page_title: Rødkilde Højskole
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Rødkilde Højskole / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Statue of Frede Bojsen, founder of Rødkilde Højskole, Møn, Denmark, sculpted in 1929 by Gunnar Hansen (1901-1972). The statue stands in the grounds of the school.
context_page_description: Rødkilde Højskole is a folk high school just south of Stege on the Danish island of Møn. Founded in 1866, it is one of the older folk high schools in Denmark. Renamed Teaterhøjskolen Rødkilde, it now offers both short and longer courses for those wishing to learn more about the theatre, especially those aspiring to become actors. The main building by Ludvig Fenger, the student wing and the octagonal assembly building were listed on the Danish registry of protected buildings and places by the Danish Heritage Agency on 8 July 1982.
context_section_description: Rødkilde folk high school was founded by Frede Bojsen (1841–1926), an active politician and influential chairman of the parish council in nearby Stege where his father was the pastor. In order to test out his plans for a high school, on 1 May 1865, Bojsen rented a farmhouse in the village of Tjørnemarke a few kilometres north of Stege. On 26 July, he married Karen Anker, a Norwegian, and on 26 October he opened the school with some 30 students from the north of Falster and Møn. Given their initial success, Frede and Karen decided to build a proper school. Thanks to Karen's rich family and the dowry she received, they were in a position to go ahead with their project without delay. They opted for the present site with views over Stege Nor, a stretch of inland water, and the hills of Møns Klint beyond. In fact, Karen was never to see the finished buildings. She died during childbirth on 22 September 1866, just a couple of days before the students were due to arrive. Her husband never forgot her and always reminded his colleagues that the school was a gift from the Ankers. For this reason, on certain occasions, a Norwegian flag is flown at the school. An imposing statue of Bojsen (pictured) by Danish sculptor Gunnar Hansen stands on the school grounds.
  For the first 70 years, the school offered courses to men in the winter months and women in the summer. The emphasis was on agricultural training, gardening and crafts. In 1936, there was a complete change in direction as nursing became the centre of interest, supported by the government's decision to encourage folk high schools to give preparatory courses in nursing. Rødkilde was in fact the first to make the change. Initially the school had been privately owned but as a result of the need for self-ownership in order to qualify for state grants, in 1965 ownership came into the hands of the school itself.
  Once more, as a result of the new directions in government policy, the school had to find a new area of interest. Given the increasing interest in nature and the countryside, and Møn's special status in this regard, in 1981 the institution became a nature high school for a relatively short period. Initially nature courses were popular and economically successful but as time went by, with the reduction of state support for folk high schools, yet another direction had to be found. The year 1997 turned out to be a crisis year. The number of students dropped and the school's new status as an efterskole (literally "after school") would have required younger students to attend, starting at age 14 rather than 17. Moves were made to prepare for the sale of the school but, in the nick of time, contacts were made with Den nye Dramaskole (the New Drama School) which was interested in introducing drama courses at Rødkilde.
  A new school board was appointed and the first drama course in the summer of 1999 turned out to be a success. The school first became known as the European Theatre High School, then in 2003, simply as the Theatre High School. Slowly the school's debts were paid off and by 2005 there was even a waiting list for student registrations.
caption: Gunnar Hansen's statue of founder Frede Bojsen
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