New blog post of the Gotha Research Library: On the benefits of School Holidays and Self-study. Reform Attempts at the Gotha Gymnasium under the Rector Johann Gottfried Geissler (1768-1779)

To what extent are school holidays beneficial? Is a school more attractive on the "education market" if the students there have more or fewer days off? These seemingly very modern questions were already being debated in the ducal seat of Gotha at the end of 1769. While the consistory at Friedenstein Palace wanted to limit the number of school holidays, Johann Gottfried Geissler (1726-1800), who had been rector of the school since September 1768, argued in favor of more free time. The documents relating to this dispute provide a rare insight into the school calendar of the Gotha gymnasium in the 18th century as well as into the importance of self-study at the time.