Teréz Karacs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Teréz Karacs
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 18 April 1808 |
| Died | 2 October 1892 (aged 84) Békés
|
| Nationality | Hungarian |
Teréz Karacs (born April 18, 1808 – died October 2, 1892) was a Hungarian writer, teacher, and a strong supporter of women's rights. She was a very important person in Hungary who worked to make society better, especially for women. She was also a well-known writer. Teréz helped start new ways of teaching girls and even founded the Zrínyi Ilona Grammar School in Hungary.
Contents
Her Early Life
Teréz Karacs was born in Budapest, Hungary, on April 18, 1808. Her mother, Eva Takacs, believed strongly in women's rights. Her father, Ferenc Karacs, was an engraver and engineer. Their home was a place where many smart people, like writers and thinkers, would meet.
Teréz was the second of six children. She went to school in Pest from 1814 to 1819. After that, she mostly taught herself, reading and learning on her own. She also helped take care of her younger brothers and sisters. When she was 16, in 1824, she took a ten-month trip to Vienna. This trip really inspired her and helped her learn even more.
Becoming a Writer and Activist
It was rare for women in the 1800s to be professional writers in Hungary. But Teréz Karacs started publishing her work in 1822. She wrote poems, riddles, and short stories. She became a famous writer in Hungary and often wrote for literary magazines.
From 1838 to 1844, she worked as a housekeeper for a rich family. But she kept writing and publishing her work at the same time. Like her mother, Teréz became a strong voice for women's rights. She believed that boys and girls should have the same chances to get an education. She also thought that single women should be able to work and support themselves.
Starting Schools for Girls
Countess Blanka Teleki was another important woman who wanted to help girls get an education. She invited Teréz Karacs to Budapest. The Countess wanted Teréz to lead a school for girls from wealthy families. Teréz didn't agree with all of the Countess's ideas for the school. However, she still supported the Countess's plan and suggested another woman, Klára Leövey, to lead the school instead.
Between 1846 and 1859, Teréz Karacs ran her own school for girls in Miskolc. This school had four female teachers. The students studied for three years. They learned Hungarian, German, math, housekeeping, and sewing.
During this time, Teréz also helped her community. Before the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 in 1848, she shared revolutionary newspapers with the working people in Diósgyőr. In 1853, she published a collection of romantic short stories.
Teréz was also invited to be a tutor for the grandchild of King Louis Philippe I. She became the head of the Zrínyi Ilona Grammar School for girls in Miskolc, which was run by the Calvinist church. She stayed there until 1859.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1877, Teréz moved to Kiskunhalas to save money and lived with relatives. In the 1880s, her memoirs (stories about her life) were published in journals. People really liked them and praised her writing. Teréz Karacs passed away on October 2, 1892, in Békés, Hungary.
The grammar school that Teréz Karacs founded is still open today. In 1993, a book about her life was published. In 1985, another school in Hungary was named after her: Karacs Teréz Középiskolai Leánykollégium. Her work continues to inspire people.
