Historical studies of the Vilnius University (founded in 1579), enlisting subjects, names and facts sometimes cover a more vide range of the academic activities, including a description of academic respite. The leisure in 19th ct was much different from its forms in 21th. Here we would like to present a newspaper Wiadomosci Brukowe (Pavement News), issued during 1816–1822 in Vilnius. It was secretly published from the first issue. From 1817 it was issued by an informal society Rascals. The society itself deserves a special survey, but we would like to give only some facts: almost all members were the respectable professors of the university or honourable community representatives. The idea of a society was “humour and good temper”. The special fact about the society was secrecy – they used names from Lithuanian mythology to sign their articles in Wiadomosci Brukowe. Prof. Andrew Sniadecki (1768–1838) was one of the editors and author of many articles. Wiadomosci Brukowe was a weekly satiric newspaper, first of such sort issues in Lithuania. It was founded by a Ignacy Emanuel Lachnicki (1793–1826) and Kazimir Kontrim (1777–1836), since 1817 was issued by a society Rascals. The newspaper was disseminated in Lithuania, Poland, Russia. Authors did their best to mock on the faults of a society, greed, drinking, etc. Their special gun was satire, sometimes it was very sharp. The paper will present content analysis of the newspaper, as a platform to comment latest events of society life, also including comments by University professors.

1. Publishing a magazine
Pavement News – a respite for
the old Vilnius University
academia
Dr. Birutė Railienė and dr. Jadvyga
Olechnovičienė
Wroblewski Library of Lithuanian Academy of
Sciences, Vilnius
28th Conference on Baltic History of Sciences.
May 18-20, 2017. Tartu, Estonia

4. Pavement News
• “Pavement News, or a Conversation
Between Big X and Small X on the
Square Between the Town Hall”
(“Wiadomosci Brukowe Czyli rozmowa na
Placu pod Ratuszem Wielkiego X z
Małym x”).
• “Pavement News, or Strall on Castle
Mountain” (“Wiadomosci Brukowe czyli
przechadzka na zamkowej górze”).

7. • On February 11, 1817, a society Towarzystwo
Szubrawców (Engl - Society of Rascals) was
established.

8. Codex
§3 Scope of the societies activities and targets for satire:
• 1. Alcoholism: the indiscriminate use of intoxicating
liquor was injurious to health and constituted a bad
example to the youth;
• 2. Playing cards, billiards and other excitable games,
with the resultant neglect to work and loss of time,
honour and fortune;
• 3. Litigiousness (a desire to bring issues to court) was
named a national fault, destroying families and
fortunes;
• 4. Vain boasting about the titles of one’s family and of
connections with wealthy houses, as well as seeking an
office without having a desire or ability to fulfil its
duties;
• Etc.

9. Emblem of Szubrawcy

10. Spade withthe inscription tacere
qui nescit, nescit loqui (lat. –
who does not know how to keep
silent, does not know how to
talk).

11. Meeting place

12. Meeting place

13. Meeting place

14. Cenzorship, price

15. Subjects covered in PN
• One of the aims with which Szubrawcy were
concerned was general attack upon existing
social conditions ;
• The writings in Pavement News met public’s
demand for jokes and witticism ;
• Subjects were discussed in Codex;
• Papers on “hot” topics were welcome from
society;
• Etc.

17. Ridento castigare mores
Happy 200 anniversary !!!