, lib ra ry , d in in g room an d d o rm ito ries. T h e re w as a shed fo r th e m a c h in e ry ; cow b a rn s an d stab les a n d h e n houses, a ll v ery m o d e rn ; a n d an assem bly h a ll th a t served b o th school a n d n e ig h b o rh o o d , used fo r a m a te u r plays, lectu res, singing societies an d dances. Tw o h u n d re d an d fo rty such schools a re p la n n e d fo r, an d m o re th a n h a lf have a lre a d y been b u ilt. A nd it s ju s t as im p o rta n t, says th e new P o la n d , fo r p e a sa n t girls to have special tra in in g . T h ey too stay in th e school fo r a year, b u t h o p e ev e n tu a lly to h av e a tw o-year course. W h at do th e y l e a r n T o raise v egetables an d flow ers, to can a n d preserve, to cook, to ra ise chick en s, to m ilk cows a n d m ak e b u tte r a n d cheese, to p o t p la n ts an d care fo r th e m d u rin g th e long w in te rs; an d besides all th is, to sew. A n d one m o re th in g ,” said th e d ire c to r as w e w en t in to a spotless d o rm ito ry fo r tw en ty girls, “ th a t doesn’t a p p e a r on. 40 A. ft. ■1.

(39) th e schedule, b u t is very im p o rta n t — th ey le a rn to keep th in g s in o rd e r.” She p u lle d o u t d raw ers h e re and th e re , fo r m e to see in w h a t b e a u tifu l o rd e r th e girls k e p t th e ir p erso n al b e longings. “ T h e ir th in g s m ay b e very sim ple, b u t th e y m u st h e in o rd e r — alw ays.” I n th e k itc h e n th e m e n u fo r th e d a y ’s d in n e r was on th e b la c k b o a rd , w ith th e cost of each d ish w o rk ed o u t fo r a fam ily of six. T h e girls le a rn so m eth in g of m a rk e tin g —b o th b u y in g an d selling a n d h ow to get som e v a rie ty in to th e ir m eals. T h e s u p p e r w e h a d th e re was delicio u s — one of th e b e st m eals I h a d in P o la n d ; I re m e m b e r it still. T ra d e schools h av e b ecom e p o p u la r. In S an dom ierz an d W arsaw , in Zam osc an d L iskow , in \\ iln o an d K rak o w I w en t to schools w h e re boys w ere fittin g th em selves to b e sho em ak ers a n d ta ilo rs an d lo ck sm ith s, b la c k sm ith s an d c a rp en ters, m ak ers of fine fu rn itu re a n d w ro u g h t iro n an d le a th e r a rtic le s; w h ere girls w ere. A R ed C ro ss c la s s in a W iln o sch o o l, le a rn in g to b a n d a g e a n in ju re d h a n d .. •. 41.

(40) le a rn in g to k n it stockings, w eave, cook, sew a n d de sign clo th es fo r all th e fa m ily , o r m an ag e a great household.. A ll th e n e w s c h o o ls h a v e s h o w e rs n e a r th e g y m n a siu m . Som e o f th e s e ro o m s a re o p en a ll s u m m e r, fo r th e c h ild re n a n d th e ir p a re n ts .. O ne such s c h o o l was ho u sed in a fo rm e r m o n astery, a n o th e r in w h a t h ad b een , b efo re th e w ar, th e lu x u rio u s p alace of th e Wisniow iecki fam ily , a n o th e r was in one w ing of th e fro n tie r fortress, fa r in th e so u th east of P o la n d , w h ere J a n Sobieski w as b o rn . T h e schools them selves are m uch m o re im p o rta n t th a n th e b u ild in g s — th e y can com e la te r. O ne was sta rte d b y a p rie st, one b y th e comm u n ity , a n o th e r w ith funds fro m A m erica. “ I t ’s v e r y im p o rta n t,'’ p e o p le e x p la in e d o v er a n d over, “th a t th e p easan ts sh o u ld le a rn to do so m eth in g else th a n farm in g . I f a m a n h as several sons a n d h is few acres a re d iv id ed am ong th em , th e re ’s n o t incom e e n o u g h fo r an y one of th em . B u t if one son’s a ta ilo r an d a n o th e r a b la c k sm ith , a n d th e th ir d p e rh a p s a so ld ie r an d th e fo u rth a co b b ler, it m ak es fo r p ro s p e rity all a ro u n d . G ra d u a lly w e’ll g et a su ffic ie n t n u m b e r of th e se tra d e schools. I n a n o th e r gen e ra tio n it’ll m e a n th e solving of som e of o u r vexatious p ro b lem s in a g ric u ltu re .” P o lish c h ild re n go to school six days a w eek — ex cep t th e Jew s w ho, in re tu r n fo r th e S a tu rd a y free, m u st do six days’ lessons in five. H o u rs a re n ’t m u c h lo n g e r th a n a sch ed u le in A m erica, b u t th e y seem lo n g e r becau se th e y ’re so d iffe re n t. Lessons b eg in at e ig h t o’clock, even in w in te r w hen it’s q u ite d a rk a t th e tim e th e c h ild re n leave h o m e, a n d la st till tw elve o r h a lf-p a st fo r th e y o unger. 42.

