Toftum School
Rømø - Juvrevej 56
Step inside the tiny classroom.
The small, thatched house doesn't look like much, but for the children of Toftum, Juvre and Bolilmark, the school meant better prospects – whether they chose a life on land or at sea. Visit the old school, located just 150 metres from The Sea Captain's House.
1.
Learning for life
The great number of men who advanced into the ranks of sea officers, and the women who in the absence of their husbands diligently managed the farms, were testimonial for the importance of education. If you could read and write and you knew your maths, the foundation for a better future was laid. Toftum School was founded and funded by local families in 1784 and was in use for 90 years.
2.
The teachings of an old captain
Imagine being taught by an experienced sailor who has sailed from Copenhagen to France, the Mediterranean and St. Croix. The school's first teacher, Captain Peter Nielsen With, probably had a story or two to tell. After a life at sea, he taught at Toftum School for 36 years until he retired at the age of 78.
3.
The University of Rømø
The classroom was equipped with long tables and benches along the walls for the students. The teacher’s desk was placed by the western wall. In the 1860s, up to 40 pupils were taught in shifts in this modest room. Eventually the children were moved to a larger school in 1874. After that, the school building served as a poor house until the National Museum of Denmark took over in 1961. The school, playfully referred to as ‘Rømø’s University’, has become one of Rømø's cultural landmarks.
Foto: Rømø Lokalarkiv
Closed today
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