Ferenc Földes Secondary School
Encyclopedia
Ferenc Földes Secondary School is a secondary school
in Miskolc
, Hungary
. It is famous for being one of the best secondary schools of the country.
The school came into being in 1953 with the unification of György Fráter Catholic Secondary School and József Lévay Protestant Secondary School. As a successor of these renowned institutions it has a history of more than 450 years.
The Protestant Secondary School was first mentioned in 1560 by Jenő Zoványi, in a work about the history of Protestantism
in Hungary. In 1731 supervision over the school was given to the Roman Catholic Church
. In 1881 the primary school was separated from the secondary school. In 1944, during the German occupation of the country the building was used for military purposes, and the school could move back only in 1946. On July 15, 1948, like all other schools in Hungary at the time, it was expropriated
by the State.
The other predecessor, the Catholic Secondary School was founded in 1729 by Didák Kelemen, a monk of the Minorite order. Its first building was a small one with only two classrooms. It stood on today's Kazinczy Street, not far from the present building of the school. During the following 100 years the institution had to move several times, since its building was destroyed for various reasons on numerous occasions. During the war of independence in 1848-49 the building was used as part of a military hospital. The big flood of 1878
damaged the building, and the school lost its library of several thousand books.
In 1886 the it went into state property, and was renamed Royal Catholic Secondary School. Between 1910 and 1911 the new building of the school – designed by Gyula Orczy – was built on Heroes Square and the same building is used by the school since then.
From 1914 to 1916 there was a military hospital in the building. In 1922 the school took the name of György Fráter because of a new law made in the previous year mandating that all secondary schools have to be named after important persons in Hungarian history. In 1936 it already had 946 students, which made it the second largest school in Hungary.
During World War II
a military hospital used the building again, and in 1944 it was hit by a bomb. The school could move back only in 1945, but in 1949 it had to move out again, because the Ministry gave the building to the newly formed Technical University (the predecessor of today's University of Miskolc
.) In 1952 the university moved to the newly built district, University Town
, and the secondary school – which took the name of Ferenc Földes in 1950 – got its building back.
In 1953 the two schools were united. The school bears the name of Földes ever since then, except for a short period during the Revolution in 1956
, when it bore the name of István Széchenyi
. Since the end of the Socialist era (1989) debates over name change arise every now and then, mostly because Földes was a Communist
, but it is unlikely the name of the school will be changed, since it is kind of a trademark by now, and virtually the only thing Ferenc Földes is known about is that the school is named after him. Földes did not live during the Socialist era but earlier, when being a Communist meant being opposed to Fascism
.
In 1991 the Földes Secondary School was the first secondary school of the city to start six-year courses. (In the past decades Hungarian children spent 8 years in primary school, which was followed by 4 years in secondary school. In the 1990s several secondary schools started six-year courses, where students could apply after they've spent six years in primary school, and eight-year courses, where they could apply after 4 years in primary school – see Education in Hungary
for further details. Currently Földes Secondary School doesn't plan starting eight-year courses.)
In the early 2000s the school received government funding and was able to expand the building. This solved the problem of insufficient space in the building, which previously compounded by the introduction of six-year courses and dividing students into smaller groups for foreign language classes. The new wing has a new gym, larger and more modern than the three gyms in the old part of the building, and a larger library. Construction was finished in 2003.
Among the traditions of the school are the Földes Ball and the "Day of Culture" when students perform plays and music.
Source: A Földes Ferenc Gimnázium Évkönyve, 2002 ("Yearbook of the Ferenc Földes Secondary School, 2002"; ed. Kovácsné Szeppelfeld Erzsébet, Jobbágy László, Dr. Puskás István)
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Miskolc
Miskolc
Miskolc is a city in northeastern Hungary, mainly with heavy industrial background. With a population close to 170,000 Miskolc is the fourth largest city of Hungary It is also the county capital of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and the regional centre of Northern Hungary.- Geography :Miskolc is located...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. It is famous for being one of the best secondary schools of the country.