(41) ones, till lialf-p ast one o r tw o fo r th e o ld e r groups. So th e y get h o m e fo r d in n e r a t tw o, o r even a t th re e . O f course th e re a re recess p erio d s. I n one school th e c h ild re n h a d five m in u te s fre e a fte r th e firs t class, te n m in u te s a fte r th e second, fifte e n m in u te s a fte r th e th ir d a n d fo u rth , th e n ten , a n d five. I n th e m id d le of th e session com es “ second b re a k fa st” — n o t a su b sta n tia l m eal, b u t a sandw ich o r ro ll, w ith h o t te a o r cocoa. I t ’s a social tim e , th e c h ild re n stan d a ro u n d an d ch at a n d e a t; in on e school I a rriv e d b e fo re “ second b re a k fa st” w as over, a n d th e girls w ere a ll d an cin g to th e m u sic of a p h o n o g ra p h . Som etim es cocoa a n d tea a re p re p a re d by a class of o ld e r girls, as p a r t of th e ir d o m estic science w ork. O ften th is is th e task of a co m m ittee of th e M o th ers’ C lub. T h e c h ild re n pay a sm all sum each m o n th . F o r th e very p o o r youngsters th e h o t d rin k s a re free g en erally th e M o th ers’ C lub sees to this. P o lish school c h ild re n h av e one th in g in su p er-ab u n d an ce — h o li days! N a tio n a l h o lid a y s a n d c h u rc h h o lid ay s are sc attered th ro u g h. T h is s e v e n th g ra d e in a sc h o o l n e a r L u b lin h a v e th e ir s e ttin g -u p e x e r c is e s o u t of d o o rs, in th e snow ..

(42) F lo o r w o rk is v e ry p o p u la r w ith P o lish c h ild re n — w h y n o t, in su ch a room ?. th e c a le n d a r w ith lav ish h a n d . T h e re ’s a long b re a k a t C hristm as — th re e w eeks o r m o re! — a n d ag ain a t E aster. As a re su lt, th e su m m e r v acatio n is s h o rte r th a n o u rs — b u t th e n , it’s n o t so h o t in P o la n d , an d school in A u g u st is e n d u ra b le . I was g re a tly in te re ste d in th e school excursions. Boys o r girls, o r b o th , th irty , fifty , a h u n d re d of th e m , go off fo r a trip w ith a co u p le of teach ers. O n th e ra ilro a d th e y p a y o n e-fo u rth o f th e re g u la r fa re ; som etim es th e y h av e a special car. T ra m a n d a u to b u s ch a rg e h a lf p rice. M useum s too, if th e y ’re n o t free. T h e c h ild re n a re lo d g ed in school d o rm ito rie s, in a co nvent o r m o n astery , in sp ecial ex cu rsio n b u ild in g s, in b a rra c k s if th e soldiers a re a t m an o u v ers — w h erev er th e y can a rra n g e fo r inexpensive room s. “ B u t even so, h ow do y o u r girls p a y fo r ex cu rsio n s?” I asked th e h ead m istress of a g ym nasium in P o znan. “ h o r th e te n m o n th s of th e school y e a r each g irl pays in to o u r fu n d o n e zlo ty tw en ty a t th e b e g in n in g of each m o n th . N o t a larg e sum , b u t it to ta ls eig h te e n h u n d re d a n d fifty zlotys. S ta rtin g w ith th a t, th e tr ip costs — oh , v ery little . L ast y ear w e w en t to Lwow —. 44.

