Liceum Krzemienieckie

Liceum Krzemienieckie (English: "Krzemieniec High School", also called "Volhynian Athens" or "Czacki's School") was a renowned Polish high school, which existed from 1805 to 1831, and then in the interbellum period, from 1922 to 1939.

Beginnings

The school was founded by Tadeusz Czacki (with help from Hugo Kollataj), who in early XIX centrury was director of the school district of three guberniyas of the Russian Empire - Volhynia Guberniya, Podolia Guberniya and Kiev Guberniya. Czacki was ordered to do so by the liberal tsar Alexander II. Russian ruler announced creation of the school on May 18, 1803, it was organized under the supervision of then-thriving Wilno University.

It was located in Krzemieniec, in the buildings of the former Jesuit college and in the palace of the noble family of Wisniowiecki. The school served as an educational center of the southeastern part of former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (see: Partitions of Poland), offering education from elementary through bachelor's degree. Czacki chose Krzemieniec, because it was placed near then Russian-Austrian border, which attracted students from Austrian province of Galicia. Allegedly, he was considering Lutsk, but presence of a Russian garrison was regarded as a handicap. Also, Krzemieniec had a huge advantage over neighboring towns, such as Dubno or Zytomierz - its massive complex of former Jesuit college.

1805-1831

At first, the school was called Volhynian Gymnasium, in 1819 its name was changed to Krzemieniec High School. Among professors were such notable figures as Joachim Lelewel, Jozef Korzeniowski and Euzebiusz Slowacki (father of famous poet Juliusz Slowacki). There was only one foreign professor, Willibald Besser from Austria, who taught botanics and zoology. Czacki, however, demanded that the Austrian teacher brush up on his Polish, as all lessons and lectures were held in Polish. However, not all students were Poles. There were numerous Jews and Ukrainians too.

The school was proud of its library, which was based on the library of king Stanisław August Poniatowski, and which consisted of 34,388 books, maps and manuscripts, some of them very rare. It offered a wide educational program, aimed not only at learning, but also intellectual progress of students. Interesting is the fact that many students learned English, as this language was favored by Adam Czartoryski. Best students were given a chance to continue their education in Edinburgh and universities in England. Amongst those who took advantage of a scholarship in the capital of Scotland, was Michal Wiszniewski, who later became professor of logics.

Tadeusz Czacki dreamed that the school would eventually develop into a university. It quickly grew, establishing its position. Numerous donors helped with their money, and the school had modern astronomical observatory as well as excellent laboratories. Around the complex, there was a well-kept botanical garden, with 8,350 kinds of plents. Seeds were given away for free to land owners across Volhynia.

After it heyday, which was in the 1820s, the school declined and after the November Uprising was liquidated by the Russian authorities, as a reprisal. Several professors as well as the library were transferred to the freshly created Kiev University. The Russians even took the renowned botanical garden, which was carried to Kiev in horse-drawn carts.

1922-1939

In 1920, Józef Piłsudski ordered re-creation of the school. It was opened again in 1922 and soon gained reputation as one of the best schools in the Kresy Wschodnie. It enjoyed a special status as a separate entity, possessing its own real estate. However, it was not a high school only. There were three kindergartens, elementary school, teacher's college, dormitories, two people's universities, agricultural high school and a library.

Facilities were not only limited to Krzemieniec, but were scattered across Dubno and Kowel counties. In 1935 all schools had around 1000 students and Krzemieniec became a cultural and educational center of the Volhynian Voivodeship.

The school was closed by the Soviet occupational authorities in September 1939, after German and Soviet aggression of Poland (see: Polish September Campaign).

Sources

* http://free.art.pl/podkowa.magazyn/nr34/krzemieniec.htm
* [http://plfoto.com/832201/zdjecie.html Photo of the school]
* http://portalwiedzy.onet.pl/64502,,,,liceum_krzemienieckie,haslo.html
* http://www.wspolnota-polska.org.pl/index.php?id=kw5_3_16
* http://encyklopedia.interia.pl/haslo?hid=80901

External links

* http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1802829682/info
* http://www.polishmoviesonline.com/ateny-wolynskie-p-558.html