The Varga Katalin Gymnasium () is a secondary school in Szolnok, Hungary established in 1930, which was named after Katalin Bánffy between 1936 and 1951. It is located in the former Obermayer-Hubay apartment house, which is one of the oldest buildings in the town. Its address is Szabadság tér 6, near the confluence of the Tisza and Zagyva rivers.
The school is home to four basic courses of study, outlined in detail below, including one of the country's oldest Hungarian-English bilingual programs (wherein math, physics, biology and history are taught in English). In addition, it was one of the founding schools of the Arany János Program for Talented Youth. At the end of the 1970s the school was the sole location in Hungary of UNESCO research. The rate of acceptance to higher education is consistently above 85%. The school is also well known for its international relations, international programs, and innovative educational policy.
History On 4 July 1930, the Hungarian Ministry of Religion and Public Education decided to found the Royal Hungarian School for Girls of Szolnok; on 7 July the establishment of the school was authorized by Minister of Culture Count Kunó von Klebelsberg. The first headmaster of the school was Géza Wollek, who was also headmaster of Szolnok's Verseghy Ferenc Gymnasium at the time; the school's first teacher was Dr. Ilona Vatter. The school was the second school for higher education of girls in Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok County. The school's foundation had been urged by the city's main doctor, Dr. István Elek, in the name of women's rights. He helped additionally with the donation of 250 pengős. The educational institution form lyceum was chosen instead of gymnasium because the founders thought that the Latin language was unnecessary and difficult for the girls.
Teaching began 1 September 1930, in the building which today houses Szolnok's Belvárosi Primary School, thanks to the assistance of Headmistress Elvira Ellmann. The present school building was first used in 1932, the same year in which the school was moved from the Outer Budapest school district to the Debrecen school district. On 1 February 1935, Dr. György Kurucz became headmaster of the school, effectively establishing its autonomy. By popular request, Latin was again taught, which elevated the school to the status of gymnasium, however, the subject of how the girls' education should proceed remained a topic for the local media for years. Instruction in Latin continued to be offered until 2008. In 1936 the school was named for Katalin Bánffy (Hung: Bánffy Katalin) with the official name Royal Hungarian Bánffy Katalin Gymnasium for Girls. The first Matura school-leaving exams were held in 1938. During the Second World War the school building was damaged, but classes were held in Verseghy Ferenc Gymnasium.
In 1951 the school was renamed, this time after Transylvanian noblewoman Katalin Varga, with the name Varga Katalin General Gymnasium for Girls. The original name was retained, however, in the name of the school's endowment (Bánffy Katalin – Varga Katalin Endowment). In 1957 Szolnok's first Young Communist League was founded here. Due to a growing student body, first two classes and later four were required to attend classes in the afternoon; in 1962 a number of teachers and students were split from Varga and founded Szolnok's Tiszaparti Secondary School. Around this time the school also became coeducational, and hence received its current name, Varga Katalin Gymnasium.
In 1970 the structure of the faculty began to be developed, and by September 1971 it was operating at such a high level that it began a standard throughout Hungary. In the 1977–1978 school year, on the recommendation of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences' Pedagogic Research Section, Varga was chosen by UNESCO's Institute for Education as the location of ongoing educational research under the leadership of Dr. Ottó Mihály and Dr. József Bernáth. The research was focused on the concept of lifelong learning, which is one of the key educational principles of the European Union. At the same time, between 1971 and 1981, Varga was also used as a testing ground for the early Matura exams. Subjects such as orientation, family studies and others were taught experimentally. One of the more successful projects was the so-called studium generale subject, which included library studies, learning methodology, psychology (self-awareness, creativity), logic, rhetoric, and debate.
During the 1970s Varga upheld its outstanding literary traditions by hosting a number of great Hungarian writers, poets, and critics: József Darvas, Mihály Czine, Sándor Koczkás, Imre Bata, István Simon, László Nagy, Anna Jókai, Sándor Csoóri, Ferenc Sánta, Katalin Berek, Adrienne Jancsó, Lajos Cs. Németh, Ferenc Kállai, János Kass, Gyula László and Júlia Marosi.
In 1988 the Hungarian-English Bilingual Education program was introduced (as a four-year course of study, as opposed to five-year programs in other Hungarian schools), and in 2000 the Arany János Program for Talented Youth was initiated by the Hungarian Ministry of Education. Because of the introduction of the bilingual program, the school's name also became bilingual in 2007. The school was the seat of the national Model European Parliament in 2004, and the regional seat in 2009. Also in 2009 Varga hosted students from around Europe as part of the Comenius Physics Program.
Building
The neoclassical building which now houses the Varga was originally constructed in 1856. According to the database of the Cultural Heritage Office, the building's original function was as the Obermayer-Hubay block of flats, built by master carpenter Lajos Obermeyer and bought by Ferenc Hubay in 1860. Since 1881 the property has served the city of Szolnok, first as a court of law, from 1891 as a post office, and from 1932 as the location of the school.
