The Development and the Demise of Protestant Provincial Schools in Inner Austria

Abstract

This paper analyzes and clarifies motivations and reasons for a short but intensive development of the secondary level of schooling followed by a sudden end, especially of the so-called Provincial schools, in three Inner Austrian lands (Carniola, Styria and Carinthia) in the 16th century. The situation regarding the organization of schooling in the 16th century was incomparable with the situation in the states headed by the Protestant rulers. Nevertheless, a type of Protestant gymnasium emerged here, which was called Provincial school (Landschaftsschule) and which also required some prior elementary knowledge for enrollment. For each of the three lands — Carniola, Carinthia and Styria — the establishment of the Provincial School was the first actual opportunity for the foundation of a central institution providing not only elementary knowledge, but also higher levels of education partly comparable to the curricula of the faculties of arts. Unfortunately, at the end of the 16th century, the development of the Provincial Schools was forcibly stopped. The article is based upon a thorough analysis and comparison of the relevant primary and secondary sources (in Latin, Slovene, German and English). The results show that all three school underwent similar phases of development and the same sudden termination, despite different inner circumstances, material foundations and time frame. In any case, the three Provincial Schools played an important part in the development of humanistic education on the territory of modern Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Austria.