Elementary education

     The basic governmental act regulating the educational system in the Habsburg Monarchy during the 18th century was Opći školski red (Allgemeine Schulordnung) - The General School Regulation, codified by the school reformer Felbiger. In 1777 the Opći školski red was slightly modified and published under the title Ratio educationis. It was never used in practice because of its various shortcomings, especially in the regions of Croatia under civilian government, but it was nevertheless used in the Military Border, the part of Croatia under military government, so that the new Ratio educationis was constituted in 1806.
     Croatian educational system was reorganized by the autonomous law in 1874, under the rule of Viceroy Ivan Mažuranić (the First School Law). Under this law elementary education became compulsory (the four years of compulsory education for all children disregarding class, nationality, religious affiliation and sex), primary schools were public or private, and classified as general schools (integrating repetitory schools and vocational courses) and secondary schools, with Croatian as the language of instruction.
     In 1881, when Military Border was reintegrated into Croatia under the civilian government, elementary education was regulated by the two laws (since the primary schools in the region of Military Border were regulated by the Act of 1871) and the issue of a single law regulating education became pressing. In 1888, under the government of Khuen-Héderváry, the new law on education was passed, and regarding some issues presented a step backwards in comparison to the Mažuranić Law, but the number of schools, students and teachers continued to grow.
     In the period from the beginning of the 20th century until the end of the First World War, elementary education in Croatia was marked by the desire to extend education to the wide population, and by the efforts to reduce illiteracy.
     This segment of the exhibition presents the materials related to the elementary education in Croatia from the 18th century down to the beginning of the 20th century: photographs (the first photographers, G. and I. Varga, Mosinger, I. Standl, I. Szüts...), school regulations and reports, school testimonials and protocols, alongside some very outstanding pieces: the foundation stone of the primary school in Samobor (1757), the flag of the primary school in Klanjec (1845), and a model of a gymnasium.