The General Władysław Anders Economic and Uniformed Services School Complex in Chelm

The School dates back as far as 1922. It was Wiktor Ambroziewicz - the headmaster of the Stefan Czarniecki Middle School - who initiated the creation of the State Co-educational Business School. Then, the School was located in a private building at ul. Lubelska 17 and its first headmaster was Bruno Szajbler. In 1936 the State three-class Co-educational Business School was transformed into the State Co-educational Commercial Middle School.
Occupation opened a new chapter in the history of the School. During town bombing girl guides from the Commercial Middle School supported the telephone network and worked as nurses in a local hospital. Girl students provided assistance to the injured at the railway station. After the Germans entered the town, the youth regularly met in a flat that belonged to the Dutkiewicz family which was located in the building of the court. Young people went there to get underground press and political news.
On 1 September 1944 as many as 319 pupils began to attend the School. The first post-war headmaster was Mieczysław Willam. The School went through some trouble: lacked space, fuel, furniture and teaching aids. May 1945 witnessed the first post-war school leaving exam. Under the resolution of the Minister of Education on 28 November 1945 the State Business Secondary School was created. Students attended the School in the afternoon (from 2 pm). The age of the pupils was very diverse (one class was attended by the students born in 1920 and 1928).
In 1946 state authorities started to politicise the School. The headmaster had to send information about political affiliation or organisation membership of the teachers. A new subject called “Socio-educational Issues” was introduced into the curriculum.
In 1951 the two-year Administrative and Economic State Secondary School was transformed into the Technical Business School which was later overtaken by the Ministry of Internal Commerce. 1 September 1954 marked the beginning of a four-year teaching programme which two years later was even a year longer. In 1957, next to the Technical School of Economics for the youth, the Basic Business School and the Technical School of Economics for adults with a major in commerce were opened.
In the early 1960s as well as in the previous decades the School was housed in three buildings. However, due to the School’s constant development it still lacked some space. Thanks to the financial support of the Central Trade Union Council, the School was given a new building at ul. Lenina in Chełm. 22 July 1964 marked the official opening of the newly built school.
Following an education reform based on the eight-year-long primary school, the 1967/68 school year began with an intake to the four-year-long Secondary School of Economics. New curricula were implemented in the Secondary School of Economics and the Basic Business School. The School maintained strong relationships with local work places where the students could do their apprenticeships.
In the 1970s the institution housed various types of schools: the Technical School of Economics for adults - based on the 7th and 8th grade of the primary school (major in General Economics), the Technical School of Economics for adults who had graduated from the Vocational Business School (major in commerce), Post-Secondary Vocational School, Secondary Extramural Vocational School, Basic Vocational School and Secondary Vocational School. In the 1973/74 school year on the 30th anniversary of the Polish People's Republic the School got a stadium. In 1977 the School was awarded the Medal of the National Education Committee from the Minister of Education.
On 6 June 1980 the School changed its name into the Marian Czerwiński Lifelong Economic Learning Centre (CKUE). Now, CKUE housed the following types of schools: Secondary School of Economics - four-year-long, Basic Vocational School - three-year-long, Post-Secondary Vocational School, Secondary School of Economics for adults, Secondary Extramural Vocational School and Secondary Vocational School.
1990 marked the first intake into the Secondary School. The number of evening classes was gradually deceased to make space for students who learned full-time. Due to a high number of units the School had to operate in two shifts.
Under the resolution of the Staff Meeting of CKUE, the School was no longer named after its patron Marian Czerwiński. The same year Religion became a subject in all classes.
On 1 September 1997 the School changed its name. CKUE was transformed into the Economic School Complex and Secondary School no. 3. On 6 May 1999 during an exceptional ceremony the School was named after General Władysław Anders. Irena Renata Anders - the wife of the General - was the guest of honour. The Secondary School of Economics resumed its operation. The staff worked on implementation of the new school leaving exam. Now the pupils could take the exam which also served as an entrance exam in the Kraków Technical University.
Following the education reform in 2004, the Economic School Complex and Secondary School no. 3 now housed: four-year-long Technical School of Economics no. 3, three-year-long Secondary School no. 3 and the three-year-long Specialised Secondary School. In 2005 the School established cooperation with the Academy of Economics in Kraków (University of Economics since 2007) which provided its patronage over the Technical School of Economics.
