Privata bidrag till folkskolan : Järnbruken och det svenska folkskoleväsendet 1850–1930

Sammanfattning: The aim of this thesis is to examine private subsidies provided to the Swedish elementary school system at national, regional and local level, centered on a study of ironworks in the province of Uppland during the period 1850–1930. The main research questions concern the elites’ attitude to public education, why the wealthy donated to education, and the interactions between the school system and private subsidies. This study has explored source materials from the parishes and the ironworks’ archives, the Nordic Museum’s collection with preserved testimonies from ironworks environments, as well as with records from Statistics Sweden.My investigation has shown that the wealthy owners of ironworks continued to fund schooling during the investigated period, despite the Elementary School Act of 1842. While these contributions were marginalized in relative terms due to increased contributions from the state and municipalities, they were not reduced in nominal amounts. On a local level, they could even increase. Thus, I have argued that this private funding was not crowded out during the period under investigation. I have also shown that while private contributions on average were of minor importance at the national level, they could continue to play a major role at the local level.The reasons behind this continued support for schooling were many. Contrary to the parishes’ schools, which hampered the children’s participation in farm work, the ironworks schools were well integrated in the ironwork’s operations; schools were used as a kind of labour buffer during the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The schools were also used as instruments of discipline, care and control over the workers children, and could strengthen the donor’s reputation. Although the ironworks contributed to the funding of mass schooling during the period under investigation, this thesis has consequently shown that the ironworks were rewarded for their efforts.