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1946
After World War II a group of teachers, who were affiliated to the Association of Polish Teachers, decided to found a secondary school in Lesko. This idea was supported by a number of enlightened, educated people who came to live in this corner of the country during or after the war. The local community was informed about the project and soon the Parents' Committee was created. In this way thoughts were turned into action.
On 2nd February 1946 Private Municipal Co-educational Secondary School , the first school in the town’s history, was created. Many local authorities contributed to the establishment of the school: Tadeusz Pawlusiewicz - the district governor; the chairman of the National Council of the District - Czeslaw Ogonowski ; the first secretary of Polish Labor Party - Stanisław Gierego, the manager of Primary School and the president of Polish Teachers Union - Wanda Szostkiewicz.
Tomasz Radłowski was entrusted with the duties of the headteacher of the newly formed school. He was a graduate of the University of Lwow, the resident of Lesko at the time of the war, and before the war he was a high school geography teacher in Tłumacz, near Stanisławow. A the beginning MA Radłowski was appointed as a teacher in secondary school in Sanok and delegated to perform the duties of a director of the private school in Lesko.
On 13th May 1958 Tomasz Radłowski was designated, by WRN, to be the head teacher of the school in Lesko and he performed this function until his retirement in 1970. The director was engaged in school matters but also devoted a lot of time to youth organizations formed in the town and school.
Earlier, in August 1946, , the School Inspectorate made efforts to rent some space for a future school in the castle of Count Krasicki. However, due to return of the owner and high cost of the repair, the reply was negative. Finally, the Grammar School was placed in two rooms of primary school, made available by Wanda Szostkiewicz, the director of primary school at that time.
Almost all the costs of maintaining the school were covered by the Parents’ Committee, which derived money from parental contributions and events organized by parents to raise money for the school. Social activists of the Parents’ Association at that time were: Antoni Rabiej, Feliks Koszałka, Emilia Bosak, Franciszek Dziedzicki, Władyslaw Bisz.
School teachers at that time were :
- Tomasz Radłowski – a teacher of geography
- Zofia Rafińska - a teacher of French and German,
- Maria Hukowa - a teacher of physics and nature,
- Stefan Hnyda – a history teacher,
- Stefan Denega – a teacher of Polish literature
- Józef Bezeg – a physical education teacher
- Kazimierz Sadowski – a maths teacher,
- Helena Wójcicka – a teacher of drawing and construction
Stanisław Gołdasz , a priest – a teacher of religious education and the Latin language
- Maria Wójtowicz – a teacher of history
- Hieronim Koller - a teacher of French
- Maria Moszczeńska - - a teacher of French
- Kazimierz Kuprowski – a teacher
1947
On 1 August, 1947, three representatives of Parents’ Committee, that is Antoni Rabiej, the chairman; his deputy Feliks Koszałek and the secretary Franciszek Dziedzicki signed a five-year lease for the building owned by Fenig and Gensberg. In this way, the school received a building of several classrooms and four lecture rooms, adapted to the requirements.
In the school year 1947/48 the school had 78 pupils. In Year 1 there were 21 students, in Year 2 - 33 and in Year 3 - 24 students. The school curriculum provided subjects such as: Religious Education, Polish, German, French, Latin, the history of contemporary Poland, Geography, Biology, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Practical Work, Drawing, Physical Education, Military Training and the Russian language as an extra-curricular course in year 1.
On Sundays students were required to attend church.
All these events took place during the civil war, under conditions of uncertainty, when people were anxious about themselves and their families. This public mood of anxiety was deepened by the death of gen. Karol Świerczewski, who died in Jabłonki on 28th March 1947.
1948
In the spring of 1948, the inspector of School District In Rzeszów Jan Ziemski inspected the school but not so much in terms of assessment. The aim of his visit was to decide if the school was able to meet all the requirements to become a state school and whether to support or not the efforts to achieve it.
The conclusions were presented at the conference. Representatives of administrative authorities, political parties and Parents’ Committee were present at the conference. All they had previously applied to the Minister of Education to transform the school into a state school.
The Inspector stated that "this establishment is the only refuge of knowledge in the district”.
