Edward Zharsky as a chronicler of educational life in the Ukrainian North American diaspora of the third wav

Abstract

The article presents the author’s reflection on a part of the pedagogical legacy of one of the authoritative leaders in the introduction and development of Ukrainian-language schools in the settlements of Ukrainian migrants on the North American continent in the second half of the twentieth century – Edward Zharsky (1906–2003).

In the context of the challenges of the period of martial law caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine, there is a renewed relevance in turning to the theoretical and practical achievements of the Western diaspora in educating true patriots of Ukraine within a foreign-language environment – individuals who have embraced the national and cultural values and traditions of the Ukrainian people and who today actively support their ancestral homeland.

The purpose of the article is to reveal the significance of Edward Zharsky’s contribution to presenting organizational initiatives for the development and dissemination of Ukrainian schooling in the North American territories inhabited by Ukrainians during the third wave of emigration (from 1945 to the 1990s).

It is demonstrated that among the diaspora educators and activists of the twentieth century, E. Zharsky’s figure stands out, first, for his outstanding experience in organizing and implementing Ukrainian studies education abroad; second, for his accumulation of nationally oriented pedagogical knowledge and educational practice; and third, for us, his contemporaries, as an important witness and chronicler of the educational life of the diaspora. Most importantly, he serves as an example of responsible commitment to the national idea. Therefore, his assertion that migrant teachers understood that the fate of the Ukrainian people depends on ensuring the upbringing of Ukrainian youth in the spirit of national self-identification and the preservation of memory of their people’s history, culture, and traditions is considered highly substantiated and valuable today.