History
The Protestant Secondary School was first mentioned in 1560 by Jenő Zoványi, in a work about the history of Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
in Hungary. In 1731 supervision over the school was given to the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. In 1881 the primary school was separated from the secondary school. In 1944, during the German occupation of the country the building was used for military purposes, and the school could move back only in 1946. On July 15, 1948, like all other schools in Hungary at the time, it was expropriated
Confiscation
Confiscation, from the Latin confiscatio 'joining to the fiscus, i.e. transfer to the treasury' is a legal seizure without compensation by a government or other public authority...
by the State.
The other predecessor, the Catholic Secondary School was founded in 1729 by Didák Kelemen, a monk of the Minorite order. Its first building was a small one with only two classrooms. It stood on today's Kazinczy Street, not far from the present building of the school. During the following 100 years the institution had to move several times, since its building was destroyed for various reasons on numerous occasions. During the war of independence in 1848-49 the building was used as part of a military hospital. The big flood of 1878
Flood in Miskolc, 1878
The Hungarian city of Miskolc lies on the drainage area of the river Sajó and the stream Szinva. Both the river and the stream played an important part in the development of the city, but during great rains they also meant danger...
damaged the building, and the school lost its library of several thousand books.
In 1886 the it went into state property, and was renamed Royal Catholic Secondary School. Between 1910 and 1911 the new building of the school – designed by Gyula Orczy – was built on Heroes Square and the same building is used by the school since then.
From 1914 to 1916 there was a military hospital in the building. In 1922 the school took the name of György Fráter because of a new law made in the previous year mandating that all secondary schools have to be named after important persons in Hungarian history. In 1936 it already had 946 students, which made it the second largest school in Hungary.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a military hospital used the building again, and in 1944 it was hit by a bomb. The school could move back only in 1945, but in 1949 it had to move out again, because the Ministry gave the building to the newly formed Technical University (the predecessor of today's University of Miskolc
University of Miskolc
The University of Miskolc is the largest university of Northern Hungary.-Location:...
.) In 1952 the university moved to the newly built district, University Town
University Town (Miskolc)
Egyetemváros is the part of Miskolc, Hungary where the buildings of the University of Miskolc stand.Its area is approximately 850.000 m² and can be found between the Avas hill and Miskolctapolca...
, and the secondary school – which took the name of Ferenc Földes in 1950 – got its building back.
In 1953 the two schools were united. The school bears the name of Földes ever since then, except for a short period during the Revolution in 1956
1956 Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian Revolution or Uprising of 1956 was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the government of the People's Republic of Hungary and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956....
, when it bore the name of István Széchenyi
István Széchenyi
Széchenyi committed suicide by a shot to his head on April 8, 1860. All Hungary mourned his death. The Academy was in official mourning, along with the most prominent persons of the leading political and cultural associations...
. Since the end of the Socialist era (1989) debates over name change arise every now and then, mostly because Földes was a Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, but it is unlikely the name of the school will be changed, since it is kind of a trademark by now, and virtually the only thing Ferenc Földes is known about is that the school is named after him. Földes did not live during the Socialist era but earlier, when being a Communist meant being opposed to Fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
.
In 1991 the Földes Secondary School was the first secondary school of the city to start six-year courses. (In the past decades Hungarian children spent 8 years in primary school, which was followed by 4 years in secondary school. In the 1990s several secondary schools started six-year courses, where students could apply after they've spent six years in primary school, and eight-year courses, where they could apply after 4 years in primary school – see Education in Hungary
Education in Hungary
-The social environment of education:The decline of Hungary's population that started in 1981 has also continued in recent years. According to the 2001 census, the population of Hungary was 10,198,000, about half a million less than the figure of twenty years earlier. By 2005 the population dropped...
for further details. Currently Földes Secondary School doesn't plan starting eight-year courses.)
In the early 2000s the school received government funding and was able to expand the building. This solved the problem of insufficient space in the building, which previously compounded by the introduction of six-year courses and dividing students into smaller groups for foreign language classes. The new wing has a new gym, larger and more modern than the three gyms in the old part of the building, and a larger library. Construction was finished in 2003.
Among the traditions of the school are the Földes Ball and the "Day of Culture" when students perform plays and music.
Source: A Földes Ferenc Gimnázium Évkönyve, 2002 ("Yearbook of the Ferenc Földes Secondary School, 2002"; ed. Kovácsné Szeppelfeld Erzsébet, Jobbágy László, Dr. Puskás István)