Vastseliina Schools through ages.

Vastseliina parish (Neuhausen in German) is situated in the south-east of Võru county running as a thin line along the border of Setumaa from the southern border of Räpina parish until Latvia. The development of the Vastseliina parish began in 1626. The schooling of children began with the development of church. The first Lutherian parson was a Finn, Christiem Henrici, who started to work here in 1626. It is possible that there were no parish schools at the time because the whole South Estonia with the exception of towns, belonged into the Catholic Church. So probably the first Lutherian parson was more like a missionary and establisher of the congregation than a regular preacher. We can conclude from the former that there were no schools at that time. The Catholic Church did not develop the public schooling. There were also no orders from the Swedish government on the establishment of parish and manor schools. Vastseliina parish was not Lutherian, we can conclude it from the information in the inspection reports of the church from 1646. It says there that during the year only six people had attended the sacrament. Though the parish school has not been mentioned in these reports, we can assume that there was a parish school here under the Swedish reign According to the words of the former parson of Vastseliina Church, Gustav Masing, the land for Vastseliina church was given by the Swedish government . These lands were usually meant not only to the parson and church clerk but also to parish schools. The oldest church inspection reports from the Russian period tell that there was ¼ ploughland for the parish clerk and ¼ ploughland for school. As those lands were given by the Swedish government we can assume that there was a parish school during the period of Swedish reign. All schools were closed during the Northern War. There is not any certain information on when Vastseliina parish school started to work during the Russian period. It is known that Vastseliina school is one of the oldest in the Võru county. It started to work in 1729 or 1730 in the farmhouse of Vastseliina church clerk. The basis of this assumption is a document found in the Latvian History Archives in Riga. The document was drawn in 1736, 10. January in the location, during the church visitation. It is in Lower German and the school is named there as Neuhause school as Vastseliina parish was known under that name. It says in the document that the children are taught by Kersen who has been doing it for six years. There were 22 pupils at the school. This information became known only in the 1970s. During the republic of Estonia, in 1937, the 200th anniversary of the educational life was celebrated. Johannes Saarniit, the headmaster of the school at that time, wrote for the occasion a booklet – Vastseliina Elementary School 1737 – 1937. The next 250th anniversary was celebrated in the spring of 1984. The celebration based on the document found in the Latvian History Archives. We believe that the beginning of giving education in Vastseliina parish goes back into the Swedish period, about the 2nd half of the 17th century, but so far we have not managed to find any documents in the archives to prove it. In the summer of 1998, when preparing for the educational conference, was found that there is a document in the Latvian History Archives with the information from the church visitation on 17. January, 1725, claiming that Martin Mehlson was at that time the teacher in Vastseliina and Jahn Kersten was the church clerk. So we can tell with certainty that there was a school in Vastseliina in 1725. It is quite certain that if we go on examining these documents even in further detail , we will see that the beginning of giving education in Vastseliina goes back as far as the last decade of the 17th century. At present it is only a guess. There is a documented proof that the giving of education began in 1725 and so in 2000 we can celebrate the 275th anniversary of giving education in Vastseliina with erecting a stone at the present schoolhouse. In 1702 – 1709 pastor Timmermann worked in Kambja. As there was a school already, it is quite possible that on his return from Sweden in 1722 to Vastseliina, he either established a school here or continued to work in the school. He worked as a parson until his death in 1729.

