Pochodnia

Pochodnia (Polish: Torch, full name: the Association for the Promotion of Culture and Education "Torch", Towarzystwo Popierania Kultury i Oświaty "Pochodnia") was a cultural association of Poles in Lithuania. The first chairman was Wiktor Budzyński (1924-1935), succeeded by Jan Przeździecki and Czesław Mackiewicz. Its activities included education, libraries, theatre, museums, exhibitions, press and literature. Its most important activity was school and after school education. It managed a number of preschools and private primary schools. In 1935 it managed 19 Polish afterschool cultural centers (Świetlica polska) with over 12,000 participants, and the central library with 115 library outlets.