During the period of the Greek community's bloom in Alexandria many schools for the expatriated were built so that the educational needs of thousands of Greek children could be covered. Education was previously not limited in elementary schools and high schools, but it was extended in a higher level. Salvagios School of Commerce used to be in the building where the elementary school is being housed, which was a donation of Constantine Salvagos, the banker, and many recherché accountants who were never left without a job graduated from this school. In addition, the famous Zervoudakios Urban School, a donation of the banker George Zervoudakis, used to be in the building where the high school is now being housed.

Same program with Greece

However, Nasser's rise during the decade of 1950, led to the nationalisation of many foreign enterprises and also to the Greek community's decline. Only two Greek schools have been left in Alexandria, Pratsikio-Tositsio Elementary School-Kindergarten and Averofio High School, where 91 students study, all told. The lessons that are being taught are the same as in Greece, with the addition of the Arabic language as a third foreign language, Egyptian history and geography, which are being taught in Arabic.

The students' number in the Greek schools would be even smaller, if the children of the Greek employees and Egyptian former immigrants, who have the Greek citizenship, didn't study in them. The latter prefer Greek schools so that they can ensure their children's smooth continuity in these studies, as most of them have already begun their education in Greece. The aforementioned Egyptian children adjust very easily to the Greek school's schedule and way of working, without having any adaptation transition difficulties.

Pratsikio Elementary School's director, Dionysis Diamantopoulos, mentioned that the Egyptians' children who have a Greek citizenship speak Greek fluently and have a strong Greek conscience. He even described us a significant incident with one of these students: "When the teacher, on the occasion of the 28th of October National Day, asked the classroom who won the war in 1940 between Greeks and Italians, an Egyptian student spontaneously jumped from his seat and said: We did, sir".

There are very few Greek children in Alexandria who don't go to Greek schools, but to some of the city's private foreign language colleges. Those children are meant to live in Egypt and take over their parents' professional activities. In private schools they learn to speak Arabic and other foreign languages very well, while at the same time they obtain the acquaintances needed for the doors of the Egyptian market to open before them. Even these children though, attend weekly Greek language classes every Friday, in order to keep contact with their origins and associate with other Greeks.

Reviving ancient Greece

The Greek schools of Alexandria remain vivid, despite the continuous decrease of their students, by organizing many activities during the school year. The school's athletic games of June in classic sports are like small Olympiads, in which the ancient Greek ritual with the flame's touch is being followed.

There are some events that often take place in Cavafy's home, where Greek students recite poems of the great Alexandrian poet, not only in Greek, but also translated in Arabic and other languages. The year before, a big event had been organised in Alexandria's library, by the international organization "Readers of Homer", during which students of the Greek schools recited lines from Iliad and Odyssey in front of an international audience.

The photography exhibition entitled "Alexandria through the children's eyes" was also a great success. Lanterns from the Muslim Ramadan, people drinking their tea in coffee houses, the warm colours of the dusk along the coastal avenue, were some of the exhibition's subjects.

At nights, the Greeks gather at the Greek community's haunt, which is at the "Greek block" of Alexandria. Teachers and students often feast there, leaving the formalities behind for a while. A teacher says: "Children often sing and dance with us, but in the morning they get in the role of the student again. They don't take advantage of this extracurricular intimacy and they have respect for their teachers. They all have a nice behaviour and they're aware of their limits".

In 2009, the 100 years of Zervoudakios School were celebrated and all of its old living students responded to the invitation. They came from all over the world in order to honour the cradle of Greek education, where they spent their life's best years and indelibly marked their Hellenic character.

Famous students

On the notice board of Averofio High School there are photos of old students, who later became great artists. That's where we saw the faces of Demis Roussos, Manos Loizos and Alcestis Protopsalti. The high school's headmistress, Helen Dagklitsis, explained us that teachers with an inclination to music always work there, due to the school's tradition and this fact helps the children cultivate their musical talent. She especially mentioned the legendary pre-war director, Errikos Hatzianestis, who was a fanatic musical: "He had equipped the school with record players and microphones of a very high technology for that time, so that students can listen to classical music during the breaks. We have kept this equipment, which is still in excellent condition".

We also saw portraits of Evangelos Papanoutsos who used to teach there, hanging on the high school's walls. The headmistress led us in a hall where the school's old registry file is being kept and showed us a yellowed student record of 1928. "Please browse it carefully, because it has been dried by time and the pages may be ripped off", she told us.

In this student record there was a document drafted on May 21st 1928 by some teacher named Tasia Stephanou and explains the… very serious for that time misdeed of a student: "He took a shoe out of one of his classmates' school bag and provoked laughter. When I asked him to leave the classroom he disrespectfully said: I won't go out. What did I do? Thereupon he was asked to bring his custodian".

In another note written by a custodian and addressed to the high school's director, it is indicated: "Sir Headmaster. John Igglesis, my nephew, is absent from home asserting he is at school. I would be grateful if you could treat him with the severity needed. I thank you in advance, Helen Igglesis". In these almost perennial documents we can see the pedagogical system of that time, which was fairly strict, but not at all cruel.

The architecturally impressive school buildings, which were full of works of art and were shining with nobility, predispose teachers and students for a high level course and don't encourage blatant offending behaviours. None of the Greek schools in Alexandria has any damage or any scribbled marks on its walls and they all shine with cleanliness. Their comparison with the corresponding schools in Greece can only cause sadness.
TEXT-PHOTOS: GEORGE ZAFEIROPOULOS
SOURCE: www.greecewithin.com

MORE PHOTOS

Old sound system for the students to listen to classical music during the breaks.

Pre-war custodian's note for the admonition of a student who kept being unjustifiably absent.

Contemporary educational environment at the kindergarten.

A school that shines with cleanliness.

. Demis Roussos the singer was a student of the Greek school of Alexandria.

Sign at the Greek school’s entrance.

Pre-war photo, from the time when the classes were full of Greek students.

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