The document provides a history of IES Pompeu Fabra Martorell school in Catalonia, Spain from the 1960s onwards. It describes how the town of Martorell grew industrialized in the 1960s and only had primary education until the mayor convinced the Education Ministry to open a public high school. The first stone of the new school was laid in 1966 and it opened officially in 1968 with the first graduating class in 1970. It was named Pompeu Fabra after the engineer who standardized the Catalan language. Many current staff were formerly students at the school.

1. Our school history IES Pompeu Fabra Martorell Catalonia-Spain Comenius project 2007-2009 Razlog - Bulgarie Belfort-France Callagari - Italy Klaipeda-Lithuanie Martorell-Catalonia (Spain)

2. Martorell: Our town Martorell is an industrial city with about 26,000 inhabitants, 25 kms far from Barcelona. It is placed between Anoia and Llobregat rivers and it has been a road crossing area since the old times.

3. The first information about Martorell date from the Roman time, when they built “The devil bridge” over the Llobregat river as a part of the Augustan Road (Via Augusta)

4. In 1965, Martorell was a small town with about 10,000 people and it started its industrial expansion in chemistry and automovile industry .

5. Studies in the sixties At that time, children went to school for only six years. They started the compulsory school at the age of six and finished at twelve. Then they started their training working life in shops, workshops and other unqualified jobs.

6. The baccalaureate at that time At that time, the baccalaureate wasn’t compulsory. Only families interested in their children education and those who could do without their kids’ low salaries, took them to a high school. The baccalaureat had two levels: Elementary level with four years. (students started at the age of 11 and finished at 14 ). High level with two years (from 15 to 16 ) Finally, there was one more year but only for children interested in going to university

7. Schools in Martorell in the sixties In the sixties, Martorell had two state primary schools, two private primary schools and one religious private school with primary and baccalaureate levels, but there wasn’t a free state high school. Families interested in baccalaureate studies only had two possibilities: Taking their children to the religious private school (only girls) Taking their 10 -year- old children to a boarding school

8. Mr Josep Bonastre In the sixties, the major was Mr Josep Bonastre . He had his own idea about how Martorell could be in the future and this idea included education. He started connections with the Education Ministery in Madrid , in order to have a free public Baccalaureate school in the city. After several conversations he achieved it

9. The school first stone. After several conversations finally, on 17th July 1966, the major and the owners of the building company put the first stone.

10. Official opening The building was made in one year and in october 1968 it was officially opened The first year, there was only the first Baccalaureate level. At that time, there were schools for boys and schools for girls but the high school of Martorell had boys and girls together, from the biginning. The only subject they did separated was P.E.

11. The first headmaster Dr Carratal à The first headmaster was Dr Carratal à He was Dr in French language. He was chosen by the major himself After his work in our school he worked at the university of Barcelona

12. Our school name When the school was created it was a section depending on a High School in the city of Hospitalet de Llobregat In course 1978 all school members (students, teachers, administration workers )selected the name by election. The chosen name was Pompeu Fabra

13. POMPEU FABRA Pompeu Fabra was an engineer born in Barcelona in 1868. He studied the Catalan language by himself and he ruled it. He wrote the first Catalan grammar. At the end of the Spanish civil war, Catalan language was prohibited and he had to go abroad He died in 1948 in Prada del Conflent (France)

14. School staff that were former pupils People that work at IES Pompeu Fabra were pupils at the school such as: Mrs Alba Bohigas - Catalan language teacher Mrs Queralt Ciganda – Spanish language teacher Mrs Carme Julia - Arts teacher Mrs Lidia Luque - Technology teacher Mrs Pilar Puimedon – Catalan language teacher Mrs M. Josep Salvado - Administration staff Mr Xavier S ánchez – Physics and Chemistry teacher Mrs Montserrat Tendero – P. E. teacher and headmaster nowadays Our headmistress