Dutch government school of Elmina

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Dutch government school of Elmina
Gouvernementsschool van Elmina
Castle of St. George's 02.JPG
The school was located in the church of Elmina Castle
Information
Established1815
Closed6 April 1872 (1872-04-06)
LanguageDutch

During the later years of Dutch colonial rule on the Gold Coast, the Dutch operated a government school (Dutch: gouvernementsschool) in Elmina Castle, primarily aimed at educating Euro-African boys in Elmina. After many false starts, regular education started in the early 1850s with about 50 pupils, rising to more than 150 in the 1860s.

Contents

History

The Portuguese started a school in Elmina Castle as early as 1529. For a while after the Dutch had taken Elmina from the Portuguese in 1637, they also operated a school, but teaching soon came to a halt and was not reestablished until the early 19th century. [1] In 1815, two teachers accompanied governor Herman Willem Daendels to the Gold Coast, but they were let go as part of the reorganisation of the colony after Daendels' death in 1818. In 1837, Arie Pette was sent as teacher to the Gold Coast, but he perished soon after arrival during the military campaign against the Ahanta organised by governor Hendrik Tonneboeijer. [2]

Continuous education at the government school started when Melchior Eland took office as headmaster on 11 December 1847. Although he died in office in October 1848, the vacancy of headmaster was immediately filled by Hendrikus Jeltes Tadema, who took office a year later. Tadema had a troubled relationship with the colonial administrators and left the Gold Coast in December 1852. [3]

Tadema's replacement Dirk Demmers, who took office on 11 March 1853, would be headmaster for more than fifteen years. Under Demmers' headmastership, enrolment in the government school greatly expanded, rising from 60 pupils in 1853 to 168 in 1862. [4] To accommodate the increased workload, the first local substitute teacher was appointed in 1857. In 1859, a sewing and knitting school for girls was started by Hiltje Winsemius, spouse of the pastor of Elmina.

Demmers was honourably discharged from his headmastership on 8 May 1868. He was replaced by Arie Hendrik Smits, who had been working as a substitute teacher in Elmina since February 1861. Pieter Simon Hamel was appointed to the vacancy left by Smits' promotion. Hamel would take over as headmaster upon Smits' death on 7 January 1871.

The government school in Elmina was closed after the transfer of sovereignty of the Dutch possessions on the Gold Coast to the United Kingdom on 6 April 1872.

Staff

Headmasters

NameTenure
Took officeLeft office
Arie Pette183628 October 1837
Isaak Anthony Bosschaart14 July 183915 June 1840
Melchior Eland11 December 184717 October 1848
Hendrikus Jeltes Tadema22 October 18496 December 1852
Dirk Demmers11 March 18538 May 1868
Arie Hendrik Smits25 November 18687 January 1871
Pieter Simon Hamel 19 January 18716 April 1872

Substitute teachers

Notable alumni

Notes

  1. ↑ Baesjou 1979, p. 39.
  2. ↑ Fransen van de Putte & Gericke van Herwijnen 1874, p. 2.
  3. ↑ Nagtglas 1863, pp. 5–6.
  4. ↑ Isaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte - Verslag wegens de Kust Guinea
  5. ↑ Grant 2020.

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