The L-shaped three-storied building was situated on a corner, enclosing the area inside it; it had a basement, pitched roof, and glass-covered arches facing the inner courtyard. Since then, an attic was also added, and the "new wing" was added, changing the building from L-shaped to the shape of a lop-sided U. The building is slightly raised from street level. The windows on the ground floor are arched, on the upper floors straight capped with lintels. The ceilings in the ground floor are vaulted; in the upper floors flat. The stairwell inside the "old wing" contains a cast iron handrail. When the school took possession of the building, the stairwell was enlarged, but under careful supervision in respect to the building's status as a protected historical monument.
In 1932 when the institution first moved into the building, it was intended to be a temporary home. The convention at the time of founding stipulated that "Szolnok shall receive a girls' gymnasium only if the city provides a suitable building and equipment." This "suitable building" was never found, so since 1932 the school has not moved. The building's inadequate number of appropriate classrooms and equipment has continued even today to be a frequently discussed point between the school and the city.
Initially only part of the building was given to the school; in other parts there remained tenants, a separate music school, kindergarten, and a wind band. On 1 August 1935, the entirety of the building was given over to the gymnasium. Year by year, the building was improved. During the 1937–198 school year the school received a gym, which was expanded to include dressing rooms and work-out rooms. When the gym was built at the back of the school's property, it abutted another outlying building belonging to the school. This small house, formerly used as teachers' quarters, and now home to the P.E. offices and a classroom, is also under historical preservation due to it being the birthplace of Dr. Kálmán Balogh, a famous Hungarian pharmaceutical scientist. The roof of the gym was renovated in 2008.
In 1940 the structural beams of the building were renovated, but even so two evacuations were necessary before 1962. During the Second World War the building was heavily damaged; years later a live bomb was found among the beams.
The "new wing" was built in 1989, at which time the school gained new classrooms, a cafeteria, a lobby, and a student lounge, and the internal courtyard was also widened. This new wing replaced what had formerly been a chemist's and a block of flats.
Library The school's library stood at 2221 volumes in 1944, all of which were destroyed during World War II. After the war, the library again increased by the donations of the students; by 1959 2278 volumes had been collected. The library became fully functioning when the structure of faculty came into use in 1972. Since then a Reading Room was also added, and in 1980 the number of volumes stood at 12,197. Nowadays library studies are taught in the school and a Library Club operates in the school.
Headmasters The school's headmasters and headmistresses: Headmasters Years 1. Géza WollekIn 1930 the Ministry of Religion and Public Education entrusted the leadership of the school to the headmaster of the city's Gymnasium for Boys. Only five years later did the school begin operating independently. 1930–1935 2. Dr. György Kurucz 1935–1941 3. János Andor 1941–1944 4. István Valent 1944–1945 5. Ágoston Nevelős 1946–1947 6. Lajos Balogh 1947–1948 7. Ilona Mohácsi 1948–1949 8. Ilma Miklósi, Mrs. János Szalay 1949–1957 9. Éva Szívós, Mrs. András Cseh 1957–1962 10. Dr. Gizella Lakatos, Mrs. Dr. László Bartha 1962–1969 11. Dr. János Páldi 1969–1985 12. Julianna Lukács, Mrs. Lajos Botka 1985–2002Mrs. Botka also served as Mayor of Szolnok from 2002 to 2006. 13. László Molnár 2002–2003 (as deputy)2003–2025 14. Mónika Kedves 2025-
Courses of study
Earlier The school has always offered instruction at a gymnasium level, but the precise courses of study have varied. When the grades were first divided, one class followed a science-based curriculum, the other a humanities-based curriculum. In 1957 when a third class was added it was also science-focused. In 1959 a fourth technical course of study was added. A German-Russian language curriculum was introduced in 1966. From 1970, after the restructuring of the faculty system, the classes were assigned distinguishing letters based on their chosen course of study.
Technical course
Distinguishing letter D Length of study 4 years
Of the programs of study which existed before the 1980s, the most is known about this one. The technical course was initiated in the 1959–1960 school year, the same year when the school began its tradition of having 4 courses of study. The idea was to provide students the opportunity to find their way in a world experiencing rapid technological growth, as well as giving them a practical and theoretical insight into economic life. They were also exposed to agriculture; for them the typical six-day school week was shortened to five days, and the remaining day was spent on-site at Szolnok's Horticultural Company. After four years, the students received a diploma along with their school leaving certificate.
Math-German program Distinguishing letter D Length of study 4 years
In the ninth and tenth grades both German and Math were taught at an advanced level; in the 11th grade the students decided for themselves individually in which direction they would like to continue their advanced studies. In the tenth grade the students were encouraged to take part in a student exchange with students from Reutlingen, Germany. The number of applicants to this program steadily declined; half of the class which began in 2007 chose English as their main language over German. It was the final class of this program.
Current programs Currently there are four classes in every year:
Arany János Program for Talented Youth Distinguishing letter A Length of study 5 years