(43) T h is g ro u p o f g irls in L odz sh o w th e ir p ro fic ie n c y w ith a p p a r a tu s .. a n in e days’ tr ip , costing fifty-five zlotys fo r each girl. I t was th e tw o h u n d re d an d fiftie th a n n iv e rsa ry of S obieski’s v icto ry a t V ien n a. W e saw all th e sp ecial ex h ib itio n s in h is h o n o r, h is house in Lwow, an d m a d e sid e trip s to h is b irth p la c e a n d to tw o fro n tie r castles w h e re h e liv ed . A ru n dow n to B oryslaw gave a p ic tu re of to d a y ’s econom ic life in th e o il fie ld s; an d we sto p p e d off at K rak o w on th e w ay back . “ T h is y e a r n in e ty -fo u r p u p ils w en t o n th e W ilno excursion, w hich w as p a trio tic an d lite ra ry — th e c e n te n n ia l of th e p u b lic a tio n oi M ickiew icz’s P an T a d eu sz. W e w an te d to give a liv in g b a c k g ro u n d to th e p o e t a n d h is w ork. W e e x p lo re d W ilno an d m ade sid etrip s to p laces M ickiew icz m en tio n s — T ro k i an d o th e r lakes, h is b ir th p lace a t N ow ogrodek. W e sto p p e d to see th e b a b y b ison in th e fo rest p reserv e at B ialow ieza, a n d h a d som e tim e in W arsaw te n days, fo r seventy-tw o zlotys a p e rso n ; th a t in c lu d e d every single item _ ra ilro a d , lodgings, m eals, m useum s a n d autobus. “D u rin g th e C h ristm as v acatio n a g ro up of m y girls go off to Z ak o p an e fo r a fo rtn ig h t in th e m o u n tain s. W e re n t a C o ra l’s. 45.

(44) house, fu rn ish e d . T h e tea c h e r of a th le tic s goes to h e lp w ith w in te r sports. I t costs ju s t u n d e r fifty zlotys a girl. T h e M o th ers’ C lub gave fo u r h u n d re d zlotys so th a t e ig h t p o o r girls could b e n e fit b y th a t glo rio u s fo rtn ig h t in th e m o u n tain s. W e ta k e th e sam e h o u se in th e su m m er fo r th e school cam p. T h irty girls can go, as a ll th e room s a re u sab le th e n — tw o have no stoves a n d a re s h u t u p in th e w in ter. T h e m o th e rs give fo r th e sum m er cam p too. “N e x t y e a r w e’re p la n n in g an excursion to P olesie. B y th e tim e th e se girls a re th ro u g h school, th e y ’ll h av e seen alm ost every p a rt of P o la n d . T h a t’s en o rm o u sly im p o rta n t fo r th is g en eratio n .” “ W h y ? ” I asked. “B efo re 1918 th e th re e p a rtitio n in g P ow ers d id n ’t w a n t P o les 1rav elin g b a c k an d fo rth , so th e y m ad e it d iffic u lt, o ften tim es im possible. T h e y refu sed to give p assports, o r delay ed fo r m o n th s, o r ch a rg e d e x o rb ita n tly . I t was sim p le r fo r us to go to F ra n c e o r Ita ly o r E n g la n d th a n to tra v e l in w h a t h a d b een P o la n d . H av en ’t you. A n u n in a c o n v e n t s c h o o l d ire c tin g th e g irls in th e ir e x p e rim e n ts in p h y s ic s .. 46.