He added that ”it was organized from scratch almost exclusively at the expense of parents and has been maintained by them to the present day. The local society gave evidence of fortitude and perseverance and guarantees that the work of education will be continued in the spirit of that, the school is named - Gen. Karol Świerczewski”. He also said that “ the school is the monument to the national hero, is a symbol of the struggle for the highest ideals of humanity, harmony, order and peace and Polish People's Republic, in which everyone has to feel good and be happy. "
He promised to approve the efforts to nationalize the school in Lesko.
On 18th April 1948 the school building dedication ceremony was held and the school was given the name of gen. Karol Świerczewski, to commemorate the first anniversary of his death.
In May 1948, the students of classes III took a small high school diploma exam. Regulations provided a written exam in the Polish language, mathematics, Latin and a modern language.
In 1949 the number of students, and thus the number of forms increased from year to year.
In 1949 there were four forms. That year was a turning point in the life of the school. The Private Municipal Co-educational Secondary School was nationalized by decree of the Ministry of Education of 24 January 1949. It was given the name: National Secondary School in Lesko, with the proviso that this Ordinance will enter into force on 1 February 1949.
Nationalization was beneficial for the school. First of all, the material base started to improve. The supply of laboratory equipment and teaching aids was much better. Old benches (which had been borrowed from the primary school) were replaced with new ones and the school received new tables, chairs, desks, cabinets, etc.
1950
On 1 October 1950 the teaching staff consisted of 9 people, including graduates of:
Jagiellonian University – 1 person
University of Lvov – 1 person
WKN – 4 people
Pedagogium – 1person
Teacher Training College – 1 person
Secondary School – 1 person
The number of students - 132.
The results of grading for the school year 1949/50 were as follows:
number of pupils - 115
promoted - 104
non-promoted - 11
In the fifties, as a result of further development of the school, there was a large influx of young people. The existing building became too small then and young people, not finding room in the school in Lesko, were forced to go to school in Sanok. In that situation, the School Headmaster and district authorities began to consider the construction of a new building.
1951
The historic moment in the history of the school was the first maturity exam, called Matura Exam , which took place on 21 and 22 May 1951. The examining board consisted of: Radłowski Tomasz, Hnyda Stefan, Denega Stefan, Szkolnicka Stefania (the teacher of physics and chemistry) and Maksymowicz Władysław.
27 graduates took the written exam in the Polish language.
The third topic: “Expand the thought included in the words of President Bierut: 6-year plan strengthens the Polish forces and strengthens its independence, and therefore it strengthens the Polish contribution to the general human work of peace," was chosen by as many as 19 students .
The second topic: “The struggle for progress in the work and activities of Polish writers of the Enlightenment” was written by 8 students.
Whereas, the first topic: „Dr Judym and Paul Vlasov as exponents of social ideas of Żeromski and Gorky "was not chosen by anyone.
The best result was achieved by 2 students, good by 8 students and satisfactory by 17 students.
There were not very good grades in maths exam.
The list of graduates of the secondary school in Lesko opens Jan Baran, figuring at number 1 in the school documentation
1959-1967
As a result of numerous efforts and a lot of assistance granted then by the Member of Parliament of the Polish Republic - the Inspector of the School in Lesko Jan Maciej, a two-storey building was built. The cost of the project (2.8 million zlotys) was covered by the state. It was one of the first undertakings in Lesko after World War II.
On 1 September 1959 the new school building in Świerczewski Street was opened.
The opening ceremony took place in the presence of authorities and the local community. Entries in the school memory book testify that it was an event which the inhabitants of the region had been awaiting.
e.g. "This modest note, is the cordial thanks from a railway worker" - we can read there, among others.
Józef Zwonarz wrote a wish „May the school have a lot of good students like my children”.
In the new building there were: 9 classrooms, the first gym in Lesko, a real teachers' room, two large halls, and facilities for the management staff, accountancy and secretarial services. The school became a high school of 7 forms.
The teaching staff have been reinforced by new eligible teachers:
- Józef Budziak – a history teacher
- Stanisław Salomon - a teacher of French and other languages
- Bolesław Ząbkiewicz - a teacher of physical education and defence course,
- Bolesław Bigos - a teacher of mathematics,
- Stanisława Barasia - a teacher of mathematics,
- Maria Lelek - a teacher of mathematics,
- Tadeusz Kwas - a teacher of physics,
- Roman Piotrowski – a teacher of technical course
and others
In 1968 the modernization of the school building was started and the second floor was built. All the work was done in the most economical way. Numerous piling problems were solved by the Social Committee, composed of : the headteacher Tomasz Radłowski, Józef Budziak, the chairman of the Parents Committee Wladyslaw Grzegorzek and Zygmunt Skałkowski, the school inspector.
