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

ar to the Paris model) in mathematics, physics and natural sciences even though the overall concept of these subjects highlighted practical knowledge, applicable in iron works, glass-works and dye works, in mechanical engineering workshops, watchmakers' shops but also in mining, agriculture and the emerging food-processing and engineering industry, and not in theory and scientific research. Gerstner's efforts to create a technical university for the Czech lands were ultimately rewarded in the 1860s when students attending the Polytechnic could develop the knowledge and skills gained at secondary schools. His concept proved its viability in a host of railway-building projects, new factories and businesses, safeguarding for the Czech lands unprecedented economic progress achieved at the end of the 19th century. Gerstner's reforms carried out between 1803 and 1806 stand out as the most important reform ever to be carried out at the Prague Technical Institute. Notes 1 Tayerlovä, Magdalena, Efmertovä, Marcela, Geske vysoke ucenf technicke v Praze 1707-1997 (Czech Technical University in Prague 1707-1997). In: Informacni bulletin Rektorätu CVUT, Praha 1997, No. 1, p. 12 (in Czech). Velflik, Albert Vojtech, Dejiny technickeho uceni v Praze (A History of Technical Teaching in Prague). Part 1, Prague 1906, pp. 224-250 (in Czech). 2 Velflik, A.V, op, cit., Part 1, pp. 47-48 (in Czech). 3 Bohäcovä, Eva, Hodinärovä, Marie, Tayerlovä, Magdalena, Vy'roci 1997 (Anniversaries 1997). Archiv CVUT, Praha 1997, p. 3 (in Czech). 4 Lomic, Vaclav, Jilek, Frantisek, Dejiny Ceskeho vysokeho uceni technickeho (History of the Czech Technical University), Part 1, Vol. 1, Praha 1973, pp. 90-105 (in Czech). 5 Velflik, A. V, op. cit, Part 1, pp. 47-48 (in Czech). 6 Between 1773 and 1774, a private Learned Society was formed in Prague. It began publishing its scientific treatises under the title "Abhandlungen einer Privatgesellschaft in Böhmen zur Aufnahme der Mathematik, der vaterländischen Geschichte und der Naturgeschichte" in 1775. The initiator of the Society and publisher of such treatises was the scientist Ignaz von Born (1742-1791), and the Society's members included Joseph Stepling, Jan Tesänek, later Franz Joseph Gerstner and many others. In 1784 the Society was transformed into a public corporation with its own statutes and a new name, Czech Society of Sciences. Its library was founded in 1786, and in 1790 a decree issued by Leopold II renamed it the Royal Czech Society of Sciences. In 1890 another scientific institution was added to it, namely the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts. 7 Velflik, A. V. op. cit., Part 1, pp. 47-48 (in Czech). 8 Ibid. pp. 160 and 164. 9 Gerstner's detail biography can be found in: Wurzbach, Constant von, Bibliographisches Lexikon des kaiserthums Oesterreich. Erster Theil. Wien 1859, pp. 161-163. Velflik, A. V, op. cit., pp. 168-163 (in Czech). Archiv Närodniho technickeho muzea, Fond 44 - Frantis "ek Josef a Frantisek Antonin Gerstnerove, karton 1-4 (in Czech). 10 The Wrbnas, originally a Silesian aristocratic family known since the first half of the 13th century. After leaving Silesia, its members came to Poland, Moravia and Bohemia where they traditionally owned estates in Central Bohemia (Krnsko, Hofovice, Rehnice, Komärov, Mrac) and where they applied themselves to iron making. Rudolf Wrbna co-operated with Gerstner in the construction of the steam engine. He supplied castings and iron parts made in his own iron works at Komärov near Horovice.