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Alytus Secondary School (later became a gymnasium) was built on the ruins of the First World War, after the German occupation. Dzūkija, like the whole of Lithuania, was weakened. Therefore, the autumn of 1919 was special, because it was the only such educational institution in all Southern Lithuania that opened the way to education for the children of Dzūkija. In 1923, the school principal Kazys Klimavičius was replaced by Juozapas Jakštys. The new principal had to work in difficult conditions, in the years of great change. Under his leadership, in 1923 with the establishment of the fifth grade, the school was transformed into a progymnasium. At the same time, two-year teacher training courses were launched at the school. In 1925, by the order of the Minister of Education, the school was transformed into Alytus State Gymnasium. Priest Juozapas Jakštys, the principal of the progymnasium, started to lead a community of 13 teachers. Of these, only the principal, who had graduated from the Petrapilis Spiritual Academy with a licentiate degree, and the chaplain, priest Antanas Žigas, who had graduated from the Seinai Priests’ Seminary, had higher education. The other teachers only had high school science census, former students, etc. Changing historical events have changed people’s lives as well. In 1926 the Seimas elections took place, which was lost by the Christian Democrats and the peasant folk people together with the Social Democrats came to power. Therefore, the principal of the gymnasium, priest Juozapas Jakštys, was dismissed from the position of head and left as a Latin teacher. In the first Republic of Lithuania, until the 1940-1941 school year, religion was taught in schools by priests: in parish schools by parish pastors and vicars, and in secondary schools and gymnasiums by priests and chaplains appointed by bishops. The first chaplain of the school was priest Bronislovas Vaišnora. Later, this position was held by the teacher of religion Petras Balasevičius. Priest Antanas Žigas worked as the chaplain of the gymnasium for several years. He taught religion and Lithuanian language and literature. The chaplains changed frequently for various reasons, but, as prominent personalities, left their mark in the history of education in Alytus. Priest Pijus Kirvelaitis, a man of poetic soul, active press officer, worked as the chaplain of the gymnasium, later he wrote and published several books, translated theological works into Lithuanian. Priest Feliksas Sruoginis worked for one year, he was replaced by writer, theology licentiate Augustinas Vaitiekaitis, later - writer priest Jonas Kuzmickis. The first Soviet occupation interrupted the teaching of religion, crosses were removed from the classroom walls, and school chaplains became redundant. During the years of German occupation, crosses were returned, and religion was taught again. The second Soviet occupation abolished the teaching of religion in all Lithuanian schools. For five decades, great efforts were made to steal the faith and names of prominent clergy from the people. The heads, teachers and priests of the gymnasium were the only carriers and disseminators of culture in Dzūkija at that time. In 20 years, they raised many of the nation’s patriots, scholars, and about 30 priests. During the Soviet era, many high school graduates were accused of anti-Soviet activities, suffered camps or exile: priest Valentas Balčius was extradited and killed, priest Bernardas Baliukonis (Baliukas) was imprisoned in the Kemerovo region, priest Zigmas Neciunskas-Elytė went suffering Calvary ways in the camps of Karelia and Mordovia, but his pastoral work was not interrupted. Liudvikas Puzonas was arrested in 1946 and sentenced to 15 years of a strict regime camp for listening to the confessions of the partisans and giving them the sacraments of the sick. He served his sentence in the camps of Kazakhstan, Inta, and Abyss. Priest Jonas Rusinas was arrested, charged with anti-Soviet agitation, brutally tortured, and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 1949. He carried the sentence out at the Vorkuta coal mines. Priests Stasys Šivokas and Juozapas Voveris were also imprisoned in Siberian camps. |