In 1970 the finishing work of the second floor and the whole building was completed and the school gained 6 additional classrooms and a large hall.
In 1971, after a year's leave , the headteacher Tomasz Radłowski decided to retire. Józef Budziak was appointed a new headteacher. He had already performed executive duties for one year therefore had acquired some experience and proved to be a good organizer and host.
The next stage of work was the construction of the school sports facilities and an additional building, in which two laboratories for technical education were located and two storerooms for camping equipment ,owned by the Education Department in Lesko.
The building was to relieve the cramped school because in 1970 there were already three forms of the first class and four years later the number of student reached a record point of 400 students, divided into 12 forms.
In the late seventies the Secondary School In Lesko, in terms of housing base, could compete with other schools in the region. The pupils also contributed to the improvement of the school and did a lot of work under the care of teachers.
Providing proper housing base was important but not sufficient in the teaching and educational process. The school needed to be supplied with all necessary equipment and educational aids.
In the school year 1969-1970 the school received additional 120.000zlotys from the Social Fund for Schools and Dormitories. This money helped to equip new classrooms on the second floor. Language classrooms and audio-visual laboratory for the humanities were organized. School library was decorated and supplied with books. Surgeries and a cloakroom were also created.
The school library was equipped with modern furniture and bookcases and the classrooms were supplied with wall units, tape recorders, sets of books, radio and television sets, tourist and sports equipment
In the school year 1971 the school employed a librarian for 2 hours a week.
From 12th to 13th September 1971 the first solemn High School Alumni Congress was held to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the establishment and the 20th anniversary of the first school-leaving exam.
1972 - 1980
In the following years the plan of the secondary school development anticipated the growth of the number of students from 346 at the beginning of the school year 1971/72 to 380 from 1972 to 1975. Moreover, the growth of the number of forms from 11 to 12 was also anticipated. Due to some difficulties with the intake of the candidates for the first classes, second dates of the entrance exams were set. In 1973 the entrance exams were abolished, which caused the lowering of the level of teaching. Not until 1974 were the entrance exams reintroduced because of the shift of baby boom.
With each passing year the number of teachers with full employment who were constantly improving through participation in various contests was growing up.
All this contributed, to a large extent, to the increase of students’ participation in competitions which met with success. In the intervening years various vocational training courses were organised for the young, such as driving lessons, accounting courses, typing and cooking courses.
A particular emphasis was put on the mathematical education of the students. There was created a programme in which lots of activities were anticipated. They were in-service trainings of mathematics teachers, application of active-learning teaching methods and broadening of mathematical knowledge and skills among all students. The plan was carried out by a couple of mathematicians - Maria and Stanisław Lelek. There is no doubt it is thanks to them that the Lesko secondary school youth was willingly choosing mathematical university studies and now constitutes a highly qualified teaching staff of both secondary and elementary schools in Lesko.
Activity clubs which supported various school and local celebrations on national holidays were a very important point in school’s activities. They were first introduced by Stefan Denega, a Polish teacher who organised some performances which brought in much profits for the school teaching materials.
In the 50’s there existed a dancing club led by Stanisława Chulawska and a school choir led by Mieczysław Domagalski, Maria Lachman, Krystyna Bacz, Aleksander Kozak and Emilia Surowiak. The achievements of Maria Lachman, MA deserve a special attention. They were of great importance on both school’s and nearby villages’ cultural scenes.
With the help of the school she prepared and staged youth many outstanding performances, like L. Kruczkowski’s ‘Niemcy’, J. I. Kraszewski’s ‘Chaty za wsią’, S. Żeromski’s ‘Doktor Piotr’ and also some folk performances like ‘Piękna nasza Polska cała’, ‘Wesele Bieszczadzkie’, ‘Lesko w poezji, prozie i piosence’ and ‘Wieczornica Mickiewiczowska’ as well as numerous artistic events on national holidays. There were several active student organisations in the school area.
In 1946 Fighting Youth Union and Worker’s Universities Society Organisation were established. In 1948 they become a member of Polish Youth Union.