(45) m e t scores of p e o p le w ho said to you, ‘W hy, you’ve seen m o re o f m y co u n try th a n I h a v e !’ “B u t to d a y ’s c h ild re n a re le a rn in g so m eth ing of th e ir n a tiv e la n d , fo r th e y m u stn ’t grow u p so ig n o ra n t of P o la n d . T h ey ta k e notes a n d fo r days a fte r th e y r e tu r n fro m an ex cursion m o re o r less of th e ir school w o rk is b ased o n w h a t th e y ’ve seen a n d d o n e ; so th e girls w ho stay ed a t h o m e get a little . W e have a good tim e on th e se excursions, an d we do le a rn so m u c h !” M o d ern e d u c a tio n re q u ire s ever in creasin g eq u ip m e n t. P o la n d w an ts th e v ery b e st fo r h e r schools. O ne-sixth of th e state’s b u d g e t fo r th e M in istry of E d u c a tio n is a p ro o f of th a t. B u t w ith so m any schools to b u ild , w ith e v ery th in g to b u y to fu rn ish th e m , it isn’t possib le u p to now to give each school a c o m p lete eq u ip m e n t. T h e so lu tio n of th is p ro b le m I th o u g h t w as sp len d id . O ne m o rn in g I was h u n tin g fo r a sm all m u seu m in W arsaw and w en t in to a school to m a k e in q u irie s. I stayed fo r m o re th a n an h o u r, u n a b le to h u r r y away. I t was a c en te r fo r physics an d. In P o lish sc h o o ls n a tu re s tu d y h a s a ro o m o f its ow n a n d a 'g e n e ro u s a m o u n t of tim e in th e w e e k ly p ro g ram .. 47.

(46) c h em istry to w hich groups of hoys and girls cam e once a w eek fo r a couple of hours, long enough fo r class an d ex p erim ents. The la b o ra to rie s are n ev er e m p ty — fro m e ig h t in th e m o rn in g u n til six, six days a w eek lessons go o n ; and fro m six to eig h t in th e evening con tin u a tio n classes; m o re th a n fo u r t h o u s a n d every w eek. In d e e d w ith one class com ing on th e heels of one leaving, it’s somes p e c ia l b u ild in g s fo r e x c u r s io n is ts h a v e b e e n p u t u p all o v e r P o la n d — th is o n e b y th e c ity o f K rakow .. th in g of a p ro b lem J q. n e c e ssa ry. cleaning-up. A n o th e r d ay I w en t to a school fa r fro m th e c e n te r of th e cap ita l, to see th e ir re m a rk a b le g ard en . I t was larg e en o u g h to h av e fru it trees, b e rry bushes, a ro c k g a rd e n (w ith a ll th e p la n ts grow ing in th e m o u n ta in s) an d som e o rn a m e n ta l trees besides — a N orw ay sp ru c e a n d a c o p p e r b eech , fo r ex am ple. T h e re w ere beehives, a sm all g reenhouse, row s o f h o tb e d s an d an o u td o o r classroom , ro o fed over, w ith vines a t th e sides. T h e vegetables su p p ly th e cook in g classes. T h e flow ers th e y sell — esp ecially th e ir roses. E a c h of th e seven g rades spends an h o u r in th e gard en , tw ice a w eek. C h ild re n com e fro m o th e r schools too — th e re are six such g ard en s in W arsaw . T h e sam e th in g is tru e of space fo r ath letics. In closely b u ilt, m ed iev al K rak o w th e o ld e r school b u ild in g s have little o r no space. 48.