Some facts of interest on the educational life in Vastseliina

1725 – 1944

1725 Martin Mehlson works as a teacher in Vastseliina, Jahn Kersten is the church clerk 1736 There is a church clerk school (Kirchspielschule) in Vastseliina with 22 pupils. In 1735 a house with a barn was built for the church clerk , in one of the rooms the lessons took place. 1765 There is one Church school 1766 – 1767 In winter some village schools were founded in Vastseliina parish, but the number of pupils was extremely small as no books could be given them. 1774 – 1777 There is one Church school in the parish with 59 pupils, 6 manorhouse and village schools with 182 pupils at schools 1780 – 1790 Vastseliina parson would like to have much more schools in the parish. 1784/85 There are 6 manor and village schools and 1 church school. 1785/86 There are 8 manor and village schools. The conditions were unsatisfactory in 4 of them. The most certain examples /data on the children’s knowledge of reading and writing come from Vastseliina parish school. According to the information from parson Marburg, writing was begun to teach at the beginning of his career in vastseliina in 1782. Twelve boys were accepted to school and in addition to religion study, singing and reading they were also taught writing and calculations. The visitation report shows that writing was taught at school and also examples of written texts by 9 boys are added. These nine notebooks are known to be the first among the like and they were made from the paper produced in Räpina Paper Factory Georg Gottfried Marburg (1755 – 1835) came from Germany, he studied at the Leipzg University. In 1777 he came to Riga, later he came to Tartu. He was for a longer period the parson in Vastseliina and later in Rõuge. He published study books for religious study and other books on the topic of religion. His book Ma-rahwa Laste-Kaswatamisest 3,(1797) (On the Educating of Children of the Country People) deserves a lot of attention. In the book he gives reason for the necessity of education, showing the benefits of school education over tutoring at home. He gives advice to the parents on giving practical education and reprimands parents who let their children grow up as if they were some animals. He also advised to respect those above one, parents and laws as well as to fill the obligations one has before the manor and the king. This publication may be considered the first pedagogical book in the Estonian language. 1806 The crops failed and Vastseliina church assembly gave up opening a parish school. They made do with the already existing village schools at village and manor schools children were taught mainly reading and religious study. Children were taught to write only in Vastseliina parish, under the tutorship of Marpurg , who belonged into the generation of more rational theologians. In the winter of 1809 – 1810 writing was taught to 21 pupils in nine manorschools out of ten. In the 19th century the publication of special school readers and study books in different subjects was begun. It shows the spread of the enlightenment into Estonian country schools .The first school reader that was in the South-Estonian language was published by Georg Gottfried Marpurg , the Vastseliina parson, in 1805. The script of the book won an award at a contest and the schooling committee at the university suggested to used it as a study book at schools The first part of the book introduced a child with the surrounding nature of his home. The second part gave a survey of Livonia, Estonia and Russia. Also continents and more important European countries were introduced in this part . some explanations were given on the surrounding natural phenomena.(wind, clouds, rain, snow, etc) The third part of the book taught arithmetic. There was also an overview of the measure units and monetary system used in Russia. The last part of the book gave stories for reading and some agricultural advice, e. g. how to treat one’s animals, how to grow potatoes. There some educating stories, riddles and proverbs, the beginner course in arithmetic and an example of writing. This reader was an original handbook paying attention to different needs of students and teachers. As it was in the South Estonian dialect it could spread only in Tartu and Võru region. It was a universal study book which gave information on different subjects. 1851/52 there were 948 children studying at home in Vastseliina parish. 100 had to go to school, but none of them went to school all the winter long. 1819. The Farmer’s Act from that year said there had to be a parish school in every parish with 2000 inhabitants. The church assembly decided to open a school in 1833. 1862 A house for the school and church clerk was built. 1879 There was a decision to build a house for the parish school, the building work took place 1881 – 1883. 8. October, 1887. Aleksander Undritz began to work in Vastseliina. He worked here until his retirement in 1930. (A. Undritz 9. April 1866 – 29. Nov 1933) 1919/20 The school was renamed the higher elementary school, the school formed the 5-7 year of elementary school. According to the laws by the Constituent Assembly in 1920, all elementary schools were changed into 6-year schools. The first four classes were compulsory to everyone, the last two, 5th and 6th were optional until 1930. They were called the higher grade of the elementary school. The former parish schools were changed into 5 –6 –year schools. 1930 Johannes Saarniit was named the headmaster of the elementary school. During the war J. Saarniit left Vastseliina.

Vastseliina 7-year Incomplete Secondary School.

