Catholic Church of Virginia, the oldest school in Beijing

Till the Guangxu years, the Qing government cancel the imperial examination system, began to develop modern education. At that time the country is extremely lack of talent which master in modern science, therefore, foreign education played a unique role. In addition, when the women's college is extremely lacking. At that time, many enlightened people would choose to send their children into church schools.

The first school in Beijing is the Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary, as the oldest church in Beijing, the Catholic Church of the South Church as early as 13 years in Tongzhi (1874) began to set up private school.

The school is a huge two-storey three-storey building, including student dormitories, library, laboratory, etc., for the stadium. Brick and wood structure of the East, West, North third floor before the gallery, brick arch doors and windows, with modern eclectic style. Construction area of ​​5,000 square meters.

Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary School site in the Xuanwumen Church (South Hall) on the east side, only a wall separated. The site has a modern eclectic style, the building for the brick and wood structure, brick arch doors and windows, red metal roof, mottled external walls of the school experienced the vicissitudes of life. The overall pattern of the school building remained the same, but the two sides of the door on the addition of two gatehouse. The biggest change at the top, the enlarged roof replaces the neatly stacked walls of the old photographs.

School building is surrounded by three sides of the inverted U-shaped two-story building, brick arch doors and windows corridor, architectural style is China's modern eclecticism. Built in 1908 by the Xuanwumen, the door engraved with "1908" and "French special school" words. Door and window decoration using French-style brick lines, simple way, the effect of smooth and beautiful.

It is both the charm of Chinese gardens, but also absorb the Western style of European and American architecture, its cleverly blend together in the Chinese overseas Chinese private construction of the garden is first class, but also China is now found a more complete combination of Chinese and Western famous garden.
Li Park layout, can be divided into three parts: villa area, large garden area, small garden area. Three districts with artificial river or fence separated, and cleverly with the bridge or the celestial corridor will be three districts into one, people feel the garden in the park, King King King, pavilions, elegant layout, originality, It is a sense of talent.

Catholic Church of Virginia, formerly known as the French Academy, is governed by the French Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The teacher is taught by the faculty of the Church of the Virgin Mary. Guangxu eighteen years (1892) Catholic Church will take the private school reorganization, the addition of mathematics and French courses. This church school only recruit boys, the focus is to cultivate French talent. Graduated by the French degree. Each of the first two outstanding achievements, but also can be sent to France to study.

After 1921 changed to Nan Tang Primary School. June 1937 the National Government Ministry of Education to recover the sovereignty of education, the French school was asked to apply for filing to Peiping private Nantang secondary school, after the outbreak of the war of resistance against Japan and ran aground. In 1943 in Peiping City, the approval of the Japanese government officially changed to private South Hall secondary school, attached to the South Church Primary School. Belong to the Catholic Church.

After the founding of new China, South Hall was picked up renovation, in 1951 July officially closed, to Beijing Normal School. School elementary school part moved to Nan Tang primary school, renamed Xuanwumen primary school. In 1953, the original site of Nantang Middle School was changed to Beijing Teachers' Training Institute, and the Cultural Revolution was closed.

1984 and the South Hall was jointly published as the scope of protection and construction control zone, the protection of the Department of the former school site two-story south-east wall, south and west planning red line, north to thirty-two North and the north wall of the factory wall The It is now used by Beijing Foreign Affairs School and Beijing Yuda Senior Vocational School. On the basis of the original site of the French school, a certain addition and renovation were carried out.

Modern school school rules are very strict, not only for students to have performance requirements, but also for students have a high etiquette requirements. The Catholic Church of the Catholic Church has cultivated a large number of French and natural science talents for the Qing and the Republic. There are also many women's colleges in the church school, and girls wear uniforms, cut short hair, do not make up, do not lipstick, not nails. Song Qingling, Song Meiling and Song Ailing are all students who graduated from the British Church School.
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