History of the School
The beginning
The Stanisław Staszic Realschule was established in 1906 thanks to the Warsaw Technicians' Society, namely its president, Eng. Piotr Drzewiecki, who later (in 1918-1921) became Warsaw's president. Its founder and first principal was Jan Zydler, a graduate of the Mathematics Department of Warsaw University and author of excellent geometry books.
During the German occupation the Gymnasium and the Liceum organized underground education and awarded over 215 diplomas.
6 of the School's teachers and 240 of its students (including 109 scouts) perished in both World Wars, out of whom 22 were killed in World War I, 11 in Katyń and 76 in the Warsaw Uprising.
In 1950 the School was closed by the Ministry of Education. Until then it awarded a total of 1178 diplomas in 37 years. Among its graduates were: 6 Polish Academy of Sciences members, 34 academic professors (including 7 rectors and deputy rectors), 19 docents, 17 authors, critics, publicists and many economists.
The Klement Gottwald High School
The Staszic High School was reactivated in april 1990 as a result of a patriotic manifestation of the Klement Gottwald High School's teachers and students. Actions initiated by "Solidarity" resulted in a student referendum, in which the majority of the students voted for changing the School's patron to Stanisław Staszic.
The Klement Gottwald High School was for years regarded as one of the best secondary schools in Poland. Each year its students achieved great successes in olympiads, espacially in mathematics, and multiple times represented Poland in international competitions. Its graduates passed the entrance exams to universities with great success and after finishing higher education most of them became university lecturers in Poland. Many graduates emigrated from Poland and started successful careers in higher education, industry, informatics and finances. The School achieved such success not only thanks to the talented youth and qualified staff but also its atmosphere of learning and tolerance.
Current state
In the 90s the XIV General Liceum continued the glorious tradition of the School and remained in the top of Warsaw's school rankings.
During the official ceremony of giving the XIV General Liceum the patronage of Stanisław Staszic, the graduates of the old Gymnasium handed down its 1922 Banner to the current students. The rich history of this Banner is described in a separate article.
The Staszic High School Graduates Society, established near the end of 1990, unites graduates of both Staszic and Gottwald schools. The School and the Society seek to fully integrate the old high school and its graduates with the current School and Society. They organize annual ceremonies commemorating the School's existence and events celebrated every five years: the Science Session, the Grand Graduate Ball and the Bridge Tournament.
The Zawisza Czarny 16 Warsaw Scout Troop and the General Ignacy Prądzyński 21 Warsaw Rover Troop were active in both Schools and still exist there nowadays.