Herlufsholm kostskole
Encyclopedia
Herlufsholm School and Estate is a private day and boarding school
for boys and girls (co-educational since the 1950s), founded in 1565 by Admiral
Herluf Trolle
and his wife Birgitte Gøye
.
The school is located by the Suså
river in Næstved, about 80 kilometers south of Copenhagen
, capital of Denmark
. As the oldest boarding school in Denmark, the school hosts a number of unique traditions. Trolle-morgen (at which Herlovians commemorate the birthday of the founder Herluf Trolle) and Fugleskydning ("bird-shooting"), when old and new students visit the school with their families, are the two biggest events of the year.
Today it is the only school in Denmark with a compulsory school uniform, and has approximately 600 students. The number of boarding students is roughly equal to day students. Although the majority of boarders come from Denmark, a fair share come from abroad, particularly those studying for the IB diploma.
Skovkloster ("forest monastery") on the River Suså in 1135. The monastery was dissolved in the Reformation
and taken over by the Danish Crown estate
. The Danish naval hero and admiral Herluf Trolle traded his estate at Hillerødsholm (now Frederiksborg Palace
) for this estate, the name of which he changed from Skovkloster to Herlufsholm in 1560. Trolle died in 1565 and his wife, Birgitte Gøye, founded the school here according to their mutual wish for the Danish youth "of noble and honest heritage".
The school has been co-educational since 1985 - not since the fifties.
appearance thanks to the former abbey church which dates from the early Middle Ages. Adjoining the church is what was the old monastery building, of which the only original part remaining is the cellars; the present Klosterbygningen ("The Monastery Building") stands on the site. Klosterbygningen consists of the church (in which the students gather in the morning), the two dining halls, the festsal (ballroom) and other amenities. In the mid 19th century there was also a dormitory for the youngest students.
The second largest building is Skolebygningen ("The School Building") which contains two dormitories and some classrooms. Up until the middle of the 20th century most of the teaching took place here, but now less than half the school's classrooms are located here.
The third most important building is Museumsbygningen ("The Museum Building"), which contains another two dormitories, the science department, the biology department and the school's collection of historical scientific apparatus and specimens of animal species, many now endangered; the collection dates from the 1870s.
Herlufsholm also has a separate library (one of the oldest in Denmark), a small hospital, the principal's house, a few house for teachers and various other service and administrative buildings.
The rest of the classrooms are located in Nye Skolefløj ("New School Building"), connected to the principal's office, the staffroom and Helenhallen, which is the second largest gymnasium, also containing a stage.
Recently the school erected a new modern gym in order to accommodate the growing number of students, named Trollehallen after the founder.
The school's other dormitories are:
Skolebygningen (Skygningen); Museumsbygningen (Mygningen); Vuggestuen (Vuen); Egmontgården; Lassengården; Birgitte Gøye-gården; and Pernille Gøye-gården. The newest dormitory Bodil-gården finished construction in 2010, and is thereby the second mixed-gender dormitory along with Lassengården
s of a word and making a portmanteau of the two. So for instance, skolebygning ("school building") becomes skygning. Only imagination limits the possible words. Even though the language is exclusively utilized by the students some words have been adapted into Danish, for instance "svælling" (cygnet), which there was not previously a specific word for in Danish, is herlovian for Svane + Ælling (Swan + duckling). So far two dictionaries have been published.
Students march out of the old school building, Skygningen, to the front of the principal's house where he gives the big wooden bird to 3G, and the little wooden bird to the 9th graders. The procession then continues around the Klosterbygning where the Forstander (provost) cries out a hurray for the "fugleskydning". The procession then continues into Nyhave ("New Garden") where a square is formed and the Fugleskydning song is sung, accentuated by firecrackers simulating cannonfire.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
for boys and girls (co-educational since the 1950s), founded in 1565 by Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Herluf Trolle
Herluf Trolle
Herluf Trolle was a Danish naval hero, born at Lillö, Scania.- Early life :Herluf Trolle was born of the Trolle, a Swedish-originated family of high nobility, was son of Kirsten Herlufsdatter Skave and sir Joachim Arvidsen Trolle, Lord of Lilloe; thus grandson of justiciar Arvid Trolle, Lord of...
and his wife Birgitte Gøye
Birgitte Gøye
Birgitte Gøye was a Danish county administrator, lady in waiting, landholder and noble, co-founder and principal of Herlufsholm School....
.
The school is located by the Suså
Suså
Until January 1, 2007 Suså was a municipality in the former Storstrøm County in the southern part of the island of Zealand in south Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 145 km², and had a total population of 8,529 . Its last mayor was Poul Erik Sørensen, a member of the Social Democrats ...
river in Næstved, about 80 kilometers south of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, capital of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. As the oldest boarding school in Denmark, the school hosts a number of unique traditions. Trolle-morgen (at which Herlovians commemorate the birthday of the founder Herluf Trolle) and Fugleskydning ("bird-shooting"), when old and new students visit the school with their families, are the two biggest events of the year.
Today it is the only school in Denmark with a compulsory school uniform, and has approximately 600 students. The number of boarding students is roughly equal to day students. Although the majority of boarders come from Denmark, a fair share come from abroad, particularly those studying for the IB diploma.
