The Kórnicki Institute the School of Women's Housework

Abstract

The Kórnicki Institute, the school of women's housework was established by Jadwiga Zamoyska. It carried out schooling for girls on the basis of the statute drawn out by the founder. The statute consisted of four chapters and contained the whole idea of this institute. First, the school was supposed to grant women an opportunity to complete their education as regards the duties of domestic life, and that through a practical initiation into a treble work, i.e manual, intellectual and spiritual. Women were taught to keep order, spare efforts, time and property. The remaining three chapters of the statue referred to organizational matters of the school, the board of superiors, the governing body of the school, collaborators, schoolgirls and financial means. Zamoyska established such an institute in which people of various age and state tended to Christian perfection at any post. That is why the following principles were binding there: to assiduously avoid sin, fulfill duties as well as possible, make efforts to use both the material and spiritual gifts for the good of homeland, practice virtues which are contrary to personal and national flaws, live a modest, moderate and hard-working life, and to spurn pride. They were supposed to supposed their homeland through hard work and material improvement corresponding to the then conditions. The founder defined the aim of the school in one sentence: „Our school of housework aims at practical supplementing that which is today found wanting in women's common upbringin”. These principles in Jadwiga Zamoyska's school were put into practice throughout some fifty years of this institute's existence.