In the school’s early existence Polish Path-finders’ Union, student government, Soldiers’ Friends’ League, Sea League, Polish Red Cross and Society for Polish-Soviet Friendship were set up. Later School Savings Bank, National Defence League, League for the Preservation of Nature and School Sports and Athletics were established. Voluntary Labour Corps was very efficient at that time, as well as a school club of Polish Youth Hostels Association. Being a success, it represented the Krośnieński Province many times. The members of the school circle mentioned above took the leading positions in All-Poland Tourist Championship and poetry contests. They also represented the Krośnieński Province in the main final in Gdańsk, Bydgoszcz, Rzeszów, Nowy Targ and Opole five times.
Numerous tourist excursions and hiking camps during the summer holidays as well as New Year’s Eve parties and proms added variety to the monotony of school life.
In the following years Józef Budziak, the headmaster extended and modernized to a large extent the educational and social base. He also gained one more building for man’s dormitory.
1982- 1985
In 1982 Józef Budziak retired and Elżbieta Cichy, MA took up the post of the headmaster. The school had 8 forms and 234 students at that time. The students were still taking part in after school activities such as recreational gymnastics and the arts and science classes.
In school year 1984/85 the total number of students fell to 221 immediately, which did not affect the school organisation.
Mrs Cichy, the headmaster, when holding the office, made an effort to put the affairs connected with work discipline in order. This was because for her the problem was a matter of the utmost importance in the sphere of management. She put a lot of effort into raising the standard of school facilities.
The next years of school life was the period of intensive and systematic work in order to improve the degree of school organisation as well as to modernize the school buildings, which has been seriously ravaged by over a 40-year-old exploitation.
1985
After Elżbieta Cichy had taken the post of a school inspector, Jerzy Bartnik, MA took over as headmaster on 14 October 1985. At that time Lesko secondary school entered forty years of its existence. Despite the fact that modest financial reserves did not allow to organize a reunion, a celebration was held on 14 October in commemoration of this important school holiday. This was the time when the above-average teachers were awarded by the headmaster.
1987
In school year 1987/88 the losing streak was over thanks to a hard work on recruitment on the part of the whole teaching staff. The sufficient number of candidates for the first classes enabled organisation of three forms. Not only did the number of teaching stuff rise, but also the total number of students rose to 260. Bożena Kuczara, MA was employed as a teacher of French and music. Furthermore, Mariusz Łopuszański, MA, a graduate of Lesko secondary school, got a job as a teacher of physical education. Art classes, however, were taught by Stanisław Jaworek, MA. A couple of extra classes were introduced within the scope of activity clubs in accordance with students’ wishes. The accomplishments of a club led by Andrzej Potocki, a history teacher, deserved recognition. To be more specific, the club members gave a lot of support for all school celebrations.
With time the supervisors of school organisations noted down many successes in different fields of their activities. They were:
- Stanisław Lelek, MA- the supervisor of the school club of Polish Tourist Country-Lovers’ Association,
- Maria Kowal, MA- the supervisor of the school club of Polish Youth Hostels Association,
- Bolesław Ząbkiewicz, MA- the supervisor of the school club of National Defence League,
- Danuta Bartnik, MA- the supervisor of Students’ Association,
- Łucja Kozak, MA- the supervisor of the school club of Voluntary Labour Corps.
1988- 1989
In 1988 and 1989 there was a further growth in work organisation. The school had 11 forms and 336 students. The teaching staff had more and more teachers. They were:
- Zdzisław Pękalski, MA- the teacher of physical education from 1.09.1988 to 31.08.1990.
- Marian Brajewski, MA- the supervisor of teaching practice from 1.09.1988 to 31.08.1991.
- Aleksandra Markiewicz, MA- the teacher of mathematics from 2.11.1989 to 30.06.1990.
- Ewa Sztank, MA- the teacher of family life training from 1.09.1989 to 31.08.1990.
- Jerzy Matykiewicz, PhD- the teacher of English from 1.09.1988 to 31.08.1994.
- Bożena Rybka, MA- the teacher of biology from 1.09.1989 to 31.08.1991.
