Our Grandfather Alexandros Alkidas

 Myrto Zoumidou

The bonds that man creates, in passing through life, are many. One of the most important is the relationship between teacher and student… And this is clearly reflected in the words of Alexander the Great when he referred to his teacher, Aristotle: "To my parents, I owe that I am alive, but to my teacher, I owe my life". Of course, the opinion refers to teachers who are inspired givers, who are ready in every situation to generously offer knowledge to their students.  One such teacher was English teacher Alexandros K. Alkidas, an educator who dedicated his life to The English School and to the service of his students, even after his retirement.

The life story of Alexander K. Alkidas could be said to be intertwined with the history of The English School.  Almost two decades after the establishment of the School, in 1919 the professor was hired and served for a long time and with great dedication, until his retirement in 1943.  To honour his service, the boarding house, at the School was named after him. 
His grandchildren, Elena Alkida Hacholiadou and Alexandros K. Alkidas, who also bears his name, spoke about this inspiring professor. They remember some beautiful memories, however, also some useful information about his life, most of which are unknown to the general public, concerning a very important part of the history of The English School that is still intertwined with our country.

"The Commemoration of Alkidas"
Born in 1881 in the early years of the Anglo-occupation, Alexandros Alkidas, was a small boy of short stature, pale and thin. But from the first years of his life, he showed his love and thirst for learning. In the evenings, he studied under the lamplight in the street outside his house.

For the record, as they explain to us, his real name was Alexandros K. Papadopoulos. The nickname "Alkidas", a synonym for Rome, was a euphemism and was given to him by his beloved professor until he also replaced his surname.

"His teacher admired his love of learning and made sure to find a way to send him to England to study," we are told. Upon completion of his studies, Alexandros Alkidas will return back to Cyprus when he was employed by The English School in 1919, under the direction of its founder, Canon Newham, to teach English to the students. He thus managed to follow in the footsteps of his teacher, with whom he was now colleagues.

Very early in his life, Professor Alkidas was widowed losing his wife Elegkos, a teacher from Larnaca, at the age of 33.  He was left alone to raise his son Costas in Nicosia. Alexandros continues to serve at the English School, and Costas also does his Secondary studies there. Even after his retirement, he remains there and offers his educational services unpaid in the afternoons to support the students of the School. From the photo archive provided to us by his granddaughter for the purposes of the report, we found that all the photos were of his life at the English School since he devoted most of his life to it and lived to teach.
 
He loved his students very much and inspired them. With them in classes and parades and trips and activities. Over the years, when they were graduating, they sent him gifts, pennies, books, and even photos dedicated "To their favorite professor…" Especially those from England.
 
His grandchildren remember him even in old age as a studious man who always wanted to learn. In fact, now an old man, after 80, he asked his son and grandchildren to learn the Sanskrit language. In fact, he suggested that they all put in money, and learn the language together. 
 
He also had a very good relationship with the well-known poet Dimitris Lipertis.  "They were inseparable friends and good colleagues at the English School".
Being educated people of their time, they enjoyed each other's company.  "Among his personal belongings, I also have a book of his, given to him by Dimitris Lipertis, with a handwritten dedication," says Mrs. Elena Alkida Hacholiadou.
 
As a grandfather, away from his educational duties, his grandchildren in their childhood remember him as a very loving person, full of stories. "He loved animals and had a huge turtle in his yard, which we played with when we visited," they tell us. He himself, apparently… was trying to teach her to run!

He used to visit them at their house in Larnaca to stay with them during celebrations and lectures. He read to them books and try to instill in them his love for letters. He wanted them to study, and be educated. His grandson, Alexandros K. Alkidas, who lives in Rochester Hills, Michigan, graduated from Athens College and continued his studies in America, from 1976 until 2005 he held the position of senior research engineer at General Motors. To date, he has to his credit 148 scientific publications on his subject.

He is typically remembered as a heavy smoker. "He ate a little but smoked a lot," we are told. They confess to us that he was a religious man. He had relations with the church, while for some time he was in charge of the Church of Saint Luke. "He came all the way to the Holy Land to bring water from the Jordan River so that I could be baptized," Mrs. Elena tells us.
The family grew over the years while Professor Alkidas, in addition to his two grandchildren, had five great-grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Of the nine great-grandchildren, one bears his name! Alexandros K. Alkidas.

