The State Educational Institute for Domestic Industry (Statni ustav skolsky pro domacky prumysl)
After establishing Czechoslovakia the tasks of the Vienna institute were taken over by the State Educational Institute for Domestic Industry founded in Prague. Since the school year 1918/1919 it administered 26 lace making schools with 2181 pupils and 3 embroidery schools with 90 pupils. In 1921, other professional-workman like schools were added to them. This institute has a unique position in the development of the Czech lace making. The quality teaching of the lace making technology connected, from the very beginning, through the invention of the artistic personalities, brought success already in 1925 at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris, where the collection of the State Institute won the Grand Prix prize in the exposition of the Czechoslovak vocational schools of arts and Industry.
Three designers of its teachers won also personal appreciation. Honourable mention was awarded to Minka Podhajska, Professor Malinova and Emilie Palickova , who was also awarded the Grand Prix prize. The name of Professor Palickova became a legend in the development of the Czech modern lace making. The first generation of teachers has increased considerably the artistic level of the Czech lace making, and the Institute managed in keeping it till now. Results of the Institute's activities have been presented at many other exhibitions both at home and abroad.
In 1937, the Institute administered 29 State lace making and 6 embroidery making courses with the total number of 1004 pupils. After the Sudeten was separated and during the Czechoslovakia's occupation, the number of courses decreased to only 9 courses with 293 pupils, in 1943 to 7 courses with 195 pupils and, one year later, to 6 courses with 108 pupils. After the war, the Institute's activity was resumed with 8 lace-making and 7 embroidery schools, in 1948 it administrated already 12 lace-making schools (421 pupils) and 6 embroidery schools.
In 1964, the State Educational Institute for the Domestic Industry was renamed as the Educational Institute of Artistic production (Skolsky ustav umelecke vyroby) and, through its new by-law, it was entitled to make also the theoretical education of apprentices of hand artistic fields. At the same time, also administratively, its exclusiveness among other school institutions was acknowledged. The Institute was ranked under the direct management of the Ministry of education. Thus the conditions were improved for collaboration with folk producers and for the edifying work to which also belonged professional organising of the courses of the hobby artistic activities for working people and pupils on the whole territory of Czechoslovakia.
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Since the school year 1965/66, part of the Institute also became the Vocational Artistic and Handicraft School with its first graduates in 1968. For graduates of general secondary schools, a professional education was organised in form of the three-year additional study of the techniques of lace making, embroidery, weaving and drawing preparation. The education led by top professionals has been oriented towards the releasing of the artistic expression of graduates.
Also conservation and restoration of historic textiles has also been
included to the curriculum of the Educational Institute. In 1979, the CSSRs
President granted the "For the merit of construction" award to
the Educational Institute of the Artistic Production. The change in our
Republic's orientation in 1989 has opened frontiers and possible ways to
making contacts also for schools. The Institute has participated in the
exhibition inÝBayeux and, later on, initiated the occurrence of the
first year of the International Meeting of lace makers in Vamberk in 1994
(Mezinarodniho setkani krajkarek ve Vamberku v roce 1994 . Each year, the
Institute has participated in this, already traditional, meeting, as a co-organiser
and exhibitor. Each year, it presents works of both its students and teachers.
In the last years, the financial crisis of the educational sector has touched
also this rare institution which influenced liquidation of some branches,
and the remaining ones are fighting for their existence.