By the time Helena arrived in Bohorodczany, the town had separate public schools for boys and girls. Nonetheless, even basic education continued to be a luxury. No doubt, some progress had been made over the past 50 years; but approximately one-third of children in Galicia still had no formal instruction at all.7 The boys’ school where she was to teach was a far cry from the earlier single classrooms or the smaller wooden schoolhouses still common in the countryside. No longer were teachers compensated with a few bushels of wheat or rye. By the standard of the day, Helena’s school was considered quite modern. The boys were taught in a recently built, two-story brick building containing six classrooms and an apartment for the principal. Behind the school was an open field where the children could play, and there was an adjacent orchard to pick apples and pears in the fall. The school for girls was down the street, in a building that was part of the Dominican cloister.8
We can safely assume that Helena’s father had been pleased when he compared his daughter’s new teaching conditions with his own experiences. She would not have to struggle to find support for herself and her school as he had. As the county seat, Bohorodczany had a regional school commission with the mandate to oversee school policies. Besides mundane responsibilities like those of any other school board, it had the challenging task of navigating sometimes contentious religious and ethnic sensitivities. To avoid control by Polish administrators who used state-sponsored education for cultural dominance, the commission included members of the main religious denominations. Thus, the records from Bohorodczany show a Greek Catholic priest representing Ruthenians, a member of the Jewish community, and a Roman Catholic priest all working alongside civil administrators on school budgets and regulations. They seem to have been aware of how critical it was to use schools for the purpose of teaching, rather than as a means to encourage tensions or preferences.9
The next two years of Helena’s life were occupied with her work as a teacherin-training at the elementary school for boys, which provided lessons through the fifth grade. After joining the school’s staff, she must have heard a few stories about another teacher, Franciscus Sobolewski, who had recently left Bohorodczany for his military service. Undoubtedly Helena met, even if only in passing, other members of the large Sobolewski family, including Franciscus’s brothers and sisters. As often happens, those initial interactions could not have foretold the romance that would blossom later.
Helena’s days were filled not only with work but probably with frequent biking trips to surrounding villages, and occasional visits to Stanislawow. On her teacher’s salary of 78 kronen per month (about U.S. $2,090 in today’s money), she could not afford an expensive ride in a hired carriage whenever she wanted to see her parents and sister.10 Instead, on occasion, she would share a ride with others heading to Stanislawow. It would be four more years before a public, horse-drawn “omnibus” would provide regular service between the two towns, offering four trips daily. Motorized buses would appear on the roads of Galicia a little over a year later.11 Unfortunately, there was no longer time for Helena to take extended trips abroad with her family.
Wilhelmina Sobolewska, (1892-1972), the youngest sister of Franciscus Sobolewski.
As for fun, I remember my grandmother telling me that she had always liked to read and that, like most young women, she enjoyed dancing. Her preferences, however, were not popular waltzes or a later arrival, the fashionable tango. Instead, she liked the quadrille, a dance that can be seen as a dignified precursor to square dancing. Very popular in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the quadrille had elaborate steps and involved at least four couples, with men bowing to the ladies and constant changes of partners. There were other dances, such as the boisterous mazurka or the more formal polonaise. Did Helena in her early 20s have the opportunity to dance the quadrille in Bohorodczany, or was that only possible in Stanislawow during carnival balls, under the watchful eyes of her parents? The latter was a more likely place to get an invitation to a ball; these were popular in Helena’s time, with young and old eagerly awaiting the arrival of the season every year. But even the small town of Bohorodczany once boasted five dancing parties in a single month!
It is not too difficult to imagine young Helena enjoying herself at a dance in the company of her fellow teachers, perhaps young Franciscus Sobolewski among them. On at least one such occasion, a reporter described the music (by a military band) as excellent; the atmosphere was said to be full of light humor, and local ladies were praised for their elegant evening gowns. The rivalry between two local beauties, discreetly identified only by their initials, was noted in good spirit; what woman would not like to be crowned the queen at such an event? But perhaps trying not to sound too frivolous, the reporter quickly lamented that gatherings devoted to wholesome patriotic causes could never attract such big crowds.
For those interested in formal entertainment in Stanislawow, the success of a ball would be judged by the quality of the orchestra and the master of ceremonies, who directed the order of the dances and movement on the floor. Seeing “only” 20 or 30 dancing pairs was considered a disappointing evening. By 1907, some had complained that the elegance of these balls was in decline, with younger gentlemen often unable to dance properly; the clumsy male partners would be described unflatteringly as “jumping sparrows on a clothesline.” Not to mention the criticism directed at those who dared to smoke in ballrooms! Ladies of society were difficult to please; some scathingly remarked that tails, as opposed to the now more frequent tuxedos, were the only appropriate dress for true gentlemen at carnival balls. But comments like those would have been unlikely from the Regiec women, who were much more grounded in reality.