The boarding school "Alks" in honour of the teacher
For the family of Alexandros Alkidas, it is a great honour to this day that one of the buildings of The English School bears the name of their grandfather, who closely linked his name with his educational contribution and his love for students. Especially since he is the only Cypriot Professor whose name was given to a school building.
 
And it was no coincidence that his name was given to the boarding school building that housed the most beautiful moments of the School's students. From the hours of study to their free time, Alexander Alkidas himself spent most of his day there, helping them with their studies and teaching them English lessons in the evenings.

According to what Kyriakos A. Dimitriadis mentions in his book (2019), which is dedicated to a historical review from the foundation of the English School up to 1960, in 1948 when the building of the Alks boarding school was completed, important additions were made in the school compound. As far as the building of the Alks boarding school is concerned, its architecture is certainly of outstanding importance, which consists of several arches, while many of the materials for its construction were collected from Pentadaktylos to Troodos.

Alks Boarding School was officially handed over to the then headmaster E.Jackson on 15th November 1948 and its construction cost was £55,900. However, due to greatly increased housing needs, the first 67 boarders moved in at the end of 1947 before electricity was even installed. With the completion of the building, there was everything that the students, some of the professors, and the staff of the School needed for their accommodation and their daily life.
 
Boarding school life in the 1950s
In the past, The English School, always provided accommodation to its students who arrived there to study from distant villages in Cyprus. But in addition to the necessity of housing, many of the principals clearly emphasized the necessity of developing a healthy environment of well-being for the students, through their daily contact. After all, the students had different origins or even different nationalities, religions, or even mother tongues and it was a first-class opportunity to mix with each other and learn from each other! In fact, after the Second World War, this event became the official policy of the school and of the Ministry of Education.

Life at the Alks boarding school provided other important resources to the resident students since they would have to take initiative and responsibilities, such as for example the cleanliness and hygiene of their premises but also the personal care of their premises, as a daily routine, under the supervision of people who worked there. There was always a daily schedule followed by all the tenants, without exception, to wake up early, wash, make their bed, and be ready in time before breakfast, while they were also subject to inspection by the boarding school housekeepers. The boarding school provided the residents with all the necessary meals which were prepared in its facilities.

Usually, in the afternoons, the boarders had enough free time for play and recreation. In addition to the school's pitches, they were also making their own improvised pitches. Of course, there were accidents, but the boarders, as good friends and classmates, made sure to manage them most of the time among themselves without involving those in charge. There was certainly no shortage of gatherings and small parties during the holidays at the Alks boarding school.

Every Sunday the Christian Orthodox students were led in a procession to the church either in Metohi of Kykkos or to Panagia Chryseleousa in Strovolos for the church service. Similarly, the Muslim students visited the Bayraktar Mosque on the walls of Nicosia every Friday.

The lifelong friendships
Naturally, The English School boarders who grew up together developed strong bonds of friendship that have endured for decades to this day. Not only between students of the same age, class, or religion. This being one of the values ​​that both the English School and its founder Canon Newham wanted to instill in the students, and this is an honorable legacy for the school. That is why Alkidas became a landmark as the "worthy teacher".

After 1974
After the Turkish invasion in 1974, the Alks boarding school ceased to function in accordance with the role for which it was created due to the state of emergency. A little later it was granted to the Cypriot Government, to temporarily house the Acropolis High School after the Turkish invasion in exchange of course for a nominal annual rent. Over time and also due to the "temporary" concession, the rent for the use of the Alks building was misinterpreted as a state sponsorship, creating a false impression as to the ownership of the Alks building but also as to the correspondence of the annual rent to The English School. However, there have been increasing voices in recent years saying that the building should be returned to The English School and the government should take care of relocating the High School.

Over the years, The English School has endured many difficult conditions and times in its history.  Throughout these difficult periods, it managed to provide a boarding house for its students.  Students staying at the boarding house, according to Kyriakos Dimitriadis, were from poor families but intelligent boys of Cyprus that passed the strict entrance exams and achieved excellent results.  Prof Alexander Alkidas lived and taught during this period.   T

During his recent visit to Cyprus and to The English School, his favorite school, the well-known Professor of Fetal Medicine Dr. Kypros Nicolaidis, wanted to visit the Alks boarding school and was photographed there, recalling memories and experiences he lived during his student years when he arrived from Paphos to Nicosia to study at The English School, from the 4th grade onwards. He shared with us some amazing stories of his time at the boarding school!
 