1990
The time between 1990 and 1991 is definitely a groundbreaking period for the school. There were some changes in the school programme and organisation due to certain political transformations in our country. The school received much more autonomy in making independent decisions. Krzysztof Wolańczyk, MA put the change of the school name forward during the staff meeting on 13 September 1990. The name was to be appointed through a competition. However, the proposal was suspended by the teaching staff during the meeting.
The further growth of the number of forms enabled the headmaster Jerzy Bartnik to employ the following people on 1 September 1990:
-Bernard Baran, MA-a mathematics teacher (graduate of Lesko secondary school)
-Krystyna Turek, MA- a biology teacher and the deputy head
Moreover, Stanisław Sosenkiewicz, MA- a biology teacher was employed to 31.08.1991.
1991
The following people were employed from 1.09.1991:
- sister Helena Kucharska, MA- a religion teacher,
- Henryk Wyszatycki, MA- a Polish teacher (graduate of Lesko secondary school),
- Robert Rybka, MA- a biology teacher,
- Remigiusz Ceduła, MA- a physical education teacher (graduate of Lesko secondary school).
1992
The school year 1992/93 brought privation. A tight school budget forced the headmaster to cut down expenditure on educational materials, specialist subscription magazines, the press and broadening of the collection of the school library. Works on the improvement and updating of the school status were in progress from October 1992. Simultaneously the teaching staff decided to put the affairs connected with the change of the school name in order. That’s why a committee was appointed with the following structure:
a) a social group:
- Henryk Gocek- the mayor of Lesko
- Stanisław Lelek, MA- the chairman of town council and Lesko district
b) a pedagogic group:
- Jerzy Bartnik, MA- the head teacher of Lesko secondary school
- Krystyna Turek, MA- the deputy head of Lesko secondary school
- H. Kucharska, MA- a religion teacher
c) a students’ group:
- Ewa Nowaczyk- the head girl of the school
- Maria Paszkiewicz- the deputy head girl of the school
- the members of student government: Angelika Bajorek and Magdalena Leszczyńska.
1993
On 14 October 1993 , on the basis of public school statue for children and youth, the secondary school gained a new patron in the person of general Władysław Anders.
The celebration of naming the school after him was accompanied by the presence of the representatives of the municipal and educational authorities, as well as the ones of institutions functioning in Lesko, principals of the neighbouring schools, retired teachers and graduates. What is more, general’s soldiers honoured the celebration with their presence. After the school naming ceremony the chief education officer from Krosno unveiled General’s portrait by Zdzisław Pękalski. Naming the school after their general was immense satisfaction and emotion for the soldiers, and a lesson of history of the Polish army for the students.
1994
In 1994 and 1995 the school had 13 forms, in which 338 students received their education. On the strength of the founding certificate from 1 September 1994 a form of vocational school was opened, where 40 students were taught.
A momentous event was the participation of youth and teacher representatives in the international ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Monte Casino on 18 May 1994 on the Polish Soldiers’ Cemetery.
1995
1995 and 1996 brought a further increase in the number of students. 413 students received their education in 14 forms and 30 students in the vocational school.
This required the development of educational materials, building of new classrooms and the gymnasium as well.
Despite plenty of financial problems the teaching staff, being totally committed to their work, diligently tried to fulfill their difficult educational tasks.
1996
In 1996 and 1997 the education of foreign languages aroused students’ particular interest, which contributed to a need of search for contact with schools from Western Europe. Thanks to Andrzej Pałubicki’s involvement such a cooperation was established with the College in Seaford in Southern England.
Another way of international cooperation in the scope of environmental education as well as an exchange of experiences became a triangle of three schools: Seaford Head Community College in England with Anne Kenward being its proxy, Collegen Bartavel-Lycee Roumanville in France, Andrzej Pałubicki standing proxy for it.
A student exchange with Germany also developed. Anna Wolańczyk and Tadeusz Wydrych took it under their wing.
Class tourist and educational trips organized by class tutors also belonged to the long-standing school tradition. The cooperation of the secondary school with the local community centres, the neighbouring elementary and secondary schools also influenced the education of the young generation.
On 22-22 September Lesko Secondary School Jubilee Graduate Reunion took place. So far the school had had about 3000 graduates, whereas at that time 4457 students attended it. The reunion chairman was Janusz Rabiej.
1997 – 2001
A reform of the secondary school education. New school-leaving examination.
2002
The school transforms into a 3-year secondary school.
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