Elkšņi School

In the middle of the 19^th century, the necessity to open a school as a preparatory stage for parish school, which would then be a higher stage, was growing. The large building of Elkšņi tavern was chosen. Elkšņi Sschool of Ikšķile was opened in 1864 on St. George’s Day. The building was let out for the needs of the school for a specific period of time. Up until 1912, almost every child of Ikšķile is taught here.  The Museum of the History of Rīga and Navigation has so-called “potato medals” that children who spoke Latvian at school were made to wear because the official language in the Russian Empire was Russian. These medals were found in the attic of Elkšņi School of Ikšķile in the 70s of the 20^th century when the school was closed.

In the same year, a ministry school was built not far from this building, but the premises of Elkšņi School were used as a boarding school. The new school has a bright building with large windows and high ceiling, large gas lamps, food-court and laundry.

The life of the new school is very short because during the First World War the building is destroyed and never restored again. Children study in other premises suitable for a school up until 1923 when the Elkšņi School building is completely renovated and it is restored. Active studying goes on up until 1966 when a new two-storey school is built in the centre of Ikšķile, which is now Ikšķile Secondary School.

Since 1966, the Elkšņi School building is used for various needs – it has hosted a kindergarten, a sports school, and residential flats.

Nowadays the school building has regained its aura, and it is managed by Ikšķile Free School, which offers an alternative to the standard national basic education, on the basis of humanistic education using individual teaching methods.

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