DOI issue:
Nr. 149 (August 1905)
DOI article:Levetus, A. S.: The craft schools of Austria
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20712#0225
The Craft Schools of Austria
many such. Here carpentry, joinery, wood-carving
and the most delicate inlaid-work are taught. The
boys come chiefly from the mountain villages,
and many of them can neither read nor write
properly when they first come to the school; but
these evils are soon rectified. This particular
school was founded thirty years ago, and Konigs-
berg has been the seat of the furniture trade for
about a hundred and fifty years. From every
director I learnt of the poverty of those attending
the schools, many of the boys coming daily from
the mountain villages, walking through all winds
and weathers; winter and summer they must be at
school at 8 o’clock in the morning, and in the
evenings they have another two hours’ walk home
to the mountains. They are poorly clad and insuffi-
ciently fed, often having nothing with them to still
their hunger but a piece of black bread : but fortu-
nately the State makes it its business to provide
meat soup, so that at any rate they have some-
thing warm in the middle of the day, or the
stipends serve to provide homes for them.
Many of the inhabitants provide free meals for the
boys of the Fachschulen (what I am saying now
refers to all of them); the monasteries also feed
some of the boys ; but in spite of this many must
suffer the pangs of hunger. The value of the
training is, however, fully acknowledged by the
father, who sacrifices what he can to obtain this
for his child, and help is given by outsiders whose
means allow it. This does not imply that only
the rich or well-to-do inhabitants give ; for the
poor, too, help the poor, willingly giving food and
clothing.
All materials, tools and other requisites used by
students in the practice of art are provided by the
State through the Department of Education.
At Chrudim, an old and important market-town
in East Bohemia, where Czech is spoken (the
language used in teaching is always the one spoken
in the district, although very many tongues are
spoken in the Austrian dominions), the same story
was told ; in fact, I heard it everywhere. Here, as
in other schools, the results are highly satisfactory.
In former times, everything except the most simple
of furniture had to be obtained in Prague and
Vienna; now, thanks to the practical and scientific
teaching, Chrudim can sell to Prague and Vienna.
Not that old traditions are neglected. But the
influence of modern art on these and other
industries predominates.
The first step to knowledge is drawing from
memory. Modern furniture, being less complicated
than the ancient the designing of the modern
comes first in order of teaching. The boys are
given some piece of furniture or other article to
hairdresser’s saloon
many such. Here carpentry, joinery, wood-carving
and the most delicate inlaid-work are taught. The
boys come chiefly from the mountain villages,
and many of them can neither read nor write
properly when they first come to the school; but
these evils are soon rectified. This particular
school was founded thirty years ago, and Konigs-
berg has been the seat of the furniture trade for
about a hundred and fifty years. From every
director I learnt of the poverty of those attending
the schools, many of the boys coming daily from
the mountain villages, walking through all winds
and weathers; winter and summer they must be at
school at 8 o’clock in the morning, and in the
evenings they have another two hours’ walk home
to the mountains. They are poorly clad and insuffi-
ciently fed, often having nothing with them to still
their hunger but a piece of black bread : but fortu-
nately the State makes it its business to provide
meat soup, so that at any rate they have some-
thing warm in the middle of the day, or the
stipends serve to provide homes for them.
Many of the inhabitants provide free meals for the
boys of the Fachschulen (what I am saying now
refers to all of them); the monasteries also feed
some of the boys ; but in spite of this many must
suffer the pangs of hunger. The value of the
training is, however, fully acknowledged by the
father, who sacrifices what he can to obtain this
for his child, and help is given by outsiders whose
means allow it. This does not imply that only
the rich or well-to-do inhabitants give ; for the
poor, too, help the poor, willingly giving food and
clothing.
All materials, tools and other requisites used by
students in the practice of art are provided by the
State through the Department of Education.
At Chrudim, an old and important market-town
in East Bohemia, where Czech is spoken (the
language used in teaching is always the one spoken
in the district, although very many tongues are
spoken in the Austrian dominions), the same story
was told ; in fact, I heard it everywhere. Here, as
in other schools, the results are highly satisfactory.
In former times, everything except the most simple
of furniture had to be obtained in Prague and
Vienna; now, thanks to the practical and scientific
teaching, Chrudim can sell to Prague and Vienna.
Not that old traditions are neglected. But the
influence of modern art on these and other
industries predominates.
The first step to knowledge is drawing from
memory. Modern furniture, being less complicated
than the ancient the designing of the modern
comes first in order of teaching. The boys are
given some piece of furniture or other article to
hairdresser’s saloon