EN
Canons Regular of the Lateran Congregation have been present in Poland since the turn of the 11th – 12th century. In times of Old Poland they had six provostries in Little Poland – at the parish of Corpus Christi Church in Kazimierz near Cracow, in Kłobuck with a sub-sidiary in Truskolasy, in Kraśnik, in Kurozwęki, in Sucha Beskidzka with a subsidiary in Krzeszów and in Wolbrom with a subsidiary in Dłużec. All those centers functioned to-gether with parishes, at which – in turn – schools existed. Some schools, as for example those in Cracow or Wolbrom, had been founded before the parish was taken over by the Canons Regular, others were organised under their management. The compilation of the obtained source data concerning those schools in times of Old Poland shows quite clearly that their history and activity was closely connected with the history of the country, the history of the Catholic Church and the history of the Order. Even at the beginning of the 17th century the schools resembled in their form the medieval school model. The reform of the Order and its institutions carried out by provost Marcin Kłoczyński (1612-1644) result-ed in introducing Tridentine decisions in schools, as well as some elements borrowed from the Jesuits and Piarists. Wars and the crisis of the half of the 17th century did not signifi-cantly influence the activity of canon schools in Little Poland. It is only in the 18th century that we can speak about unsatisfactory condition of the schools, which, however, can be explained not by the Order’s lack of care, but by wars and economic breakdown. The remaining records of monastic visitations quite often mention that the convent’s income was so small that sometimes it did not suffice for its daily maintenance. As a rule the ad-ministrative positions were held by clerks with university education. They usually had a permanent salary and the right of board and lodging in the convent. The school to deserve most merit out of all schools managed by Canons Regular in Little Poland in the times of Old Poland, is the one at the Corpus Christi Convent in Kazimierz near Cracow.