Udział pijarów w pracach Towarzystwa do Ksiąg Elementarnych

Abstract

The Society for Elementary Books was established by The Commission of National Education on February 10, 1775. The Society’s principal objective was to develop syllabuses and school textbooks. Among many of its members were three Piarists: Antoni Popławski, Kazimierz Narbutt and Onufry Kopczyński. They all have made a very significant contribution to the work of the society and gained recognition of The Commission of National Education as well as the other members of the society. The Commission of National Education published thirty elementary textbooks, fourteen of which were prepared by the Piarists. Among the books drawn up by members of the Piarist order and read and amended repeatedly at sessions of the Society for Elementary Books and by the authors should be listed seven textbooks for pupils, six books for teachers – the so-called notes, in the current sense, methodological companions – and one supplementary textbook ( „Logarytmy dla szkół narodowych” ). Of the books for teachers, four were written by Onufry Kopczyński, one by Antoni Popławski and one by Józef Kajetan Skrzetuski. The supplementary textbook „Logarytmy dla szkół narodowych” was drawn up by the Piarist Ignacy Zaborowski. The manner in which these books were prepared and p ublished at the time of The Commission may serve as a model for authors and publishers of school textbooks today.The Piarists working at the Society for Elementary Books and the other members of the order preparing textbooks for the schools of The Commission of National Education rendered good service to the Polish nation.