Bengt Gottfried Forselius (ca 1660, Harju-Madise, Harju County, Swedish Estonia – November 16, 1688, Baltic Sea) was a founder of public education in Estonia, author of the first ABC-book in the Estonian language, and creator of a spelling system which made the teaching and learning of Estonian easier. Forselius and Johann Hornung were mainly responsible for making a start at reforming the Estonian literary language in the late 17th century. Some German constructions were abandoned, and a strict spelling system was adopted which still relied on German orthography.
Memorial stone for Bengt Gottfried Forselius in his birthplace, Harju-Madise
In 1684, after returning to Estonia, Forselius founded the first teachers’ college, to teach Estonian schoolteachers and parish clerks, in Piiskopi manor [et] (Bishop's Manor) near Tartu (Dorpat). The course there lasted for two years, with emphasis on fluent reading, religion instruction, German, arithmetic and bookbinding. Forselius introduced a new method of teaching whereby, instead of remaining passive, during lessons one student read aloud while the others followed. In 1686, an ABC-book devised by him was introduced into use in Estonian schools.
Many local Baltic German aristocrats at the time disliked Forselius’ idea of encouraging peasants to aspire to education and complained that pupils of the schools were taken by the Swedish army or that school fees were expensive. Forselius countered this by taking two of his best pupils, Ignati Jaak and Pakri Hansu Jüri (Jüri, son of Hans from Pakri), from the parish of Kambja, to Stockholm, where their abilities impressed King Charles XI of Sweden.
By the time of Forselius death in 1688 he had founded 38 schools with 800 pupils in the Estonian areas of Swedish Livonia and 8 schools with 200 students in Swedish Estonia.[2] Forselius drowned during a storm on his return from Stockholm where he had just been appointed inspector of Livonian peasant schools with the power to create as many as he saw fit. Between 1687-1695 by the order of Swedish state schools were to be established in every Estonian parish.[2]
By 1898, 97 percent of Estonian population was literate.[3]
Referencesedit
^Westling, Gustaf Oskar Fredrik (1904). Beiträge zur Kirchengeschichte Livlands von 1656-1710 (in German). C. Mattiesen. p. 37.
^ abRaun, Toivo (2001). Estonia and the Estonians. Hoover Press. p. 33. ISBN0-8179-2852-9.
^Miljan, Toivo (2004). Historical dictionary of Estonia. Scarecrow Press. p. 313. ISBN0-8108-4904-6.
External linksedit
Bengt Gottfried Forselius at Estonian Writers' Online Dictionary
The B. G. Forselius Society 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
January 01, 1970
bengt, gottfried, forselius, 1660, harju, madise, harju, county, swedish, estonia, november, 1688, baltic, founder, public, education, estonia, author, first, book, estonian, language, creator, spelling, system, which, made, teaching, learning, estonian, easie. Bengt Gottfried Forselius ca 1660 Harju Madise Harju County Swedish Estonia November 16 1688 Baltic Sea was a founder of public education in Estonia author of the first ABC book in the Estonian language and creator of a spelling system which made the teaching and learning of Estonian easier Forselius and Johann Hornung were mainly responsible for making a start at reforming the Estonian literary language in the late 17th century Some German constructions were abandoned and a strict spelling system was adopted which still relied on German orthography Memorial stone for Bengt Gottfried Forselius in his birthplace Harju Madise Forselius was a Swede born in Estonia His father Pastor Johann Forselius 1 was originally a Swede from Finland thus the Swedish family was familiar with Finnic languages Forselius spoke good Estonian as well as Swedish and German He received his first education at the Tallinn Reval Gymnasium and then graduated with a law degree from the University of Wittenberg in Germany In 1684 after returning to Estonia Forselius founded the first teachers college to teach Estonian schoolteachers and parish clerks in Piiskopi manor et Bishop s Manor near Tartu Dorpat The course there lasted for two years with emphasis on fluent reading religion instruction German arithmetic and bookbinding Forselius introduced a new method of teaching whereby instead of remaining passive during lessons one student read aloud while the others followed In 1686 an ABC book devised by him was introduced into use in Estonian schools Many local Baltic German aristocrats at the time disliked Forselius idea of encouraging peasants to aspire to education and complained that pupils of the schools were taken by the Swedish army or that school fees were expensive Forselius countered this by taking two of his best pupils Ignati Jaak and Pakri Hansu Juri Juri son of Hans from Pakri from the parish of Kambja to Stockholm where their abilities impressed King Charles XI of Sweden By the time of Forselius death in 1688 he had founded 38 schools with 800 pupils in the Estonian areas of Swedish Livonia and 8 schools with 200 students in Swedish Estonia 2 Forselius drowned during a storm on his return from Stockholm where he had just been appointed inspector of Livonian peasant schools with the power to create as many as he saw fit Between 1687 1695 by the order of Swedish state schools were to be established in every Estonian parish 2 By 1898 97 percent of Estonian population was literate 3 References edit Westling Gustaf Oskar Fredrik 1904 Beitrage zur Kirchengeschichte Livlands von 1656 1710 in German C Mattiesen p 37 a b Raun Toivo 2001 Estonia and the Estonians Hoover Press p 33 ISBN 0 8179 2852 9 Miljan Toivo 2004 Historical dictionary of Estonia Scarecrow Press p 313 ISBN 0 8108 4904 6 External links editBengt Gottfried Forselius at Estonian Writers Online Dictionary The B G Forselius Society Archived 2016 03 04 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bengt Gottfried Forselius amp oldid 1178640095, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
