This study presents the science policies of Hungary, 1867\,--\,1910, and examines to what extent those policies shaped the scientific commitments of the first generation of scientists in Hungary. The author introduces members of the first generation of scientists, including their education, motivation and scientific achievements and then presents a historical interpretation of the emergence of secondary and higher education in Hungary. He documents personal testimonies of this generation and the role of their teachers. Based on these sources, the book offers an evaluation of the role of educational and science policies in Hungary in the scientific engagements of the first generation.