Tallinn Secondary School of Science () is a gymnasium in Tallinn, Estonia.
The school is a member of the G5 Union of Schools which comprises what some call the "elite Tallinn city centre schools": Tallinn English College, Tallinn French School, Gustav Adolf Grammar School, Tallinn School No. 21.
History
Establishment In the second half of the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution reached Russia, including Estonia. The abolition of Tallinn's fortress zone in 1857 and the opening of the Baltic railway in 1870 gave Tallinn’s trade and industry the opportunity for strong development. Because of this, there was a need to reform the current education system. In 1872, a school law was issued in Russia, on the basis of which a new type of school was established in addition to the existing ones. Linking the need for a new educational institution to the 200th anniversary of Peter the Great's birth in the same year, the school was named Tallinna Peetri Reaalkool (), which was supported by the city government and guilds with 1,700 silver rubles.
Initially, the teaching was in German and took place in a three-story stone house located against the city wall with the address Lai 49, but already in 1883 it was moved to a newly completed school building on Estonia puiestee. Mathematics teacher Peter Osse became the first director.
Tsarist era As a result of the russification policy initiated by Tsar Alexander III, many subjects were now taught in Russian. Although the transition was delayed, in 1890 Russian became the official language of study.
Since 1915, the principal of Tallinn Secondary School of Science was Nikolai Kann, who was also chosen to be the principal of Tallinn Secondary School of Science, on August 1, 1920. He was the first Estonian to be a principal of a public high school. Kann taught German and history, and the boys called him "dire".
Activity during the establishment of the Republic of Estonia The students and teachers of Tallinn Secondary School of Science, especially gymnastics teacher Anton Õunapuu, also played an important role in establishing an independent country, as well as protecting it in the War of Independence. Of course, we should not forget that many other teachers of the school, led by the later principal Karl Koljo, gymnastics teacher Voldemar Resel-Resev and drawing teacher Roman Nyman, participated in the war. In the summer of 1917, Anton Õunapuu, a teacher of Tallinn Secondary School of Science, also became a militia commissar of Tallinn. In 1917, Õunapuu founded a special unit (scout group) of students, which he called Õppiva Noorsoo Rood. 340 students, of which 82 were from Tallinn Secondary School of Science, participated in ÕN rood. ÕN rood created by Õunapuu became the first nationally minded force in Tallinn.
In 1917, Russia's internal disintegration continued due to World War I. Although the Bolsheviks, who came to power with the October revolution, aimed to get Russia out of World War I, this plan was not immediately realized. Germany continued its offensive on the Eastern Front, and in the fall of 1917 the islands of Western Estonia fell under German occupation. The advance of the German troops continued, and on February 23, 1918, the German troops reached the immediate vicinity of Tallinn.
Estonian War of Independence On November 28, 1918, the War of Independence began. The majority of people and most of the soldiers, who were tired of the World War, lacked faith in the meaning of the war of independence and the possibility of preserving independence. The shortage of men and low combat morale forced the military leadership to take decisive steps to amend the front-line units, especially the crews of armored trains. Johan Laidoner, P. Kann and Johan Pitka went to the Beljajeva school to recruit young people to complete the new troops. Thanks to the proceleusmatic speech, it was possible to recruit 125 of the 200 boys, twelve of whom were from Tallinn Secondary School of Science. When general A. Tõnisson inspected the new volunteer units, he had to admit that there were too few of them as an infantry unit, and therefore they were assigned to Armored Train no. 2. Armored train no. 2 started with only ten wagons, but at the end of the war there were already as many as twenty. Initially, Armored Train no. 2 was in Aegviidu, from where the first mission was on December 28, 1918, the recapture of the town of Tapa, which was unsuccessful. However, the unit received its first real crossfire on the same day under Anna manor. The situation at the front was bad, out of nearly 12,000 men, 6,000 had deserted their unit and gone back home. Armored trains were in the best situation. The staff of the armored trains remained together because it consisted almost exclusively of volunteers and officers.
In December 1918, on the initiative of ensign Leopold Tõnson, the foundation of Kalevlaste Malev was laid in the buildings of Tallinn Secondary School of Science, the official permission was given by the Ministry of War on December 16, 1918. Among the organizers was Anton Õunapuu, the gymnastics teacher of Tallinn Secondary School of Science, who became the head of the machine gun commando, and Otto Tief. Already on December 20, 1918, the volunteer reception office, headed by Leopold Tõnson, started operating in the office of Tallinn Secondary School of Science. By December 22, Kalevlaste Malev had more than two groups of men together. They had barely trained for a week when Johan Pitka was ordered to make a landing on Loksa, 60 men took part in it. Before going to Viru front in Jõelähtme, there were 250 men in Kalevlaste Malev. It was with the help of the Kalevlasete Malev and also the Finns that they managed to put an end to the retreat. Rumors of the arrival of additional troops also encouraged the soldiers on other fronts to such an extent that all enemy attacks were repulsed. This moment, together with the arrival of the British fleet, can be considered a turning point in the War of Independence.