Finally, in 2017 the School changed its name into the General Władysław Anders Economic and Uniformed Services School Complex in Chełm. Such change was brought about by the establishment of classes with major in uniformed services. First such units were created both in the Technical School of Economics and Secondary School no. 3 in 2015. In the Technical School of Economics pupils learned in two classes profiled in uniformed services with major in military (profession: technician-economist). The School established cooperation with T. Kościuszko 1st Warsaw Armoured Brigade Warszawa-Wesoła which became its patron. Another unit was created the following year. It was a class with major in fire fighting and rescue overseen by the National Fire Service Town Headquarters in Chełm. In 2017 another uniformed services class was formed, this time with major in national border crossing services overseen by the Bug River Border Guard Unit in Chełm. Secondary School no. 3 also opened a uniform services class with major in police with patronage of Chełm Town Police Headquarters. All classes have fostered innovation. The School Complex has also offered classes with other profiles. The graduates of the Technical School can become a technician in advertising techniques, trade technician and the graduates of the Secondary School are profiled in medicine, law and management.
Due to the School’s patron all school community feel compelled to respect history and follow ethical and national values. The School organises events like: the Patron's Day, first graders’ oath and accolade for cadets, cadets’ oath. All serve to shape patriotic attitudes and create a sense of identity with the homeland. In 2016, the School was visited by the Patron’s daughter - Minister Anna Maria Anders. The pupils were impressed as they could hear stories about the General - both the national hero and a father longed for by his daughter. The attitude inspired by General Anders is also shaped by participation in the Gatherings of Carpathian Schools, important religious and local community events.

The students learn a sense of responsibility for themselves and others by serving in the Young Road Service (since 2015).
Since the beginning the School has not only prepared its pupils to trade but has also taught general subjects. Therefore, its graduates obtain necessary qualifications and can continue their education at universities and colleges. In the course of vocational training the School attaches significance to cooperation with work places in which the pupils can do their apprenticeships. In order to prepare the students of the Technical School to their professional exams the Exam Centre has been opened in the School.
The accession of Poland to the European Union introduced several changes also in School organisation. New opportunities have appeared that help stimulate the pupils at different levels. Thanks to the European Social Fund the students develop their skills, knowledge, creativity and creative thinking by participating in various projects: “School of Key Competences. Development Programme - upgrading of skills by pupils from Central and South–West Poland” (2008-2012; project implemented in cooperation with the University of Economics and Innovation in Lublin), “Qualifications: Ready, Steady, Go!” (2010-2011). “Youth Math Universities” (2011-2013; project implemented in cooperation with the State Higher Vocational School in Chełm, the University of Rzeszów and the Jagiellonian University), “Improving students’ competence in philosophy and formal logic” (2017-2018; project implemented in cooperation with the Catholic University of Lublin), “A beard does not constitute a philosopher” (2018; project implemented in cooperation with the State Higher Vocational School in Chełm). The EU is also the patron of international programmes. The pupils participate in the eTwinning programme - “Lipdubbing short films” (2015-present; the programme implemented in cooperation with the Jules Verne Secondary School in Limours, France, awarded the eTwinning 2017 Prize for the project “EU Games 2015-2016”), “Erasmus+" (2018; “School Cooperation” - a project which supports cooperation between schools and international student exchange to promote the values related to tolerance and community involvement). Under this programme the School has established cooperation with schools in France and Spain. Chełm pupils visited France (2017) and welcomed again the pupils of the school in Limours (2018). The School also promotes the cross-border cooperation and participates in such projects like “Healthy school-healthy students”, “Common region-common entrepreneurship" (2005-2006; project implemented under the Neighbourhood of the Euroregion “Bug” Programme) implemented together with the pupils and teachers from the Technical School of Commerce in Lutsk. The youth are also very much interested in the programmes under auspices of the Citizen Education Centre. The School realises projects in various fields such as: “Miłoszing” (2011; project implemented within the programme “Miłosz - Renewal”), or “Physical Education with Class” (2015). An idea to engage young people to shape the attitudes of adults is realised by the pupils within National Programme for the Youth “I’ve Got Dirt on Cancer” (2013; the project was awarded with an invitation to the Final Gala). Whereas the project entitled “Financier's Index Book” points to practical application of Economic Mathematics in everyday life (2017; project implemented in cooperation with the State Higher Vocational School in Chełm under the mBank programme “mPower”).
The present provides young people with opportunities of comprehensive development but also creates some risks. For years the School has been involved in programmes on education and prevention such as: “Choose Life-the First Step” (cervical cancer prevention) or “Before you taste...” (alcohol intake in the context of other problematic issues and consequences of drinking), “Why?” (human trafficking), “ARS, how to care for love?” (prevention from using psychoactive substances at reproductive age; author Krzysztof A. Wojcieszek). The youth also enjoys taking part in School prevention projects addressed to the Department of Social Affairs in Chełm where the School cooperates with “Kurtyna” Theatre in Kraków.
School tradition means also caring for pupils’ personality development; therefore the students gather in many special-interest groups and youth clubs. Apart from clubs focused on general and professional subjects the School also gather the enthusiasts of photography, theatre and promotes its own musical band called “Na szybko”.
