EN
The surviving sources for the history of parochial school system in Mazovia, both of church and state provenance, are diverse but also damaged and dispersed. Their analysis provides a picture of parochial school system, as well as political, economic, social and cultural conditions, which either stimulated or hampered education devel-opment process. The subject of elementary school system in the 18th and 19th century remains open for researchers. The high cognitive value of the subject is determined by fundamental changes in school system at that time, which lie at the basis of contempo-rary educational system. The reorganisation of the school system termed as primary, elementary or – in former times – parochial, together with the introduction of new teaching programmes, textbooks and teaching staff undoubtedly constituted a process spread in time. It can very well be shown on the example of the parish in Cieksyn, which did not have an organised educational institution from the end of the 17th centu-ry until 1870. It is worth noticing, however, that in accordance with government acts the institution of School Supervision was created and an attempt at establishing an elementary school was made. Moreover, school issues were touched upon in various controlling and reporting documents of the parish activity, both on the church and state side. The lack of school did not mean the lack of education. The wealthiest landowners employed private teachers, the more affluent gentry and the richer peas-ants sent their children to neighbouring schools. Pedagogical activity of the parish organist constituted an alternative form of schooling. A separate issue is the well organised educational system at that time among protestant population, which was numerous in the area of the parish.