The Secondary School Teacher

Abstract

Only two months later a telegram arrived from the burgomaster of Warffum — a small town in the province of Groningen — notifying Beijerinck of his appointment as a teacher at the Agricultural School there on a salary of f 1800.— a year. Beijerinck did not at all like the idea of going to Warffum, but things turned out better than he had expected. The class rooms were good. For the training of 20 young men from the peasantry there were 9 teachers with whom, however, Beijerinck did not always get on very well. Groningen being fairly near, the post has the advantage of giving an opportunity for University studies. Here Beijerinck had his name entered in the very same year. In September 1874, however, the Agricultural School was done away with for a year and to his indignation Beijerinck was dismissed on January 1st, 1875 with four weeks’ notice. However, he received a part-time post as a teacher at the State secondary school at Warffum on a salary of f 200.—, and had moreover f 1000.— as halfpay.