The School also takes advantage of modern innovations and in 2015 it introduced e-class register which improves everyday work and communication between the teachers and parents or students. The popularity of social media has inspired the students to create Fun Club Ekonomy (2013), whose purpose is to coordinate the pupils’ activity on social networking sites (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat) and school television “Ekonomy TV”.
Numerous educational initiatives have brought notable benefits. The pupils have become finalists of national school competitions among many in languages, ecology, inventions, social studies, journalism, self-government, defence, artistic competitions and festivals like contests in Literature and Russian Language, Contest entitled “Technical Innovation and Inventions”, the 5th National Drill Review, “Vocational School of the Highest Quality”, “Police Contest”, Contest on Knowledge about Safety and Defence”. The best students have been awarded with Kazimierz Kossowicz scholarship, Headmaster's Medal, Chełm Mayor scholarship and the Prime Minister scholarship.
The School has also been cultivating the idea of student government since 1946. At that time the Student Government began operating in form of a School Commune. Its goal was to coordinate the work of class governments - school gatherings. The School Commune had relatively many rights e.g. it could decide on educational matters, organise collections of money or school trips. Such activity is continued nowadays. Student government gives the pupils a chance to participate in the School’s life and its operation and also serves as a lesson of democracy and self-government.
Care for another human being is the aim of the School Polish Red Cross club. It has operated in the School since 1944 and has organised numerous street money and gift collections as well as lotteries providing support to hospices, orphanages or the Special Needs Education Centre in Dorohusk. It actively promotes voluntary and unpaid blood donation. Its members take part in a contest called “Young blood saves lives” and engage in a campaign entitled “Cellmania” which actively builds the awareness of the young in fighting blood cancer, which translates into an increasing number of potential stem cell donors.
The School not only focuses on the mind but on the body too. School Sports Club gathers a high number of students who can take up sport in a refurbished gym and a complex of football pitches “Orlik” (since 2012). The members can boast with numerous achievements. They have won district football, table tennis, team badminton, volleyball, cross-country races and swimming school competitions. The fruitful outcome of the effort of both the students and their teachers was the First Prize in a sports competition between secondary schools in the Lublin Province in the school year 2016/2017 (as the first secondary school in Chełm).
In the last decade the School has established cooperation with other schools, colleges and universities both in Poland and abroad: the State Higher Vocational School in Chełm, Medical University in Lublin, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Military University of Technology in Warsaw, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin (National Defence, Department of Economy), University of Economics in Kraków, Catholic University of Lublin, Instituto de Educación Secundaria San Juan Bautista in Madrid, Lycée Jules Verne in Limours, Instituto de Educación Secundaria San Juan de Mairena in Madrid, Gülten Özaydın Çok Programlı Anadolu Lisesi KÜÇÜKÇEKMECE in Istambul, Realschule in Scheinfeld, Bavaria, the Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University in Lutsk, Educational Complex of the Vinnytsia City Council in Ukraine.
The achievements of the School which are the personal achievements of the headmaster, teaching staff and the pupils are widely recognised locally and nationally. It is reflected in numerous rewards and titles such as: “Brown Shield” (3 years), “Silver Shield” (2 years) for Technical School of Economics no. 3 in the National Ranking of Secondary and Technical Schools of the Educational Foundation “Perspectives”, “ Positivist of the Year” in the category “Ecology and Sustainable Growth”, certificate “School of Innovation”, “School of Talent Discoverers”, “School of Good Practice”, “Reliable School”, “School of Key Competences”, “Violence-free School”, “Safe School”.
The development of the School and its rich educational offer could not have been possible without the passion of its headmasters who can inspire the teachers and pupils. School headmasters: Bruno Szajbler: 1922 - 1925, Henryk Fuhrman: 1925 - 1929, Piotr Kowal: 1929 - 1934; 1935 - 1939, 1945 - 1948, Stanisław Zakrzewski: 1934 - 1935, Mieczysław Willam: 1944 in 1939-1945, Kazimierz Kossowicz: 1948 - 1972, Zbigniew Dulski: 1972 - 1985, Krzysztof Prost: 1985 - 1990, Tadeusz Jastrzębski: 1991 - 1996, Teresa Ćwikła: 1996 - 2001, Tadeusz Kupracz: 2001 - 2007, Edyta Chudoba: 2007 - present.
Literature: “80 lat Ekonomów II Zjazd Absolwentów i Nauczycieli Zespołu Szkół Ekonomicznych i III Liceum Ogólnokształcącego im. gen. Wł. Andersa w Chełmie”, published on the 80th Anniversary of the Economic and Uniformed Services School Complex in Chełm and the Second School Reunion edited by: Krystyna Król, Anna Klimowicz, Jolanta Kostecka, Maciej Niebrzydowski, Aleksandra Stempkowska, School reports from 2003-2017, School Chronicle.

English version - mgr Magdalena Świszcz