„Balon na Sty Stanisław” Komisja Edukacji Narodowej wobec widowisk i teatru szkolnego
“A balloon for St. Stanisław’s Day:” The Commission of National Education vis-à-vis Public Spectacles and School Theatre

Summary/Abstract: This article discusses how the National Education Commission, the first Polish state authority supervising schools, approached spectacles, including school theatre. Scientific spectacles, such as demonstrations of science experiments, public lectures featuring experiments, and even student exams open to the public, were highly valued and encouraged from both college and secondary school professors. This was in line with the general interests of the era (balloons and electric machines in particular sparked curiosity) and gave schools the opportunity to build a positive image. Meanwhile, school theatre, which had been an important aspect of Jesuit and Piarist schools for two centuries, raised objections from the Commission, which does not mean that schools strictly complied with the bans on organising performances. The article analyses source texts such as normative acts (laws, instructions), school reports, periodicals, correspondence, and dissertations.

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