(47) fo r gam es, b u t o u t o n th e edge of th e city is a special p a rk for ath letics. I u sed to see th e hoys an d g irls m a rc h in g along, generally singing. F ro m th e th ir d g rad e u p th e y go tw ice a w eek. E v e r so m a n y b a sk e t b a ll gam es going o n a t once — fo o tb a ll — volley b a ll. C ircle gam es fo r th e y o u n g er c h ild re n . A P o lish v ersio n of p riso n e rs’ b ase a n d of sheep-and-w olf. I lo nged to jo in in. I lo o k ed a t th e flu sh e d faces of th e te a c h ers a n d th o u g h t th e tim e as w ell sp e n t fo r th e m as fo r th e youngsters. B alls, bats, rack ets, g ro u n d s a re used every day. W ith a m in im u m of expense th e m a x im u m of c h ild re n re a p th e b e n e fit. In th is school an d in th a t, a ll over P o la n d , I n o ted som e d etails th a t m o st A m erican schools d o n ’t h a v e : — show er b a th s in th e b ase m e n t, in a section w h ere w o rk in g m en liv e ; d u rin g th e su m m er th e se room s a re o p en to th e c h ild re n of th is school a n d to th e ir p aren ts. — v ery a ttra c tiv e room s fo r te a c h e rs — even in a little tow n lik e S andom ierz. — in a g ym nasium , a clu b ro o m fo r th e v ario u s school o rg an iza tio n s: Scouts, J u n io r R ed Cross, a p a trio tic g ro u p , th e k o d a k club, a n d so on. O u t of school h o u rs th is ro o m was u sed b y th e v ario u s clubs. O n th e ir excursions th e y h a d b o u g h t som e p o tte ry and a lovely hand-w oven cover fo r th e lo n g ta b le — p e a sa n t a r t from a sectio n o f P o la n d fa r away. — in one school th e d ire c to r reserv ed th e tim e fro m tw elve to one fo r ta lk s w ith p a re n ts. — in a to w n of tw en ty th o u sa n d , th e B o ta n ic a l G ard en an d a sm all Zoo w ere n e x t to a school. P a r t of th e w ork is done by th e boys a n d girls w ho b u ild cages in th e school w orkshop, m ak e h o tb e d s an d p re p a re th e ric h g ro u n d fo r p la n tin g . — co u n try settlem en ts w h ic h b elo n g to b o th p riv a te an d p u b lic schools. T h e y ’re g en erally in a fo rest d istric t o r in th e m o u n tain s. E ach class spen d s a m o n th th e re , w ith teach ers, h av in g lessons as in tow n an d le a rn in g a b o u t n a tu re a t first h a n d . In th e sum m er th e y ’re u sed as v acatio n cam ps. T h e cottages are m odels of clean liness. T h e g irls (o r th e boys) in one ro o m choose a le a d e r w ho m u st see th a t each c h ild k eep s h is b e d a n d clo th es an d shoes tid y .. 49.

(48) “ B u t how can y o u r school a ffo rd i t ? ” I asked a hoy in th e Zam oyski G ym nasium in W arsaw w h en lie e n th u siastically d escribed a trip to th e ir co u n try place. “I t cam e little b y little . T h e gym nasium b o u g h t th e la n d , and classes w ent o u t ju s t fo r a day. E ven th e n th e y le a rn e d so m u c h — p la n tin g a n d h a rv e stin g in field s a n d gard en , b o ta n y lessons, n a tu re stu d y in d iffe re n t seasons. T h e n th e fa th e r of th re e boys in th e school o ffe re d to b u ild us a house. B eds an d b lan k ets, ch airs an d ta b le s w ere a d d e d fro m tim e to tim e. O h, yo u m u stn ’t th in k it’s lu x u rio u s. I t ’s ju s t co m fo rtab le. B u t w h a t good tim es we h a v e !” “ A n d do you h av e a ll th e class w o rk you’d b e gettin g in to w n ? ” “ O f course — a n d m o re besides. T h e w hole m o rn in g is lessons — o u t of d oors w h en possible. T h e n d in n e r, a n d an h o u r’s rest or read in g . T h e n a th le tic s — sk a tin g a n d skiing if w e a th e r p erm its, fo o tb all, b a sk e tb a ll an d so on. L ate in th e aftern o o n one class and in th e evening q u ie t gam es o r study o r th e ra d io .” — in every school I n o tic e d room s fo r th e d o cto r an d th e dentist. I f th e re a re a la rg e n u m b e r of c h ild re n , th e y ’re th e re fo r th e w hole session; in a sm a lle r school th e y com e fo r tw o o r th re e h o u rs, every d ay o r th re e tim es a w eek. I n som e schools th e re ’s also a tra in e d psy ch o lo g ist w ho m ak es a stu d y of th e a b n o rm a l c h ild re n w ho do n ’t fit in w itli th e group. -— co atro o m s fo r th e w h o le school, rig h t b y th e e n tran ce, w h ere th e c h ild re n n o t o n ly leave th e ir w rap s b u t ch an g e th e ir shoes. W in te rs a re lo n g a n d severe in P o la n d , w ith m u ch snow a n d m u ch m u d ; m a n y c h ild re n can ’t a ffo rd galoshes, b u t th e soft, fe lt slip p ers th e y k eep a t school a re in ex p en sive, clean, q u ie t, a n d fa r m o re h e a lth fu l th a n stiff s tre e t shoes th a t cram p th e feet of grow ing youngsters. “ I saw th is p ra c tic e in a W arsaw school,” said one of m y co u n try hosts, “ a n d as I ’m c h a irm a n of th e b o a rd fo r th e tw o schools n e a r th is estate, I in tro d u c e d it h ere. T h o u g h th ese fam ilies a re p o o r, every m o th e r m an ag ed som ehow to get th e soft slip p e rs fo r h e r c h ild re n . N ow n o o n e gets a b a d cold fro m sittin g fo r h o u rs w ith w et feet.” — in a Lwow school girls of fifte e n a n d sixteen ru n a sto re selling p encils, n o teb o o k s, p a p e r a n d o th e r supples. In th e first m o n th. 50.

