Znaczenie lektury w życiu młodych ziemianek na początku XX wieku
A book in life of young landowners at the beginning of the 20th century

Author(s): Małgorzata Komza
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Summary/Abstract: A posthumous tribute of Stanisława Lewoniewska, from an educated Żmudź, connected with theDepartment of Agricultural Chemistry at the Agricultural Faculty at Jagiellonian University appeared in1957. Her colleague, prof. Tadeusz Lityński, having discussed her academic achievements, claimed thatthis unique woman was inspired by not only chemistry, but also literature. He wrote with admirationthat she revealed literary talents and had an easiness of writing. She could recite whole fragments of themost outstanding literary works. Thus, the question on which environment shaped her seems interesting.The answer partially comes from letters between 1906 and 1913 written by her to her sister studyingin Cracow and the remaining girls in Żmudź. Currently they are stored in the Library of the LithuanianAcademy of Sciences in Vilnius. Unfortunately, the addressee’s replies, apart from little fragments, werenot saved. However, the texts sent to her, colourful, including many detailed descriptions of written by16 and 17‑year‑oldgirls, show not only their social life, daily chores, attitude to political events, ethnicproblems, but also their books, attitudes to books, difficulties connected with ordering them, the attemptstaken by maidens to educate peasant children, arranging a school for them, as well as problems connectedwith the choice of proper textbooks. The letters in question constitute a precious source material, givinga lot of information on cultural preferences of Polish landowners, especially women, and show their rolein building a national awareness of local people.

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