George Matulaitis Journal

216 March 10-22 Whenever I could, I again attended the lectures at the seminary. I noticed that some of the teachers came to class unprepared. The professor who taught Canon Law 1 simply paraphrased the text of the Codex in Polish. I found the same professor in a fourth-year course translating the homilies of the Church Fathers from the breviary with the seminarians. The students were translating some parts rather poorly, while the professor, trying to correct them, made mistakes himself. I visited yet another professor 2 in a second-year course who was translating a letter of St. Ignatius with the seminarians. Here too, the students were doing a poor job, while the professor did not correct them or corrected them inadequately. However, I noticed that this was a gifted teacher, with real talent. The lecture of the Church History professor 3 was very dry and boring; most of the time he was reading from his notes. Then I happened upon another class where he was actually dictating notes to seventh-year seminarians about the Renaissance, but I could see that he was good at examining the students. No courses are being given in algebra, physics, geometry, and cosmography. Engineer Szopa, who is supposed to be teaching these subjects, is a well-known Polish nationalist and activist and has fled to Warsaw with the Legionnaires. It is difficult to find another teacher. For these subjects I had thought of bringing in the priest Dr. Steponavicius, pastor of Sameli kiai, but this could not be done because of the war. I would prefer to have well-qualified priests teach all the subjects at the seminary. After speaking with Father Vaitkevi ius, Father Kraujalis, 4 and the Rector (Canon Uszy==o ), I decided that, for the time being, Father Vaitkevi ius will teach physics and geometry, and Father Kraujalis — algebra and cosmography. Father Kraujalis and Puciata 5 divided 1 Canon Karol Lubianiec. 2 Probably Fr. Stanislaw Mi=kowski , who taught Patrology. 3 Fr. Zygmunt Lewicki. 4 Petras Kraujalis (1882-1933) a graduate of the Theological Academy of St. Petersburg, ordained in 1908. He taught at the Seminary until his death. He was known as an educator and a journalist. 5 Leon Puciata (1884-1943): a Polish priest, ordained in 1911. He had doctorates in theology and phi- losophy. Later, he also lectured at the University of Vilnius and was pastor of St. Anne’s Church.