CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLISH NATIONAL SYSTEM OF MUSIC EDUCATION OF SCHOOLCHILDREN IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD (1918-1939)

Abstract

The article covers the creation of a system of music for pupils of Polish schools after Poland regained independence (1918) and before the Second Word War (1939).

The purpose of the work. To describe the creation and development of the system of music education of schoolchildren during the restoration of independence of Poland (1918) before the Second Word War (1939).
Research methodology. Analysis and synthesis of Polish scientific and pedagogical literature on music education of schoolchildren, regulations, school curricula, programs, empirical and statistical data.

The scientific novelty of the study is that history of the formation and development of music school education is insufficiently disclosed in publications and materials of scientific and practical conferences in Ukraine.

The tasks, forms and content of music education of schoolchildren, the main conceptual approaches to improving the musical culture of children and students are considered. Analysis of publications and school programs of that period showed that since the beginning of the independent Polish state (1918) musical education of children and youth, as part of general school education, was aimed at students mastering the unique achievements of mankind in the field of music, positive moral qualities and development of spiritual word of the individual. New conceptual approaches to the role of musical art in the education of the individual have contributed to the improvements of music education. Singing was a compulsory subject in school. Singing and listening to music took the leading place in the programs on this subject. Learning to play musical instruments was conducted during optional classes or in music schools.

Conclusions. A retrospective analysis of archival materials and scientific sources shoved that since the beginning of the independent Polish state (1918) musical education of children and youth, as part of the general system of school education, was aimed at students mastering the unique achievements of mankind in the field of music, tastes and feeling, moral qualities of pupils the development of the spiritual word of the individual. The subject «Singing» was included in the compulsory subject during the seven-year education of schoolchildren. A significant role in raising the professional level of music teachers was played by theoretical and methodological journals: «Music and Singing», «Music at School», «Music», etc., published since 1920s in which articles about music education of children’s and youths were published.