(49) M any c ity sc h o o ls ow n a c o u n try s e ttle m e n t. T h is o n e , a t M ienia, b e lo n g s to a b o y s ’ g y m n a siu m in W arsa w .. of th e school y e a r th e y do a ru sh in g business — as h ig h as eig h t h u n d re d zlotys. T h e sto re co m m ittee gets v a lu a b le tra in in g an d th e p o o r girls of th e school get th e p ro fits. in one school, n e x t to th e g ym nasium I fo u n d a ro o m w ith tw en ty foot-tubs. W h a t a tim e saver w h en th e stu d en ts h a d to dress q u ick ly fo r th e ir n e x t class, — th e “ panstw ow y” schools, a c o m b in a tio n such as w e d o n ’t have in A m e ric a : th e city o r th e d istric t gives la n d an d b u ild in g , th e sta te pays th e teach ers, a n d each s tu d e n t pays a sm all tu itio n ; th is gives th e ad v an tag es of b o th p u b lic a n d p riv a te schools. T h e re are alw ays som e sc h o la rsh ip s fo r v ery good stu d en ts w ho can ’t p ay a n y th in g ; o fte n th e y ’re aw a rd e d b y c o m p e titiv e exam inations. “ A n e x cellen t p la n , we th in k ,” said o n e d ire c to r to m e ; “ it p ro v id es th e y east fo r th e school g ro u p . F re q u e n tly th e sch o larsh ip girls a n d boys a re o u r b est stu d en ts.” — b u ilt-in cases a n d shelves in a ll th e new school b u ild in g s: fo r su p p lie s in th e w o rk sh o p s, fo r a sm all m u seum in th e geography room , fo r e x h ib its of th e c h ild re n ’s w ork. A t th e end of a physics la b o ra to ry , a sm all ro o m w h ere th e te a c h e r could p re p a re. 51.