The first student soldier of Tallinn Secondary School of Science, who died in the War of Independence on December 8, 1918 was Harald Triigel. Initially, he was buried in the mass grave of Järve manor, but his father exhumed his body from there in 1919 and buried Harald's body in the current Siselinna cemetery. On May 9, 2000, Tallinn Secondary School of Science installed a dignified gravestone on his grave to commemorate the memory of the heroic soldier, which is visited by Tallinn Secondary School of Science every year on December 8. Thirteen days later, on December 21, 1918, the next student of Tallinn Secondary School of Science fell - Gunnar Dobka. The funeral service took place in Niguliste Church and the burial took place at the Tallinn Kopli cemetery. The burial ground has disappeared into nothingness with looting and leveling. Eugen Seeberg, the third student soldier of Tallinn Secondary School of Science in the ranks of Kalevlaste Malev defending Mõniste manor. The funeral arrangements took place in St. John's Church and he was buried in the Kopli cemetery - the fate of the grave is the same as that of Dobka. Artur Sisask was on Armored Train no. 2. He was killed on March 19, 1919, when Armored Train no. 2 landing group with marines and Armored Train no.1 men went to recapture Orava manor.
According to Märt Karmo, 84 students of Tallinn Secondary School of Science participated in the War of Independence (not all of them were at the front, however). There were 129 student soldiers in Gustav Adolf Gymnasium. In honor of all the students and teachers from Tallinn, who died in the War of Independence, a monument built in 1927 - Reaali Poiss - stands next to Tallinn Secondary School of Science, which is also the oldest monument of the War of Independence in Tallinn. The sculptor was Ferdi Sannamees and the architect was Anton Soans, an alumnus of Tallinn Secondary School of Science. In addition to the monument, there is a marble plaque made for the four students and Õunapuu who died in the War of Independence, which is located on the wall of Tallinn Secondary School of Science hall, which was opened on February 24, 1923.
World War II Since Estonia entered the USSR's sphere of influence according to the non-aggression pact signed between Germany and the USSR on August 23, 1939, Hitler invited the Baltic Germans living in Estonia to return to their homeland. Because of that, in the fall of 1939, Paul Ederberg, nicknamed Pudi, a mathematics, physics and cosmography teacher who started working at Tallinn Secondary School of Science in 1919, also left. In Germany, Pudi also worked as a teacher, the last reports of him come from May 1945.
In the fall of 1940, after the occupation of the Republic of Estonia by the Soviet Union, the school year began with many changes: the teaching staff had partly changed, there were many changes in teaching. The school was renamed to Tallinna II Gümnaasium. For example, on August 7, 1940, Karl Koljo, who had worked as the school's principal since 1936, was removed from his position. Only recently, on January 25, 1940, had principal Karl Koljo encouraged class teachers to relentlessly defend and teach students the noble idea of Estonia retaining its independence.
Soviet occupation Between 1945 and 1949, the headmaster changed five times. Then Tallinn Secondary School No.2 got its first female headmistress - Emilie Pertels, who worked at Tallinn Secondary School of Science between 1949 and 1953. Although Pertels was a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, she never discussed party politics, nor did she show enthusiasm for promoting the official ideology. She was also not irreconcilably opposed to learning in Estonian or pro-Estonian manifestations. Pertels' main mark in the history of Tallinn Secondary School of Science is considered to be the final bell tradition that was made during her tenure.
Pertels was succeeded by Aleksei Tsõgankov, nicknamed Paša (in office from 1953 to 1970). Tsõgankov also taught the history of the USSR. Over time, he became a patriot of the school, who successfully linked the ideological guidelines and the practical life of the school. In 1955, he laid the foundation for the January alumni days, which replaced the alumni days held on September 29. To this day, Tallinn Secondary School of Science alumni day is held on the last saturday of January. During his time, the school was also changed into a mixed school and a building for primary classes was built next to the main building, which is called The Small House.
Notes from the history of Tallinn Secondary School of Science
1881 - Tallinna Peetri Reaalkool was founded with German as the language of study. The building of Tallinna Peetri Reaalkool has been recognized as cultural monument No. 1072. 1884 - the main building was completed, the first building designed as a school in Tallinn, architect Max Höppener and engineer Carl Gustav Jacoby. 1885 - first students of Tallinna Reaalkool graduated 1918 - student soldiers joined Kaitseliit and went to the War of Independence. 1921 - a black and gold school cap was introduced. 1927 - the "Boy" was opened - a monument to the teachers and students of Tallinn who fell in the War of Independence. 1954 - the school was changed into a mixed school 1958 - the new building, the so-called Small House, was completed. 1981 - a major renovation was done for the school's jubilee. 1993 - the monument to the teachers and students of Tallinn who fell in the War of Independence was restored. 2000 - the school continued to work in the thoroughly renovated school building.
School names
1881 Tallinna Peetri Reaalkool – Petri-Realschule zu Reval 1890 Ревельское Петровское Реальное училище