This school started to work on 5 October, 1944 and the headmistress was Valentina Zopp.
Vastseliina Secondary School 1947-1954 (headmaster Aleksander Linask)
According to the historical information the schooling in Vastseliina began in the 18 century. It has been possible to get secondary education since 1947. During the years school has been an educational source of the environment. Up to the present 1183 young people have got secondary education in Vastseliina Secondary School. In 1947 the incomplete Vastseliina Secondary School was changed into secondary school. School worked in the so-called white schoolhouse, in the old parish schoolhouse left from the war. In 1950-1960 the school worked in two shifts, because the number of pupils increased. The schools development has been during the years relatively peaceful. The first headmaster was Aleksander Linask and the deputy head was Georgi Pet?nikov. There were 48 teachers , 33 women and 15 men. At that time it was often decided on people after their social origin. Time decided and dictated cruelty of people’s actions. The possibilities to decide for oneself were small. Teachers were also too different in their preparation. The number of pupils was suitable for a rural school. The desire to learn was great, both for students and teachers, because teachers did not have higher education and they decided to get higher education by correspondence. The relationship between students and teachers was very good. School life was hard and complicated. In the evening the work took place under paraffin lights. In March 1951 the school got electric light. School’s headmaster and teachers were occupied with a lot of social duties. Teachers started to take part in farm-works. The three first classes in Vastseliina Secondary School were very successful. It is proved by the efficiency of the people who finished these classes. Amongst them there are philosophers, historians, cultural persons, teachers and good working people. Most of them are now retired. Exams took place in spring and in autumn. There wasn't any gym or sportsground, but school, district, town and republican competitions were carried out. Students were absent from school because of illness and lack of clothes and footwear. Pupils went to school on foot or stayed in the hostel. There was a library with 1225 books. There wasn't kitchen at school, only tea was offered. In 1950 a hostel was built across the school house, there were three rooms. Only girls lived there. In 1953 a new hostel was built there were 100 places. Under headmaster A. Linask strong base was formed to Vastseliina Secondary School. During his time there were very good teachers and strict discipline. School economic situation recovered. 59 young people got secondary education. The beginning of Vastseliina Secondary School was great. Everyone had to contribute - teachers, students, parents. Vastseliina Secondary School was a big step in the development of the region.

Vastseliina Secondary school during 1954-1956 (headmistress Irene Einsen).

In 1954 Irene Einsen became the headmistress, because A. Linask didn’t have higher education.
Vastseliina Secondary school during 1956-1963 (headmaster Paul Vardja).
Paul Vardja came to work in Vastseliina Secondary School in 1951. He had elementary classes teacher’s education and he had graduated from the department of education in Tartu University. In July 1956 he became the headmaster of Vastseliina Secondary School. He worked there for 7 years. School remembers that period as a very active one. Watchwords: sport, music and activity. On this period there were 48 teachers in the school, 36 women and 12 men. Since 1959 there was a students enterprice in the school. There was a shop in the school, where students could buy school supplies, cookies and hot food. Students worked as sellers. Students arranged trips with the money they earned. In 1960/61 compulsory 8-year education was established in Vastseliina Secondary school. In 1961/62 production training was introduced. The speciality was the mechanisation of agriculture. In 1962 building work began at Kirikumäe Lake was, where students wanted to build an eating place for pioneers camps. In 1962/63 production room was furnished into the Vastseliina community centre. The same year the work of the students’ enterprice was finished. In sports pupils went in for skiing and volleyball. Teams took part in republican competitions. Volleyball square was made in the forest, later a roof was built over it. There was a mixed choir in the secondary school. Songs were chosen from Estonian classical repertoire. There were also female and mall bands in Vastseliina. In May 1959 the boys choir won at the republican song competition, next year they got second place. Working conditions where very difficult. There wasn’t enough room in the school house. Studies took place in two shifts. There weren’t rooms for teachers and the headmaster. School hostel, opposite the White schoolhouse, was rebuilt for teachers’ apartments. Workhouse for metal-and wood works was constructed, sewing machine was bought. Library had grown bigger than ever before. The students of that period are described as strict and undemanding. Economically people where in very poor condition. The young were disciplined, hard-working and wanted to learn. Teachers valued students’ diligence and willpower. Paul Vardja has said in 1997: “At that time young people were very diligent, but nowadays young are more open and have understanding of life. Who had a little capacities, those got on very well.” Many school-leavers of this period are now in leading jobs. Several are working in share hold companies. Some are farmers and several have chosen teaching career. Some alumni are working in Vastseliina secondary school. In addition to the school students got general knowledge program from working on farms, because one of the subjects was manual training lessons. Besides that students had work practise in spring and autumn on collective farm. The school leavers got into the University very well. Students had more freedom, than they had when Linask was school headmaster. Paul Vardja was a headmaster, who was against senseless prescriptions. He refreshened culture life in school as well as in Vastseliina borough.