(50) ev ery th in g fo r ex p erim ents. E v id e n tly P o lish arch itects d o n ’t have to econom ize on space as m u ch as o u rs d o ; th e y ’re m uch m o re generous to th e teach in g staff.. D in n e r s e r v e d in th e su n ro o m o f a g ir ls ’ c o u n try s e ttle m e n t.. — in every school, no m a tte r how sm all th e tow n, a school lib ra ry . Som e books and m agazines th e c h ild re n m ay ta k e hom e, som e th ey re a d a t school. Som etim es th e lib ra ry is o p en o u t of school ho u rs. In one citv th e re w ere six h u n d re d c h ild re n in th e elem en tary school and te n th o u san d books in its lib ra ry . In a se p a ra te room was th e collec tio n fo r th e teach ers — h a lf p leasu re books an d h a lf pedagogical.. “ Y ou m u stn ’t th in k th is is a ll th e pedagogy bo o k s we have,” th ey c a re fu lly e x p la in e d to m e, p o in tin g to shelves h a lf em p ty , “th e o th e rs th e te a c h e rs ta k e h o m e.” I asked if an y of o u r classics fo r c h ild re n are know n in P o lan d . “Yes, in d eed . H u c k le b e rry F in n an d T o m S a w yer an d K ip lin g 's an im als a n d L ittle W o m e n a n d th e L ittle L o rd — w h a t is it you call h im ? L ittle L o rd F a u n tle ro y — a ll these an d m o re w e have in tra n s la tio n , a n d ex ceedingly p o p u la r th e y are. See, th ese copies a re as w o rn as B ro w n ie S couts a n d Pan T w a rd o w ski a n d P an Tadeusz. I w ish we co u ld a ffo rd m o re d u p lic a te copies.” T h e re a re som e schools in P o la n d , n o t new if you co u n t by years, b u t p ra c tic a lly new — th e W arsaw P o ly tech n ic, fo r instance, w hich w as b u ilt w ith m o n ey th e P o les su b scrib ed fo r a p re se n t to a Rus sian czar, on one of h is in fre q u e n t visits. I t used to b e a th o ro u g h ly R ussian school, so th a t few P o les w ere w illin g to send th e ir sons o r. 52.

(51) d a u g h te rs th e re .. N ow it ’s as th o ro u g h ly a P o lish school a n d has. m o re th a n fo u r th o u s a n d stud en ts. A sim ila r school is S nopkow , n e a r Lwow, w h ich op en ed its d o o is in 1913, o fferin g d o m estic science tra in in g to girls w ho w an ted te a c h it. T h e n e x t y e a r th e b u ild in g was ta k e n over fo r a m ilita ry h o sp ita l, a n d w h en it w as once m o re a v ailab le as a girls school it was necessary to s ta rt anew , a t th e very b o tto m . I t gives a threey ear course th a t in clu d es sew ing, cooking, g ard en in g , la u n d ry th e m ost th o ro u g h tra in in g I saw in P o la n d . S nopkow su p p lies th e te a c h e rs fo r th e a g ric u ltu ra l schools fo r p easan t girls, an d for 1 0. d o m estic science classes. O f th e b ra n d new schools in P o la n d , th re e in te re ste d m e especially. A long rid e on th e tra m fro m W arsaw to o k m e to Biela n y a n d th e In s titu te fo r P h y sic a l T ra in in g . T h e b u ild in g s are a ll n ew __ sp ecially p la n n e d fo r th is, a n d are very a ttractiv e, w ith th e ir w h ite w alls a n d yellow tow er, an d trees w h erev er you look. T h e g ro u n d s a re la rg e —- a h u n d re d a n d fifty acres, so m u c h space th a t th e d iffe re n t sp o rts a re n ’t crow ded in to g eth er.. T h e g irls fro m a “ p a n s tw o w e ” gymnasium in W a rsa w liv e h e re d u rin g th e ir w e e k s in th e c o u n try .. 53.

(52) A t th e I n s titu te fo r P h y s ic a l T ra in in g in B ie la n y , P o la n d tr a in s th e te a c h e r s fo r th e sc h o o ls a n d th e a rm v .. H ere are tra in e d th e teach ers fo r th e schools an d fo r th e arm y. T h e students, young m en and young w om en, stay fo r two years an d m u st live a t th e In stitu te . T hey have only th e sh o rtest vacations, as th ey sp en d five w eeks on a la k e n e a r W ilno at a su m m er cam p, and a m o n th in th e m o u n ta in s in th e w in ter. Y ou h e a r peo p le say som etim es th a t lack of co o p eratio n is ch a ra c te ristic of n e a rly a ll Poles. Biela n y is an ex am p le to th e co n trary . H ere two M in istries are w orkin g to g e th e r, sh a rin '' ,«. ,. th e very m o d e r n e q u ip m e n t of fo u r gym nasium s, ru n n in g tra c k , la b o ra to rie s and lib ra ry . T h e re is besides close c o o p eratio n w ith th e U n iv ersity of W arsaw w h ich sends som e stu d e n ts h e re fo r research. O n m y w ay east fro m P o z n a n I sto p p ed over a tr a in a t G niezno an d w en t o u t to a village called D alk i to see th e p easan ts’ u n i v ersity — th e firs t of its k in d in P o la n d . A lread y it has two off shoots a n d m o re a re p la n n e d for. I t is fra n k ly m o d eled on th e fam o u s p e a sa n t u n iv e rsitie s in D en m ark . Its aim is to aw aken th e s p irit o f th e p easan ts a n d e n la rg e th e ir h orizon. F ifty a t a tim e, th e y com e to D alk i fo r girls in th e su m m er, boys in th e w in ter. d e stro y th e th in g th e d ire c to r h o ld s m ost th e re to g e th e r as in a b ig fam ily , n o t as. 54. a stay of five m o n th s; M ore th a n fifty w o u ld d e a r — th a t th e y live in an in stitu tio n . T h e.

