Short History of Mihai Eminescu National College Botosani, Romania

“Mihai Eminescu” National College-Botosani

At the end of 19th century, Botosani had a prosperous economic life, with a strong middle-class, whose desire was to have their children highly educated. The same demand came from the rural area, too, maybe because of the temporary economic development. The intellectuals of the town took advantage of any occasion to insist on founding a high-school for girls. Eventually, on 4th of September 1887, Spiru C. Haret, the minister of education, signed the Order nr.11983, which was the “birth certificate” for the Secondary School for Girls from Botosani.

The first location of the school was at “Vasilievici House”, with furniture borrowed from “A.T.Laurian” High-school. The first principal was a woman teacher –Eugenia Savinescu– who also taught French language. An interesting fact was the nomination of Virginia Micle –Veronica Micle’s daughter– as a teacher of Mathematics and Science.

From the very beginning, the school was supervised by the Ministry of Education. Thus, there were sent university professors from Iasi and from Bucharest to take part to the graduation exam (1888/1889; 1889/1990). Both teachers and students were also a noticeable presence at the most sophisticated performances and cultural meetings from the town.

Unfortunately, the school confronted to the problem of the location. In 1904, it functioned in “Manoli Houses”, then in “Vasescu Houses” and later in the building belonging to “The Romanian Women” Association. There was not possible to build a special location for this school because of the lack of financial support. Only in 1962, there was built the institution where there is School no.11 now, and where the High-school functioned until 1972, when it was moved to a totally new modern location.

The High-School for Girls from Botosani got the official name “Carmen Silva” in 1928. Between the wars, the institution organized numerous educational activities and collaborated with various charitable organizations from the town, in order to help the poor students. During the Second World War, the students who were refugees were offered free accommodation, and the necessary funds for continuing their studies.

The consequences of those two World Wars, of the Dictate from Viena and of the Treaty Ribbentrop-Molotov are felt by “Carmen Silva” High-School, too. Thus, a great part of the correspondence with the School Inspectorate from Iasi, referred to the evacuation procedures, especially of the archive and of the school materials. The presence of many refugees from Transilvania, Bucovina, Basarabia and Poland (5625 in 1941) determined the local authorities to offer free accommodation and education to an additional number of girls.

During the period: 5th of March–17th of April 1944, the Russian troops invaded the Romanian territory, our town being the first one. The high-school was evacuated in a haste, leaving behind many valuable things: furniture, library, original paintings, crystal mirrors, laboratory equipment etc. The institution was moved to Cermei locality, in Arad. After 23rd of August 1944, because of the Hungarian troops which were in our county, “Carmen Silva” High-School was forced to move to Pitesti, this fact causing a lot of material losses, including the archive.

Finally, after many hardships and risks, the institution managed to return on 6th of April 1945.

Unfortunately more problems were to come. The new politics dictated by the Soviet Union established “new rules” of behavior for both teachers and students, “new interpretations” of the school curriculum etc.

Moreover, the managing staff of the school was forced to give up to many valuable literary works written by Mihai Eminescu, Nicolae Iorga, Ion Antonescu etc., the students being obliged to read new books, such as: “Zoe Kosmodemianskaia” by N. Matrosov, “The Living Factory” by Vasile Roaita etc.

In 1948, “Carmen Silva” High-School was changed into School no.2 and only in 1957 the institution was given the name of our national poet: “Mihai Eminescu”.

During the period 1948-1968, this institution made a considerable progress regarding both the number of students and of the teachers, as well as the diversity of the profiles.

In 1982, the high-school had the honour of organizing the Romanian Literature National Contest, the President of the Evaluation Committee being the famous literary critic Zoe Dumitrescu-Busulenga. Her impressions were: ”I have lived some remarkable days at this high-school which has the name of a star; we have enjoyed the beauty, the peace and the high discipline that dominate in here. I believe that the success of this Contest is due to the special atmosphere created by both the principal of the school (Vasile Pricopie) and the entire teaching staff. I promise to return here as a simple traveler”.

“Mihai Eminescu” High-School repeated its role as a host for the Romanian Literature National Contest in 1987, 2005.

1987 was also the year of celebrating the centenary of the high-school.

In 2002, the institution got the status of National College.