History
Peder Bodilsen founded the Benedictine monasteryMonastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
Skovkloster ("forest monastery") on the River Suså in 1135. The monastery was dissolved in the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
and taken over by the Danish Crown estate
Danish Crown
Danish Crown may refer to several things.* Danish krone, currency used in Denmark* The monarchy of Denmark* Danish Crown Regalia, symbols of the Danish monarchy.* Danish Crown AmbA, a large meat processing company....
. The Danish naval hero and admiral Herluf Trolle traded his estate at Hillerødsholm (now Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg castle is a castle in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV, and is now known as The Museum of National History. The current building replaced a previous castle erected by Frederick II, and is the largest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia...
) for this estate, the name of which he changed from Skovkloster to Herlufsholm in 1560. Trolle died in 1565 and his wife, Birgitte Gøye, founded the school here according to their mutual wish for the Danish youth "of noble and honest heritage".
The school has been co-educational since 1985 - not since the fifties.
School Buildings
The modern campus campus retains a general GothicGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
appearance thanks to the former abbey church which dates from the early Middle Ages. Adjoining the church is what was the old monastery building, of which the only original part remaining is the cellars; the present Klosterbygningen ("The Monastery Building") stands on the site. Klosterbygningen consists of the church (in which the students gather in the morning), the two dining halls, the festsal (ballroom) and other amenities. In the mid 19th century there was also a dormitory for the youngest students.
The second largest building is Skolebygningen ("The School Building") which contains two dormitories and some classrooms. Up until the middle of the 20th century most of the teaching took place here, but now less than half the school's classrooms are located here.
The third most important building is Museumsbygningen ("The Museum Building"), which contains another two dormitories, the science department, the biology department and the school's collection of historical scientific apparatus and specimens of animal species, many now endangered; the collection dates from the 1870s.
Herlufsholm also has a separate library (one of the oldest in Denmark), a small hospital, the principal's house, a few house for teachers and various other service and administrative buildings.
The rest of the classrooms are located in Nye Skolefløj ("New School Building"), connected to the principal's office, the staffroom and Helenhallen, which is the second largest gymnasium, also containing a stage.
Recently the school erected a new modern gym in order to accommodate the growing number of students, named Trollehallen after the founder.
The school's other dormitories are:
Skolebygningen (Skygningen); Museumsbygningen (Mygningen); Vuggestuen (Vuen); Egmontgården; Lassengården; Birgitte Gøye-gården; and Pernille Gøye-gården. The newest dormitory Bodil-gården finished construction in 2010, and is thereby the second mixed-gender dormitory along with Lassengården
School spirit
The school has continually been home to students since its foundation. Possibly because of its origin as a monastery the pupils are called disciples. Students are also called Herlovianere (Herlovians) and former students are Gammelherlovianere (Old Herlovians). Until recently the school was an all boys boarding school but to meet the standards of the new century the school gradually opened for day students and girls. In the 90's the board implemented the International Baccalaureate. Herlufsholm is the only school in Denmark with a compulsory uniform.The Uniform
The uniform is centered on the blue shirt with Birgitte Gøyes crest on the chest which every student 6th-12th grade, boarding as daystudent must wear at school - except at gym class of course. Generally students wear charcoalgrey or blue pants - light color variations are banned and so is black. Students in 12th may wear white pants - supposedly a reference to the navy. Over the shirt students often wear a pullover in either grey or blue. All students are opt to buy the two school ties - which they are only obliged to wear when wearing their blazer. Students in middleschool, 6th-9th, may wear a double buttoned blazer, students in the preparatory class (between 9th and 10th grade) as well as the students in 10th-12th grade may wear the school blazer with the Gøye arms on the chest. Prefects wear the Trolle arms instead.Herlovianersproget
A unique thing about the school is that the students have their own mini-language called the herlovianersprog. Words are obtained by simply taking the first and last syllableSyllable
A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter. A syllable is typically made up of a syllable nucleus with optional initial and final margins .Syllables are often considered the phonological "building...
s of a word and making a portmanteau of the two. So for instance, skolebygning ("school building") becomes skygning. Only imagination limits the possible words. Even though the language is exclusively utilized by the students some words have been adapted into Danish, for instance "svælling" (cygnet), which there was not previously a specific word for in Danish, is herlovian for Svane + Ælling (Swan + duckling). So far two dictionaries have been published.
Trolle-morgen
Trolle-morgen January 14, the founder's birthday, is a major event, as many old students return to the school on that day to commemorate their founding father in the dark hour of early morning.Fugleskydning
Fugleskydning ("bird-shooting") in mid-August starts the new school year. It is a tradition dating back to the latter part of the 19th century. Old and new students meet at the school to shoot down a wooden bird on a pole with bows and arrows.Students march out of the old school building, Skygningen, to the front of the principal's house where he gives the big wooden bird to 3G, and the little wooden bird to the 9th graders. The procession then continues around the Klosterbygning where the Forstander (provost) cries out a hurray for the "fugleskydning". The procession then continues into Nyhave ("New Garden") where a square is formed and the Fugleskydning song is sung, accentuated by firecrackers simulating cannonfire.