FROM THE HISTORY OF THE ANDREI SHEPTYTSKYI GYMNASIUM IN STRYI, LVIV REGION

The Andrey Sheptytskyi Gymnasium is a state school for boys and girls (aged 10 -17). The Gymnasium was founded in 1880. The operation of the school began with the admission of 80 students and E.Misinskyi became its first principal. Among the first teachers were: S.Dubravskyi, O.Kolodnytskyi, O.Bobykevych, I.Bilyk, M.Hrytsak. By establishing the Ukrainian Gymnasium the Ukrainians fulfilled their dream to receive tuition in their mothertongue, as under Austrian and Polish occupation of Galicia repressive policies against Ukrainian schools were introduced. The Gymnasium provided an opportunity for a solid education for Ukrainian children as well as preparing for careers of their own. World War II led to decline of Ukrainian education. The Soviet occupation, succeeding the German occupation, has led to the loss of many teachers and students. In the spring of 1944 the Ukrainian Gymnasium in Stryi as well as in Lviv and other West Ukrainian towns were closed down by the Soviet administration. This factor has had a ruinous effect on the intellectual and moral level of education in Ukraine. The Gymnasium prepared hundreds of young people to take their places as productive citizens of the Ukrainian nation: among them Professors St.Dubravskyi (Canada), F.Kolessa, M.Bilyk, L.Shankovskyi (Canada), P. Mirchyk (USA), Y.Padokh (USA), Y.Rudnytskyi, E.Kozak, Z.Dashak, Z.Husar, O.Vyshnevskyi and the former Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church Myroslaw Lyubachivskyi. Many young graduates dedicated themselves to the struggle for the independent Ukraine. Among them: S.Bandera, L.Rebet, S.Okhrimovych, O.Hasyn and a number of others who gave their lives for the country's freedom. A great many alumni worked and some are still working in different countries on all continents: the USA, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Italy, Spain, France, England, Germany, Poland as well as in many places of Ukraine. In September 1991 the Ukrainian Gymnasium came back to life and turned on a new page in its glorious history. The alumni of the former Gymnasium: Y.Dubytskyi, O.Vyshnevskyi, O.Myklasevych, O.Verkhola, Z.Lysovych, O.Zayats, S.Serednytska and others on the initiative of Y.Tyrianskyi (the then teacher of maths at school №8 and a member of the regional Rukh organization) with the help and support of l.Kalynets' - People's Deputy to the Supreme Rada of Ukraine, succeeded in the efforts to renovate the Ukrainian Gymnasium in Stryi. It was named in honor of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi - the man who made a great contribution to the development of education in West Ukraine. Since that time the Andrey Sheptytskyi Gymnasium in Stryi has become known all over Ukraine and abroad as one of the best schools of new type in the independent Ukraine. Four international congresses of the Gymnasium alumni have been held in it (you can see their emblems), its former students coming from all parts of Ukraine and from abroad. The alumni have been of great help to the teachers of the Gymnasium and its students raising and donating money for its development, supplying it with English Language literature, buying equipment. The names of Mr. Myron Barabash, Mrs.M.Parakhonyak, Mr. Ostap Derzhko and others are well-known among the teachers and students of the Gymnasium for their charity activities. During the years of its functioning numerous representatives of gymnasia and lyceums of Ukraine have participated in about 20 regional and All-Ukrainian teachers' seminars and conferences, two Ukrainian-Swiss Summer Linguistics Schools included. Its present-day school leavers are students of prestigious Universities of Ukraine, Canada, Russia and America. The highly qualified teachers of the Stryi Gymnasium, among them 2 Honoured Teachers of Ukraine, 18 teachers-methodologists, 10 senior teachers, 41 teachers of higher category impart their knowledge to about 500 pupils. The Stryi Gymnasium can boast of a great number of winners of Regional, All-Ukrainian and International Contests in many school subjects every year. The Stryi Gymnasium is a member of Revived Gymnasia of Ukraine Association, its principal, Yaroslav Turyansky being the president of this Association. The RGU Association is in its turn a member of the 1CP (the World Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools). Both old (125 in 2000) and young (10 in 2002) the Stryi Gymnasium is looking forward to its future with pride and respect for its past and present.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 912