WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION IN LESKOVAC 1892–1946

Abstract

The Women’s Association in Leskovac was founded in 1892, but it quickly stopped working. At the initiative of Anka Đurović and women from prominent Leskovac families, the Women’s Association started working again, following the example of the Belgrade Women’s Society in 1894. The members of the Women’s Association founded the Radenica School in the same year, and later the Women’s Craft School, where a large number of poor girls learned to sew clothes and dresses. In addition to professional subjects, the school also had general education subjects and took care of the upbringing of female students. The goal of the school was to make women as economically independent as possible. The Women’s Association received significant funds from numerous donors and erected the school and Association building in 1927. The Women’s Association had in its ranks extremely hard-working and dedicated women who excelled in social work. They came together to take care of poor girls, their vocational education and upbringing, and to engage in charitable and humanitarian activities