The Virga Jesse College is a Catholic secondary school in Hasselt that mainly offers aso directions.
History edit
The Virga Jesse College was created by the merger (1999) of the episcopal Sint-Jozefs College, a former boys' secondary school, and the Virga Jesse Humanities, (named after the patron saint of the city of Hasselt), a former girls' secondary school located on the Maastrichterstaat and the Maastrichtersteenweg. Although both schools were already mixed for some components before the merger, they threatened to become each other's competitors due to the overlapping range of study options. That is why the organizing body decided to merge in 1999. As a result, it has since been the largest ASO school in Hasselt.
Sint-Jozefscollege (1881-1999) edit
The Sint-Jozefscollege in Hasselt dates from 1882 and was founded as a reaction to the anti-Catholic school laws of 1879 of the Frère-Orban-Van Humbeeck government, of which a large number of members were Freemasons. Limburg then had only four Catholic secondary schools for boys: Sint-Jozefscollege in Beringen, the minor seminary in Sint-Truiden, Sint-Lambertuscollege in Peer and Sint-Michielscollege in Bree. At that time there was only limited mobility, so that in agricultural, disadvantaged Limburg only a wealthy minority could afford the high school fees.
A committee was set up in Hasselt that took on the construction of a school where both primary and secondary education could be arranged. In September 1881, the first stone was laid by Monseigneur Doutreloux. A good year later, the neo-Gothic building was taken into use. In 1883 a boarding school was also started.
Humaniora Virga Jesse (1935-1999) edit
The school was established to answer the rising demand for further education for girls. Sister Gemma was the first headmistress. The school gained a reputation for offering a strict, distinguished, and Christian education. The school moved into a building in the Maastrichterstraat. During the war years, the school was requisitioned for housing soldiers. Despite these difficult circumstances, the first pupils graduated from secondary education in 1941.
The 1970s saw an explosive growth in the number of students, partly due to the baby boom, and partly due to women's emancipation, with girls increasingly opting for a secondary school. A new building was built on Maastrichtersteenweg, 100 meters away just outside the inner ring road. Since the merger, the third degree has been located there. The first and second degree will remain in the buildings of the old Sint-Jozefscollege on Guffenslaan (Green Boulevard).
The collections edit
Every year several campaigns are set up to support charities. For example, there are campaigns to support underprivileged people. The money can then be collected, for example, through sponsored walks. There is also a Christmas market at the school every year where the students sell everything and everything then goes to charity.
Architecture edit
The college buildings are an example of architecture parlante ("speaking architecture"). The Neo-Gothic architectural style reflects the institution's Christian program and refers to the Gothic Middle Ages. The atheneum in neoclassical style, diagonally opposite, does the same and refers to its liberal, neutral character.
Externe links edit
- Officiële website
- Virga Jessecollege (Hasselt) in de ODIS