The first high school (college) of pe in croatia

Introduction

First courses for PE teachers held under the leadership of M. Singer and later F. Hochman - the only one trained expert to teach the newly introduced subject in schools of the Civil Croatia from 1874 up to 1894, were scheduled for teachers with the plebeian (early elementary) and civil/ middle class (late elementary) schools. The act of introducing PE as a compulsory subject in secondary schools in 1878 resulted in the increased needs for PE teachers. The Croatian Falcon took the responsibility in the beginning to train expert teachers. It had only short-term and temporary effects.
Franjo Bučar (1866-1946), "a father of Croatian sport" [3], was related to almost any significant event in the area of sport and physical education in Croatia from the end of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century. He was the first Croat in the membership of the International Olympic Committee (1920-1946). His noticeable role in the history of Croatian sport started in 1894 after he had returned from his two-year education at the Royal Central Gymnastic College in Stockholm (Sweden). Upon his return, Franjo Bučar organise and manage a two-year Course for Secondary School Gymnastic Teachers (1894-1896). In fact, it was the first high school (college) of PE in Croatia and in this region of Europe [2].

Curriculum

The curriculum and syllabus, devised by Franjo Bučar, were modern and comparable to any curriculum of the most popular European schools of the time. In the three-semester course thirty attenders (one woman among them - Ivana Hirschmann) took 16 theoretical and practical course subjects. In almost ideal conditions, provided by Isidor Kršnjavi, the Principal (Minister) of the Department of Religious Affairs and Teaching of the Country Government of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia, Bučar managed to incite interest of the Course attenders in many, sports and games previously unknown in Croatia. Certain contents were taught for the first time, like football, figure skating, ice hockey, field hockey, skiing, sleighing, cricket, and fencing - foil. Simultaneously, the body of knowledge and skills was expanded on swordsmanship, tennis, exercises on apparatuses, cycling, athletics, boccie playing and other sport disciplines. During the course over 80 games for children were demonstrated [1].

Conclusion

The course attenders passed the final examinations and as qualified PE teachers and professionals in sport returned to their hometowns. Very quickly they managed to increase the quality of gymnastics and sport in Croatia to the European level. Credits goes to them and their efforts in promoting and improving reputation of sport, which resulted in not only inclusion of numerous sports and sporting games in the school curricula, but in introduction of numerous sports in schools as extracurricular activities and in establishment of first sport organisations. Over 60 years should have passed and four systems of government should have been changed before PE teacher training was re-established in Croatia.

References

[1]. Čustonja, Z., Jajčević, Z. (2003). Vocational Training of Personnel for Sport and Physical Education in Croatia - A Historical Overview. Proceedings Book of the XVI European Sport Conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia, September 24 - 26, 2003. pp. 216 - 224.
[2]. Jajčević, Z. (1997). Kratka povijest tjelesnog vježbanja i športa. Zagreb: Fakultet za fizičku kulturu Sveučilišta u Zagrebu.
[3]. Janković, V. (1954). Iz prošlosti fizičkog odgoja u školama Hrvatske. Zagreb: Društvo učitelja, nastavnika i profesora fizičkog odgoja NR Hrvatske.
[4]. Radan, Ž. (1970). Franjo Bučar i gimnastički i sportski pokret u Hrvatskoj. Zagreb: Visoka škola za fizičku kulturu Sveučilišta u Zagrebu.