Vastseliina secondary school 1963-1965 (headmistress Elsie Mets).

In 1963 became Elsie Mets the new headmistress. There were 29 teachers. The main attention was on individual work. There were teacher’s self-improvement seminars, lead by E. Mets. When Paul Vardja left Vastseliina there wasn’t a music teacher any more, but the situation settled soon, new music teacher Leonid Erik came to work. Metal-, wood-and-sewing classes went on working. Secondary school students were divided by speciality: farmer, tractor driver, machine-operators etc. Two bedrooms were joined in the hostel to have got a chemistry lab. Evening school began its work in Vastseliina secondary school, where working people got secondary education. There were 3331 books in the library. 102 students lived in the school hostel (15 January, 1965), students got hot food in the hostel. On 2 Sept, 1965 E. Mets left and Jüri Naarits became the new headmaster.
Vastseliina Secondary School during 1965-1980. (Headmaster Jüri Naarits)
From 1965 the headmaster of Vastseliina Secondary School was Jüri Naarits who had education in history. School didn’t have some teachers for a while, but that problem was quickly solved. We can say, that Mr Naarits started his work in a very bad situation. Schoolwork took place in three different houses and it was quite complicated. Students and teachers were like tourists. The repairing of White house (schoolhouse) started in 1966 and more educated and young teachers came to Vastseliina. Today we have: Linda Hanimägi (Potolovskaja), Lea Lõiv (Mändik), Zinaida Hanimägi (Kall) and Juta Salmistu. There were 22 teachers in the school and most of them lived in Vastseliina. Their work started boy’s choir, wind instruments orchestra, youth-and children choirs and Helju Müürsepp started with a folk dance group. From 1966/67 the academic progress has increased. Students were successful at different competitions. Many of the school-leavers during 1965-1980 became teachers, doctors, businessmen etc. In 1970 school’s work took place in five different houses and two of them were rented. The new schoolhouse was opened on 1 Sept, 1975. Most of the school- leavers got drivers’ licence, but girls were not interested in it. At that period Russian biased classes started working and girls loved it. Academic progress and pioneer work were very important at school. All the work was based on competition. Those 15 years, when Jüri Naarits was the headmaster of the Vastseliina Secondary School, were active.
Vastseliina Secondary School in 1980-1994 (headmaster Peeter Puusepp)
There where 445 students in the Vastseliina school. Important changes took place among the teachers. The headmaster was Peeter Puusepp, head teacher was Ene-Külli Lokk and Enn Veri took care of out of school activities. Peeter Puusepp paid more attention to agriculture. Boys learned agriculture and girls manual work. All, who wanted, could study at secondary school. On 28 March, 1981 school celebrated its 250th anniversary. In 1983/84 schools team took part in a TV quiz “Turniir” and won the first place. It was a great honour for a small school. In 1984/85 the schools team got the second place. In 1983 the school’s history museum was opened. On 1 September, 1984 a 6-year-old kids preparation class started working. In 1989 computer class was opened and school week became 5 days long. In 1991/92 students exchange between Vastseliina and Naaka school in Finland started. In 1992 two of our students went to study in Sweden for two weeks. The conference on the research of local history is held since 1991. Its an annual event that take place before the anniversary day, of the Estonian Republic. Every year is freshmen’s night. Puusepp paid much attention to the development schools economy, to working out schools curriculum and vocational education.

Vastseliina Secondary School from 1994 up to the present (Heiki Ojala is director).

