Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
School Years (1890–1903)
SCHOOL YEARS (1 890-1 903) 1895 Kórház (hospital) Street. He is still receiving his weekly allowance regularly, books them, but on 30 April beside the residue of 0 forint 58 krajcárs the balance is not closed, so he adds a note: “chaos”. In Pozsony he enrolls in the Royal Catholic Principal Grammar School. He has got two months to fill the gaps between the different materials of the two grammar schools, too. 29 June - In his school report his grades contain 5 excellents and 3 goods, in addition he receives a 15-forint reward. He had 230 missed lessons in the school year. In his notes of 1894 he mentions only Elza Polka (carried over) and Andante con Variazioni dedicated to Sándor Schönherr. 1895 In June - He goes down with measles, so he cannot participate in the class exams held 19-24 June. 29 June - He receives his school report of year 4 with 6 excellent and 2 good grades, 110 missed lessons; he is ranking fourth in the class of 65 pupils. At the same time he receives the 15-forint Eötvös Award. (This was given to those needy pupils of non-Hungarian mother tongue - or in lack of such, born Hungarians - who had made the greatest progress cultivating the Hungarian language. Bartok belonged among the latter ones, of course.) Ernő Dohnányi had frequented the same grammar school, and he had been playing the organ during Sunday student Masses in the former Klarissza church for years. Having graduated in 1894 this activity of his ended. Károly Talcsik was playing the organ for one year. Jn September - Bartok enrolls in year 5, and stepping into Dohnányis legacy he is playing the organ during student Masses for four years. 27
