Education

/ EDUCATION/

Turkish writer Evlija Celebija yet in 1663 on the occasion of his stay in Zemun wrote that in town had been existing “mekteb”(elementary school)and that was the first mention of some school institution in town.Serbians teachers were mentioned in a document from 1728, a few years later worked some “Toma the butcher” probably as a private teacher.First school institution was opened at kapucin monastery on the place of that days catolic church in 1728 so this year was taken as the beginning of schooling in Zemun. In that time serbs in Zemun had been building their school on the place nearby Nikolajevska church and the school started its work in 1745. Since 1755 began to work jewish school in today’s Primorska street, nearby the sinagogue and since 1794 greek school had been working.In the first half of XIX century school were opened in newly created suburbs of Zemun , Gornja Varos and Francenstal.Also, after the liberation in 1918, started with work school which today’s name is “Svetozar Miletic” and today it is considered for resumptioner of Zemun’s school tradition.

By approval of Sovereign Army Command in September 23rd 1858 in Zemun was established Dvorazredna Low Real School antecedent of today’s Gimnasium.Tuition started on October 15th same year with only one class with 21 pupils.Second class was opened on October 1st 1859 and in Autumn og 1868 even the third class.Fourth class was opened on October 1st 1872 so the school became low real school and get name “Little Real in Zemun”.Since March 14th 1878 it was decided that school should turn into the Big real so in 1879 was opened fifth class,in 1880 the sixth and in 1881 the seventh class.By Decree of the govermant since October 19th 1884 it was forbiden for girls to registrate into the first class, so in 1887 the school became strictly men’s.First matriculation in Zemun’s big Real school was held in 1882 and since the next year there was initiated serbian language as a course. By tsar’s decree and govermant’s ordinance Zemun’s Big real school in 1895 was transformed into the Real Gimnasium with eight classes and the first matriculation in that new school was held in 1900. In 1913/1914 gimnasium had some 350 pupils and 30 teachers.

In time of the I World War school had been working with lower intensity.Since 1917 it got the permission to registrate the girls again and since 1923 it was established little matriculation and since 1925 it was accepted unique plan and programm, same for the whole state.Since 1924. school’s name was “State’s men’s real gimnasium in Zemun” which again became mixed since 1932.in 1935/1936 there were 1300 pupils and 60 teachers. During the occupation in II World war School had been working in hard conditions and more than one hundred pupils gave their life in fight.After the liberation in 1946 school was split on two mixed school which rejoined again in 1958 as First Zemun’s Gimnasium. Until nowdays more then 10000 pupils finished this school and now there are some 1500 and 80 teachers.

Present building was built in 1879/1880 mostly with capital of so called Border’s fund.It has been projected in style of renesance by architect Nikola Kolar and it was raised on the land of Kontumac on the place where park was formed later.Building was formally opened on May 30th 1880 when the City park was also founded.Lack of space brought in 1912 to plans for outhouse and expansion.Despite the resistance of city officials who demanded that two building should be linked in style of renesance, new building was projected in postsecesion style but it framed with older building good.Due to outbreak of new war building was finished in 1916.Gimnasium was very damaged in the wars when in both cases soldiers,prisoners and even horses had bee staying in it. Still the building exsist nowdays and it represents one of most noticable building of old city core.

On Belgrade’s university agricultural science has lectured since 1853 with small ruptures.Agricultural department, established in 1905 on Faculty for Philosophy, became in 1919 separate Agricultural- school for forestry. Construction of thefaculty building started on the land of former Kontumac in 1930 by plans of architect Gojko Tadic. Since the establishing of this Faculty some 10000 students graduated and some of them became doctors.

In Zemun exist large number of elementary and high schools as well as academies which were opened after 1950 and some of them should be mentioned.Schools in High part of town :Rade Koncar, Sutjeska",OS "Gornja varos",OS "Gavrilo Princip",OS "Desanka Maksimovic",OS "Lazar Savatic"...Beside Zemun’s Gimnasium there are high schools for machines: Nada Dimic and Zmaj , medical school Nadezda Petrovic, traffic school Branko Pesic as well as academies for Medicine, Machines and Internal affers.