The Mine Side 16 - Västra skolan

You have now reached stop 16 of the children's tour, The Mine Side. If Erik and Brita lived today, they would certainly go to school. But when they lived in the late 1600s, there were no schools for them to attend. Some boys from very wealthy families had a teacher who lived with them and taught them how to read, count, and write. And when they grew older, they would study at a distant university and live there.

Their sisters, on the other hand, were expected to just get married and learn how to behave like a "proper" girl. Cooking, crocheting lace, and maybe playing an instrument. Unfair, isn't it? In the mid-1800s, schools were built for all children throughout Sweden. But some parents didn't want their children to go to school. They believed that the children should work and earn money for the family. However, in 1842, a law was passed stating that ALL CHILDREN MUST GO TO SCHOOL. "It was a good law." Today, teenagers aged 13-15 attend this beautiful school. It is called Västra skolan (West School) and is a middle school. When it opened in 1915, it was an elementary school for children between seven and twelve years old. Do you see the tower at the top? It's very similar to the tower of Kristine Church. And it has a copper roof too. This city tour is funded by Tillväxtverket.