Žiburys Society
Žiburys Society (žiburys means light, beacon; Lithuanian: Lietuvių krikščionių draugija „Žiburys“) was a society established in 1906 that organized and maintained Lithuanian schools in the Suwałki Governorate of the Congress Poland, Russian Empire (later, Suvalkija region of independent Lithuania). Organized and run by priests, the society supported and promoted Roman Catholic ideas and worldview. The society organized primary schools and later gymnasiums. In 1907, it established pro-gymnasium for girls in Marijampolė. In 1918, it established several gymnasiums. Žiburys, along with other Lithuanian organizations, was closed by the new Soviet regime following the occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union in June 1940.
Establishment
After the failed
Leftist Lithuanians established Šviesa (light), led by future president Kazys Grinius, in December 1905. However, seven of its members left it in protest when the new society voted that the religious class should be taught by a regular teacher and not a priest.[2] (The Tsarist regime closed Šviesa in 1908).[3] Priest Justinas Staugaitis then took on to organize Žiburys and the founding meeting took place on 6 January 1906 in Marijampolė.[4] Staugaitis was elected as chairman, but he was soon reassigned to Lekėčiai and priest Motiejus Gustaitis became the long-term chairman of Žiburys.[5] The society was officially approved and registered on 15 May 1906.[2]
Before World War I
In the Suwałki Governorate, most teachers were Lithuanian and taught in the Lithuanian language. Thus, the establishment of Lithuanian-language schools was less urgent than elsewhere.
Until 1918, the society did not receive any government funding and had to rely on school tuition, membership fees, and donations. To raise funds, Žiburys organized various public lectures (speakers included
Interwar period
During World War I, the girls' pro-gymnasium evacuated to Tambov where it had about 180 students.[3] In 1918, the society and its schools returned to newly independent Lithuania. Gymnasiums were established in Šakiai, Prienai, Vilkaviškis, Sejny (moved to Lazdijai in 1921 due to the Polish–Lithuanian War), Kražiai even before the Lithuanian Ministry of Education was organized.[3][6] In 1930s, these gymnasiums, except for the ones in Šakiai and Prienai, were taken over by the Lithuanian government.[6] It was an intentional effort by the authoritarian regime of President Antanas Smetona to reduce the influence of the Catholic Church and by extension its main political opponent the Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party.[3]
The society also established specialized schools, including an agricultural school for girls in Karkliniai in 1924 and a higher school of commerce in Kybartai in 1925. To raise teachers' qualifications, Žiburys established two-year courses for teachers in Pilviškiai and Kudirkos Naumiestis.[3] The society also established a kindergarten, several shelters for children and the elderly.[6]
References
- ^ ISSN 2029-3534.
- ^ ISSN 1392-7450.
- ^ ISSN 1392-7450.
- ISSN 1392-0502.
- ^ ISSN 1392-7450.
- ^ a b c d e f "„Žiburys"". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras. 2014-06-26. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
- ^ Malinauskienė, Marytė (2013-04-12). "Seinų ir Punsko krašto bibliotekos XX amžiaus pradžioje" (in Lithuanian). Punskas.pl. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
- ISBN 9986-776-62-7.