History
of Pikasilla
The village of Pikasilla is located in Tõrva municipality, Valgamaa, which lies on the borders of the former Helme parish. Helme parish was first mentioned in 1329, making it one of the oldest parishes in Estonia. In the years 1991–2017, the village belonged to Põdrala municipality.
The village is located near the southern tip of Võrtsjärv at the mouth of Väike Emajõgi (mainly on the left bank).
For the first time, Pikasilla is mentioned in 1398 as a place where the representatives of the order authority and the bishop of Tartu held negotiations. Väike Emajõgi was here in ancient times the border of Sakala and Ugandi counties, later the border of Viljandi and Tartumaa. During the wars (last 1944), Pikasilla has been a battle tender. A memorial marks the brotherly cemetery of those who fell in the last war.
Aleksander Läte was born and August Kitzberg has lived in Pikasilla.
In 1921, a school was founded under the leadership of Pikasilla Educational Society, which worked until 2014. For now, both the ticket office, the communications department and the store are closed.
After the school was closed, the Pikasilla-Purts village society was the leader of the village life, which also maintained the school building. After the administrative reform, the village association ceased its activities.
Source: pikasilla.blogspot.com
A brief overview of the school’s history
- On August 29, 1921, a public meeting was convened at Pikasilla, where the Pikasilla Education Society was founded, local farmer Hendrik Treufeldt was elected as its chairman, and 10 people were elected to the leadership.
- On November 2, 1921, the Education Society sent its representative with a letter of request and an explanation to the Minister of Education in Tallinn.
- On November 6, 1921, H. Treufeldt announced the opening of Pikasilla Elementary school as a 4-grade private school of the Pikasilla Education Society at the board meeting of the Education Society.
- The state-owned former tavern building of Patküla manor was purchased as a school building. 2 teachers worked in the school with 73 students.
- In 1923, a new phase in the history of Pikasilla School began. Namely, the Valga County Government took over the private primary school and the school was changed to 6th grade.
- 1938-39. in connection with the reform of the municipalities, the school came under the jurisdiction of the Põdrala municipality.
- 1928-1935. In the 1990s, Pikasilla also had a supplementary school for girls in home economics. The school had a 2-year term. Girls who completed primary school could study at the school.
- In 1936, an experimental garden was established. From 1937, the school had a boarding school, and children were given hot meals.
- 1944-1945. the school was closed due to war damage. They wanted to abolish the school, but it was still restored by the parents in a social order. The leader was Mari Utt.
- In 1945, the school reopened as a 7th grade school and was named Pikasilla Mittielieks Keskkooli.
- Over the years, the school has undergone several changes and reorganizations. The building was transferred to a corridor system, a gymnasium and a workshop were built, as well as a partially mansard floor.
- In 1959, the first teacher’s residence was completed.
- In the fall of 1961, the school was changed to 8 classes.
- In 1962, the school got electric lighting.
- In 1966, the second teachers’ residence was completed.
- There have been several attempts to close the Pikasilla school, but the school continued to operate at the request of the public and parents.
- From 1988, the school worked as a 9-grade school.
- In 1995, plumbing was installed, a laundry room was built, a shower cabin was installed, comprehensive repairs were made in the toilets, and in 1996, a new tin roof was put on the school building.
- From 2000, by the decision of the Põdrala parish council, the Pikasilla Primary School was transformed into the Pikasilla 6-grade Primary School.
- On February 28, 2014, the Põdrala municipal council decided to terminate the activities of Pikasilla School as of August 31, 2014.
Source: pikasilla.blogspot.com
Historical pictures are from pikasilla.blogspot.ee and ajapaik.ee websites.