Technikatörténeti szemle 23. (1997-98)
TANULMÁNYOK - Efmertová, Marcela: Major Anniversaries of Prague’s Czech Technical University and its Support from the Secondary School System in the Past
med to be most relevant: shortage of money as a result of the Napoleonic wars, shortage of competent teachers and insufficiently prepared secondary school pupils. That was why Gerstner modified his original grandiose project and proposed that instruction at the technical institute in Prague should be brought as close as possible to the actual economic needs of the Czech lands, giving preference to the manufacture of linen, wool, cotton, glass making, iron making. Unlike the original accent on natural science and mathematics education, the teaching of chemistry, mechanics and building was promoted. This served to underline the technical and practical objectives of Gerstner's concept. The school was administered and financed by the Czech estates. In a Court Office decree, issued on March 14, 1803, Emperor Franz I approved the Assembly's resolution on the foundation of the Estates' Technical Institute of the Kingdom of Bohemia in Prague (commonly known as the Gerstner or Prague Polytechnic), and confirmed F. J. Gerstner as professor of mechanics and the Polytechnic's Director 18 . At the same time, the Emperor invited Gerstner, together with his professors of chemistry and building, to draft detailed curricula. On August 22, 1804 the imperial decree approving the concept was confirmed by the Czech estates. The Assembly also approved the location of the school in the St. Wenceslas seminar in Husova Street in Prague's Old Town. The school was to have opened in November 1805 but due to the continued war with Napoleon it did not open until November 10, 1806. Instruction at the Prague Estates' Technical Institute was organized just like that at the Prague University, the school year commenced in November and ended in August. Lectures were held every working days except Wednesdays. As in the original draft, courses were planned for three years. The curriculum was as follows 19 it divided the studies into two courses - chemistry and mathematics section to which various technical subjects were to be added in each year. The one-year chemistry branch included classes in general chemistry (effects of water and air, combustion, formation and classification of acids, effects of minerals, metal smelting, substances of plant and animal origin), production of glass and iron, bleaching and dyeing. The mathematics course, consisting of mechanical and building branches, covered three years. Algebra and surveying were taught in the first year, general and practical mechanics of solid bodies and hydraulics in the second. The third year was devoted to civil and water engineering. As a result of further reforms (1817) the study at the chemistry section was prolonged by an additional year. In 1863 five natural science subjects were added, and physics was separated from the mathematics branch. During the 1850s, this type of school managed to attain excellent technical standards.- Members of land parliament (assembly) used to attend the