Heiki Ojala was chosen the headmaster of Vastseliina Secondary School in August 1994. Heiki Ojala has graduated from Tartu University and he has got a diploma in psychology. H. Ojala made changes. His aim was to make the work more academic. Students must have possibility to go abroad not only on a trip but also to study. In secondary classes free- and optional classes were given to production training. In schools money is divided per students. Vastseliina Secondary School’s staff decided to join secondary classes and enlarge the number of lessons of foreign language and computer science. Director H. Ojala´s most important enterprises: school’s statute was worked out and changes were made in the house regulations. In 1993 Vastseliina Adult Education Society for complement study was created at Vastseliina Secondary School. There is possibility to study languages, computer, handwork and wood processing. The courses are working in the evenings. In 1994 Vastseliina parish decided to take a loan from the World Bank and a contemporary boiler-house was built for Vastseliina Secondary School. In 1996 the schoolhouse got a new tin roof. In Nov 1996 teachers from Koblenz grammar school in Germany visited our school. In 1996/1997 Vastseliina Secondary School’s museum was renovated. In autumn 1997 the former biology class was built into a reading room. Computer classes were widened. School has contemporary computers. In 1997 Vastseliina Secondary School was connected to Internet. In June 1997 a joint project with Denmark Students was carried out, 20 Danish students visited Estonia. In spring 1997 school-leavers took national final exams. They had to choose three state exams. There are friendship and students’ exchange programmes with a Valkeakoski school in Finland and Arjangi Kommunty in Sweden, Petseri and Ape school. In 1994 the students’ council was called for first time with the aim to give students possibility to take part in working out the ideas how to make the school life more interesting. There is a newspaper “Kooli Teataja” edited by students. The tradition of “Krabide ristimine”, a party for school-leavers, was begun. There are different hobby- clubs in the school: dancing club, boys´ wood-processing, boys´ basketball, volleyball, boys´ choir, children’s choir, and folk dancing clubs. Annually, before the anniversary of the Estonian Republic, a conference on research of local history is held. At the conference students speak of their research papers. These works are taken to the school museum. The school is member of B. G. Forselius Society. On Nov 1997 alumni and teachers gathered to school to have a party and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vastseliina Secondary School. The Ministry of Education of Estonian Republic has worked out a new state curriculum. The 4th, 7th and 10th classes started in 1997/98 the studies according to the new curriculum. The school must work out its own curriculum.

Vastseliina Gymnasium.

According to the law of the Basic and Secondary school of the Estonian Republic, the name of Vastseliina Secondary School was changed intoVastseliina Gymnasium on 1st Sept, 1998. A new flag and a logo were designed for the school. Renaming of the school was not just relabelling the school. It also meant a change in the ways of educating pupils. In 1997 the first classes of the lower secondary school level were opened. It gave the possibility to start teaching at different level of complexity. The pupils had the right to move from one level to another according to their results in studying and their own wish. During these three years pupils and their parents have confirmed the necessity of this kind of educating. There are working two groups for children who need additional help in learning. Meetings for children who are coming to school in autumn and their parents also take place regularly. It has become a tradition in the Gymnasium part of the school to write research papers on the history of local region or people. Since 1989 the research has undergone several stages of development .A lot of interesting material has been collected and more than 200 hundred research papers have been compiled. Several works have been published. In 1999/2000 the pupils of the 7th form also started writing research papers under the title Estonian Family and Home in the 20th Century. On 8.December Vastseliina Gymnasium got the direct connection with Internet (64kb). From 1999/2000 all school levels are working according to the national curriculum adopted in 1996. There are going on partnership and pupils’ exchange programmes with a Valkeakoski school in Finland and Årjäng Commune in Sweden. Together with Misso Gymnasium we have given humanitarian aid to Petseri 3rd Secondary School in Russia. With the participation of 6 countries (Greece, Lithuania, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Estonia) COMENIUS 1 project is being carried out. Vastseliina Gymnasium is acting as a co-ordinator. A joint work on the research of local history, environmental problems and ANT (alcohol, narcotics and tobacco) will be carried out. In 1998 a new room for children who have to stay to school for longer hours, was redecorated. The whole project cost 70 000 kroons. At the same time the building of cloakroom was started. In the framework of saving energy the windows of the classrooms on the second floor were changed. (150 000 kroons) In June, 1999 the school’s canteen was renovated.(1.1 mill. kroons) In the primary school )0 per cent of the pupils have adjustable chairs. The renewal of blackboards and lightning of the classroom still goes on. In the plan of development of the Võru region, 5 million kroons have been meant to invest into the development of Vastseliina Gymnasium in 2003.