Despite their presumed flaws, the men present at balls were still surveyed carefully by mothers and daughters, as this was the season for at least some romances to ignite. We can only imagine the dashed hopes among young ladies of Stanislawow when two female observers opined one carnival season that there were many officers and students at evening parties but very few single men with “appropriate” employment.12
After a couple of years as a teacher-in-training, Helena was ready to take the next step in her career. To become a permanent teacher, she had to submit her high school diploma, her certificate of training for the past two years, and a list of books she had used to prepare for the required examination. In January 1909, she sat before the qualifying commission in Stanislawow and received a certification (patent) that allowed her to assume a teacher’s position in elementary school, using Polish as the language of instruction. As required, Helena also passed examinations in other languages commonly spoken in Galicia, such as Ruthenian and German. Without knowledge of these, teaching in eastern Galicia would indeed have been quite a challenge.13 Although instruction was given mostly in Polish, schools must have been a cacophony of conversation in Ruthenian, Yiddish, and German.
Our newly minted permanent teacher, with credentials in hand, soon began giving classes at the elementary school for girls in Bohorodczany. The teaching staff there included seven women, including the Jewish teacher Jetti Seinfeld. Every Friday, Jewish girls were brought to the boys’ school, where Hersh Krammer provided religious instruction for both girls and boys.14 The school week was long, lasting from Monday through Saturday, with the exception that Jewish children were excused from attending school on Shabbat. Class days were short by our standards, however, starting at 8:00 a.m. and finishing by 1:00 p.m.15
Being a teacher and an independent woman meant that Helena became increasingly involved in other aspects of life in the Bohorodczany community. For instance, she helped to organize artistic performances by a youth group in town. This would not have been entirely surprising for a teacher, but I discovered that my grandmother had talents beyond just helping with logistics. A short newspaper report from one such January evening described the gathering: After a choir sang and someone recited a poem with feeling, “concert performances followed, with Miss H. Regiec playing on violin a melancholic piece with great suc
cess, accompanied by a cytra.” Next, a few solo songs were sung by another young teacher, and a short play capped the evening.16
Helena Regiec’s teacher diploma (patent) issued in January 1909 in Stanislawow. It qualified Helena to teach in the elementary schools.
Not long after Helena moved to Bohorodczany, she joined the Folk School Association. Its local chapter was much smaller than the chapters in Nowy Sacz (where her aunt Bronislawa was active) and Stanislawow (where her father had made his mark). Nonetheless, this group of approximately 40 people was truly on the front lines; support for education was needed even more in small towns than in large cities. Knowing my grandmother’s fondness for reading, it does not come as a surprise that she actively promoted the use of the local reading room and library as a way of improving literacy in Bohorodczany.
The association’s reading room carried only a couple of Galician magazines, but it had a rather large collection of books (630 titles). Despite a tight budget, apparent when we see in the records a small year-end deficit, the local chapter sponsored musical and theatrical performances as well as a few popular discussions. In 1910, young Helena was chosen to be on the local executive committee; there she would come into contact with a few members of the Sobolewski family. In 1912, the volunteers were joined by fellow teacher Franciscus Sobolewski, who became secretary of the organization. In a surviving publication of this group, we can see hundreds of members, photographed as they gathered in Lvov for their national convention. We come close to catching a glimpse of Helena, but the picture is, disappointingly, too grainy to pinpoint her in the crowd.17
FOR MANY REASONS, the year 1912 would be very important in Helena’s life. During the previous fall and the first two months of 1912, she spent time studying for another important examination. After six years in Bohorodczany, Helena was to become a fully accredited teacher in the grammar school, the next step in her professional journey. In February, she headed first to her parents’ home in Stanislawow. Then, after an additional three or four hours by train, Helena arrived in Lvov. This time, the 26-year-old probably had little time for sightseeing in Galicia’s capital city. Instead, she took oral and written examinations in front of an official imperial and royal (kaiserlich und königlich) educational commission. Besides assessing her qualifications in reading, writing, and math, these tests included hand drawing, calligraphy, geometry, and technical drawing. In addition, she was required to show her ability to provide practical instruction to schoolgirls. We can be sure that Helena and her parents rejoiced one month later when the official certificate, with its omnipresent likeness of Emperor Franz Joseph, arrived, stating that Helena Wanda Regiec was now fully accredited to teach in the next level schools, and qualified to teach all of the above subjects.
Helena Regiec’s teacher diploma (patent) issued in March 1912 in Lvov. It qualified Helena to teach in today’s equivalent of middle schools.
By now, Helena was eager to move on, since the town of Bohorodczany did not offer teaching positions beyond those in the elementary schools. Her new diploma gave her the opportunity to follow in the steps of her aunt Bronislawa, and to pursue a career in schools that focused on an academically oriented curriculum, the equivalent of today’s middle or junior high schools. Where would she use her new skills? We can only surmise that she was thinking about that and trying to decide upon her own path, experiencing a restlessness similar to what her father had felt in his early professional years.
Franciscus Sobolewski and Helena Regiec. This photograph was taken in the winter of 1911 or 1912.
