From the records of Istvanfi Endre: "The Struggling Turski Bečej 1850-1890" ("A küzdő Törökbecse"), we learn that 1863 was a very difficult year due to weather conditions. From early spring until late autumn, there was no rainfall, making everything resemble a desert, and the wheat harvest was so poor that there was not enough to collect for seed.
Count Betblen József wanted to help the people and pledged 300 meters of wheat to build a warehouse, where reserve wheat would be stored for seed and food. The monetary value was deposited in a bank, and after ten years, in 1873, on the suggestion of Dr. Töszegi Aladár, the first kindergarten (Törökbecsei óvoda) was built as a sign of gratitude to the Bethlen couple for their assistance.
These records show that in 1873, the kindergarten (a building still existing on Maršala Tita Street) was established, and it served as a kindergarten until 1980. In 1891, a law for child protection was adopted, which had a primarily social function. It aimed to address the problem of child-rearing for children left alone at home and to reduce child mortality. That year, it was also decided that schools for educators should be opened, and children would learn and attend kindergartens in their native language. However, it was overlooked that one caregiver and one nanny were assigned to 80 children, which made proper care impossible. Caregivers lacking skills in managing kindergartens were sent for two weeks of practice at the exemplary Sombor kindergarten and had to pass an exam in Serbian at the Sombor school (for those working in Serbian kindergartens).
The first Serbian kindergarten was opened in 1892 in Kumanovo. The kindergarten included children from 3 to 6 years old, with goals focused on physical protection, moral development, and school preparation. In 1900, a curriculum for kindergartens was requested, determining holidays and necessary learning materials (as there was a lack of equipment and internal organization). Kindergartens were open from morning until evening, with a one-month break only in the winter.
In 1903, the draft curriculum, learning materials, toys, and furniture were discussed and approved for use, ideally starting in the 1903/1904 school year. Caregivers graduated from kindergarten schools in Hódmezővásárhely, Sombor, and Zagreb (1894), and kindergartens typically had one playroom for children.
At that time, kindergartens followed the model developed by the German educator Friedrich Froebel, a supporter of Pestalozzi. He prioritized play and the development of children's creativity, introducing exercises for hand skills and sensory development. As seen, kindergartens gradually adopted Froebel’s teachings. Nikola Vukičević, the director of the Sombor Teachers' School, a strong advocate for Froebel's kindergartens, wrote: "These types of kindergartens do not exclude family education but use it as a basis, complementing it by preparing children for school and real life. In these institutions, through pleasant cooperation and work, children are prepared both mentally and physically, making them much more capable of school life than those left alone at home."
After all that was said, it is clear that kindergartens became popular and increasingly adopted an educational character. The 1905 census in Turski Bečej mentions a kindergarten – óvoda in both Serbian and Hungarian languages at the schools.
In Turski Bečej, the school administrator was Blažo Lazović, and the caregivers were Konc Pzula and Bognar Emilija. According to information, one of the first educated caregivers was Konc Paula, who completed her schooling in Hódmezővásárhely as a caregiver. She began working in 1904 and worked for a full 40 years until her retirement in 1944.
In 1909, caregivers received state employment. In 1910, the school board was completed by a committee for overseeing kindergartens. In 1919, kindergartens were mentioned as "State Primary Schools."
Kindergartens were funded by the local government. After World War I, the first administrator (in Vranjevo) was teacher Sava Rajković (1919/1920), and the caregiver was Jelena Sekulić. In the 1924/1925 school year, two kindergarten groups in Serbian were established, with caregivers Anka Tolmačev and Sofija Dimitrijević.
At the "State National School" in Dragutinovo (today's Novo Miloševo), in 1912, Olga Filipović worked as a temporary caregiver (born there). She passed the state exam in 1910 in Hódmezővásárhely, and in 1913, she was appointed a permanent state caregiver. She was beloved, and the locals would say, "a true aunt (the place she worked remained in use until 1986)."
At that time, the work schedule was divided into two shifts: from 8 to 12 and from 14 to 16 hours (Thursday and Sunday were free days). Children had lunch at noon, and afterward, they returned. Sometimes, wealthier locals would cook and bring food to the kindergarten for the poorer children.
