How the influenza pandemic 1918/19 affected teacher education and schools in several ways − a case study from Switzerland

Abstract

ABSTRACT Outbreaks of respiratory infections have impact on schools. The present article draws upon sources from the school archives of the former teachers’ seminary Muristalden in the city of Bern in Switzerland. The aim is to ascertain how the various pandemic waves 1918/1919 affected school operations and the people living at Muristalden. During the summer wave 1918 (Phase A), the summer vacations were extended until end of August 1918 to limit infection spread. During the strong second wave in the autumn/winter 1918 (Phase B), the entire autumn quarter was cancelled. However, as this wave coincided with the General Strike in November 1918, during which Muristalden was occupied by the military, many families living at the seminary became ill due to the high prevalence of flu among soldiers. A kind of distance learning was instituted by requiring students to complete homework. At the beginning of 1919 (Phase C), when most of the official measures had been lifted again, considerable gaps in students’ knowledge became evident. Those seminarians who had not yet suffered from the flu became ill within a very short time. This rapid spread resulted in many and long absences, hindering regular teaching and learning. The epidemic resulted in very few fatalities at Muristalden but many seminarians had to struggle with longer-termed after-effects. While the Muristalden case study is just one piece of a jigsaw that many have forgotten, together with other case studies it will contribute to a better understanding of past pandemics and their impacts on education.