This time, however, Helena’s plans were put on hold—not by a lack of opportunities or the notorious bureaucracy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire but by matters of the heart. At some point, her collegial relations with fellow teacher Franciscus Sobolewski had ripened into love. A picture of them taken early in their relationship gives us a glimpse of how their courtship might have advanced. In the photo, Franciscus looks passionate and determined; based upon that and what we know of the customs of the time, he must have pursued her with some eagerness. Yet looking at Helena in the photograph, we see a young woman also with a good amount of determination, albeit in a softer form. Can we make a guess that Helena would have reined in her suitor’s eagerness, insisting that they discuss the practical aspects of marriage—listening to their heads as well as their hearts?
We cannot be sure how long the courtship between them lasted, but we know that young couples in that time and place were traditionally expected to have long engagements. Although the customs of courtship were much more formal than ours today, contacts between the two were likely less restricted than for most of their contemporaries. They were teaching in the same school, and perhaps there were times during their workdays when they could slip away from their duties for a few moments alone together.
At some point, Franciscus Sobolewski must have visited Joseph and Stephania Regiec at 1 St. Joseph Street in Stanislawow to ask for Helena’s hand. Even if the Regiecs already knew him from prior visits to Bohorodczany, a young man was expected to reassure his beloved’s parents that he was indeed the right match for their daughter.
Once the Regiecs had approved of Franciscus, his parents, Andreas and Anna Sobolewski, would have met with them to formally talk about wedding plans and the couple’s future. Those families could hardly have been more different: the Sobolewskis, with deep roots in their ancestral land and traditions; and the Regiecs, exemplifying the urban and upwardly mobile part of Galician society. Notwithstanding this disparity, the introductions must have gone well, because a date for the wedding was agreed on. Undoubtedly, the families debated where it should take place. Would it be better to follow custom and have the ceremony in Stanislawow or, given the size of the Sobolewski family and the couple’s place of residence, should the event be held in Bohorodczany? Finally, this was decided in a somewhat surprising way.
On Friday, July 17, 1912, Franciscus and Helena walked down the aisle, not in the old Dominican church in Bohorodczany or the church attended by the Regiecs in Stanislawow. Instead, a town approximately 50 miles northwest of Stanislawow was chosen for their marriage. With a bit of imagination, we can envision the wedding party—Helena, Franciscus, and their guests—boarding a special train car arranged by the father of the bride. That splash of luxury during the short trip from Stanislawow to their destination would have seemed quite appropriate for the occasion, even by the standards of the usually modest Regiec family.
Kochawina. Helena and Franciscus got married in a new church, visible on the left, on July 17, 1912. (Postcard from the early twentieth century.)
Joannes Trzopinski, rector of Kochawina parish, who married Helena and Franciscus.
The church in Kochawina and its parish rector, Joannes Trzopinski, were quite famous in eastern Galicia; it must have been quite an honor to be married there.18 Despite the need to travel, we can surmise that the church was full of the Sobolewski clan: not only the parents of the groom and Franciscus’s many siblings but some Sobolewskis from other branches of the family. The Regiec crowd was most likely smaller, including Joseph and Stephania and Helena’s sister, Wanda. Perhaps a few relatives on Stephania’s side, the Telesnicki family, also traveled to witness the joyous ceremony.19
As required by law, the young couple registered their marriage in the Dominican church of Bohorodczany soon after returning home. The records identify Helena as magistra scholae (female teacher), a finding that made me very proud. Few women were identified in local registers as having professions. Even in large cities, women’s progress was sometimes met with ridiculous resistance in Galicia’s still male-dominated society. Rambling and patronizing arguments were put forward by self-appointed experts that education might hurt young girls’ health and should not be encouraged to go too far.20 Franciscus was listed in the marriage record as magister scholae (male teacher). The official entry was made days after the ceremony had taken place; hence, it is not surprising that the two official witnesses were Antoniu
s and Andreas Sobolewski rather than members of the Regiec family, who would have already returned to Stanislawow.21
Entry in the marriage book marking the wedding of Franciscus Sobolewski (magister scholae) and Helena Wanda Regiec (magistra scholae).
No wedding pictures, or stories about the celebrations following the ceremony, have survived. There is, however, the aforementioned picture of Helena and Franciscus, taken a few months before or after their wedding. Helena is wearing an elegant hat, with a bit of her carefully arranged hair to be seen underneath. Although it is not obvious in the picture, she was a tall woman with thick reddish locks.22 Franciscus is looking intensely at the camera, wearing a top hat and a high-collared shirt just barely visible beneath a heavy overcoat. They were, indeed, a handsome couple. Unfortunately, only two pictures of my grandparents together survived.
The newly married pair moved to house 560, located a bit further from the town’s center than Helena’s prior home but next door to her in-laws. As in every new marriage, this must have been an exciting time for them, as they discovered and created together those little things that constitute a family. Undoubtedly, this was also time of dreaming and planning. Were they considering staying in Bohorodczany, or were they determined from the beginning to move on? Any sort of planning would soon become perilous for this generation, as time after time events around them began to dictate the course of their lives.
Galician Trails: The Forgotten Story of One Family Page 15