The school year started on September 1 and lasted until the end of August when a final exam for children starting school in September would be organized. January was a break due to heating savings. The number of children in groups ranged from 50 to 60, with the youngest being at least 3 years old. The number of children increased when parents were engaged in fieldwork or other duties.
As mentioned, the school year ended with a "Final Exam" event, summarizing the work done during the year. The children performed and wore costumes, often made in collaboration with parents from cloth or crepe paper. This event was open to the public, and almost everyone would bring fruit or cakes for the children to enjoy. The celebration was mostly held in the yard and lasted until late afternoon.
At that time, the classrooms were in schools or separate playrooms with large yards. The buildings were old and made of rubble. The classroom had a floor covered with black oil, with long benches arranged around the room. Toys included wooden blocks of various shapes and sizes, and others made from natural materials. All other materials and snacks were brought from home.
Educated caregivers had completed four grades of elementary school, four grades of secondary school (polgari), and two grades of kindergarten school. After passing the state exam, they became certified caregivers. They first received temporary service, and after a year, they were given permanent state employment.
Work discipline and responsibility were at a high level. For example, in Olga Filipović's file, there is a document about a fine from September 1, 1937. Olga Filipović was fined 20 dinars for leaving her place of employment without prior approval from her superior Radivoje Manojlović, the then administrator of the school and kindergarten. The explanation stated that she had gone to a court hearing, where her appeal was rejected.
In addition to caregivers, there were also assistants – "aunties" who helped with preparation and care. They were often untrained.
At that time, caregivers had monthly and weekly lesson plans, with daily schedules divided into areas: obvious lessons (nature and society), declamation (learning poems), games and singing (physical and musical), and work or stories (art and storytelling).
Another educated caregiver who worked in Dragutinovo was Zorka – Mica Duhanavić Vlahović, who worked for 42 years.
In the settlement of Kumane, in the 1929/1930 school year, the kindergarten was incorporated into the school. The administrator at that time was Aleksandar Popović, and the caregiver was Snežana Milosavljević.
In 1919, the People's Administration issued an order to organize kindergartens and regulate their setup. According to the order, kindergartens should remain, and classes should be taught in the native language.
Challenges existed, as caregivers created their programs based on old manuals. There was a shortage of instructional materials and professional literature. Articles for children from old newspapers were used.
The 1929 law allowed one-year courses for caregivers to be organized within teacher schools.
In 1940, a law was passed on preparing caregivers and educational programs. The Teachers’ School helped a lot by organizing a course for caregivers. Therefore, only those who had completed secondary school were allowed to work as caregivers. If they worked successfully for two years, they could take a professional exam and acquire the title of caregiver, allowing them to work with children.
Immediately before the war, the work in kindergartens was interrupted for some time. During World War II, the work was intermittent. After the war, kindergartens resumed their activities. Children aged 6 were primarily enrolled, and the number of children in educational groups was between 60 and 70, sometimes more. Initially, the work was in two shifts, and later it changed to a single shift. At that time, educated women with completed courses or teachers with young children worked.
After the war, kindergartens received full attention and care from society and became an essential part of the newly reformed education system for our youth.
In Novo Miloševo, in 1941, Melanija Rankov, a teacher from Kičevo (Macedonia), arrived as a refugee. Near the end of the war, she began working as a caregiver. She had completed her teacher training at the Teachers’ School in Sarajevo in 1931.
When asked about her work, she said: "I worked as I was taught in school, following the systems of Friedrich Froebel and Maria Montessori. Later, our work was refined through seminars and adapted to the reality of society."
Melanija was active in working with children and more. In 1952, she was elected president of the Education and Culture Council of the Potisje District People's Assembly (at that time, there were nine kindergartens in the district, and its headquarters was in Novi Bečej).
In the post-war period, caregivers in Novi Bečej included Farkaš Ilona, Szücs Erzsébet, Marija Grujić, Milanka Lalić, Milka Perović, and Madarasz Verona. The pedagogical system was based on the principles of the national liberation struggle, in the spirit of brotherhood and unity.
In 1948, the first "Federal Order on Opening Daycare Centers and Kindergartens, their Equipment, and Organization" was issued, with these institutions being of a social character. There was a significant shortage of professional staff. After finishing secondary school, students attended a course where they gained professional knowledge, and further qualification was conducted in Belgrade for another year.
In 1952, a five-year School for Caregivers was opened in Novi Sad.
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