(53) b u ild in g itself, o rig in a lly th e m a n o r h o u se of a sm all estate, looks lik e a hom e. T h e w o rk is d one n o t b y lectu res, b u t b y in fo rm a l talk s. B ooks a re a side issue — th o u g h p le n ty of re a d in g is suggested w hich th e se y o u n g p e o p le can do o n th e ir r e tu r n hom e. E a c h day th e y h av e seven talk s. T h e y liste n a n d ask q uestions, w o rk in th e g arden, hav e te a to g e th e r, th e th re e m asters a n d th e stu d en ts alw ays sh a r ing every activity. N ow a n d th e n som e p u p il a t th is u n u su a l u n iv ersity is roused, stim u la te d to w a n t m o re e d u c a tio n , goes on to a gym nasium an d becom es a te a c h e r; b u t th e se a re th e ex ception. R a th e r th e aim is to send th e m b a c k to th e ir villag e hom es, aw ak en ed to a new life ; to m ak e th e m good P oles, good C h ristian s, good citizens. “ T h e b e st p ro o f th a t w e’re acco m p lish in g so m eth in g of these aim s,” said th e d ire c to r w h en I w as alm o st re a d y to leave D alk i, “ is th e e n th u sia stic le tte rs th a t com e to m e fro m m y o ld students. C an’t you stay a q u a rte r of an h o u r a n d le t m e tra n sla te p a ra g ra p h s to y o u ? ” O f course I stay ed — a n d h a d to r u n fo r m y tra in . B u t of all th e schools I saw in P o la n d , th e m ost u n u su a l was Rydzyna, a h o a rd in g school fo r boys, n o t fa r fro m Leszno w h ich is a few h o u rs fro m P o zn an . Its sto ry was lik e a lesson in P o lish h isto ry . In th e reig n of S tanislas A ugust, th e last k in g of P o la n d , th e o w ner of th is g re a t estate of th o u sa n d s of acres of ric h farm in g la n d s a n d ric h fo rest la n d s m ad e a w ill saying th a t if h is fam ily d ie d o u t, th e p ro p e rty sh o u ld go to th e N a tio n a l C om m ission of E d u c a tio n — you re m e m b e r th a t P o la n d w as th e first co u n try in E u ro p e to h av e such a com m ission? B u t P rin c e S ulkow ski h a d sons a n d g randsons — som e of th e m m a d e h isto ry — w ho in h e rite d R y d zy n a an d th e fa m ily show ed no in te n tio n of d y ing o u t till th e e a rly y ears of th is cen tu ry . I th in k it was a b o u t 1908 o r 1910 w h en th e la st S ulkow ski died a n d th e G erm an s p ro m p tly cla im e d th e w hole estate, saying th e E d u c a tio n a l C om m ission fo r P o la n d was th e n in G e rm a n han d s. D ista n t re la tiv e s th re a te n e d to b rin g su it to claim th is p ro p e rty , in o rd e r to k eep it fo r th e Poles. T h e m a tte r drag g ed along fo r som e. 55.

(54) A c la s s o f y o u n g w o m en in o n e o f th e fo u r in d o o r g y m n a siu m s a t B ie lan y .. A c la s s o f y o u n g m e n a t B ie la n y . In th e b a c k g ro u n d th e ro o fe d h a ll th a t p ro v id e s sem io u td o o r s p a c e fo r m a n y te a m s on s to rm y d a y s..