17th Pancyprian Physics Olympiad Α’ Gymnasium 
Lambros Skourides: Bronze

17th Pancyprian Physics Olympiad Γ’ Gymnasium 
Evangelos Lioudakis: Gold
 
36th Pancyprian Physics Olympiad Γ’ Lyceum
Christos Falas: Silver

10th Pancyprian Astronomy and Astrophysics Lyceum
Ara Mahdessian: Gold
Andreas Nicolaou: Silver

Ara Mahdessian and Andreas Nicolaou will be representing Cyprus in the International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad in Kutaisi in Georgia from 14th to 22nd July. 

Nicosia, 30 June 2022
The English School Leavers of 2022 will be moving onward in their academic journeys, having graduated from the institution that has been their home for the past seven years. At the ceremony held on Saturday, 25 June, the new graduates were addressed by their Headmaster, David Lambon, the Chairman of the Board of Management, Charalambos Iosephides, the Minister of Finance, Constantinos Petrides, and Guest Speaker Dr. Kypros Nicolaides, a graduate of the English School. A number of officials were in attendance, including the Mayor of Strovolos, Andreas Papacharalambous, and the Acting Director of Secondary Education, Mr. Nicholas Yiasoumi.

The students were congratulated on reaching this major milestone in their lives, having distinguished themselves along the way for their commitment, compassion, and leadership, which were nurtured and expanded during their time at the school, and will now serve as points of reference in their next steps. 

A total of 154 students graduated from the English School this year, during the inspiring ceremony attended by their proud parents and guardians. Along with their diplomas, a number of graduates received academic excellence awards for achievements across a range of subjects, as well as awards for their outstanding contribution to debating and public speaking, music and orchestra, and sporting.

In his Welcome Address, the Chairman of the Board of Management, Mr. Charalambos Iosephides, thanked the teaching and support staff, crediting them with enabling the students to realise their full potential, as well as the parents, for always championing the school and standing by their children and the Board in every step. Addressing the Class of 2022, Chairman Iosephides remarked: “To our graduates, on behalf of the Board of Management, I wish you the very best of success and happiness in your futures, whether your next immediate step is your university education, or your National Service. I am confident that the lessons you were taught at the English School, both academic and non-academic, have given you the tools to become respectful, respectable, and free-thinking citizens, and given you the confidence to hold your own in the new world into which you are now venturing”.

For his part, Headmaster David Lambon said: “For all of us, graduation is both a time of reflection and of eager anticipation for the exciting opportunities that our graduates will embrace in the coming years”. Welcoming Dr. Kypros Nicolaides “home”, Headmaster Lambon then touched upon the distinguished alumnus’ journey from being a boarder at the English School to professor of foetal medicine at King’s College Hospital in London. “His personal journey […] is one of commitment, compassion, and leadership”, he noted, underscoring that these qualities lie at the heart of the skills and values the graduates had developed at the school over their seven-year tenure. “I hope the commitment, compassion, and leadership you have developed at school will guide you in your future lives at university and beyond”, added Headmaster Lambon.  

Addressing the graduating class of 2022, Guest Speaker and alumnus, Dr. Kypros Nicolaides, applauded their resilience and dedication: “I congratulate you for reaching this wonderful milestone in your life, especially so during the COVID pandemic, which may well have been one of the most difficult periods in a lifetime”. Moreover, speaking as a proud alumnus, he emphasised the enduring bond one carries with them post-graduation: “However many years pass, wherever you happen to be, you will always be proud to have studied at the English School”.
Dr. Kypros, as he is known, was visibly touched while delivering his speech, having returned to his alma mater fifty-one years after his own graduation in 1970. He spoke warmly about his time at the English School, touching upon the many things he had learned “at one of the best schools in the world”; including how to share and work with others, how to participate in debates, and how to develop an inquiring mind. Importantly, the School served as the vehicle through which he carried out experiments in physics, chemistry, and biology for the first time, the first traces of what would flourish into a dedicated and pioneering career in medicine.

Earlier in the day, the School’s Science Building was officially named in honour of the revered English School graduate, during a brief ceremony in which he was warmly applauded by the School’s science teachers and the Board of Management to Coldplay’s “The Scientist”. This is the first time that a building has been named in honour of a former student, with that distinction having previously been bestowed on the School’s founder and teacher.  
Echoing the Guest Speaker, Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides noted how the English School stands apart in terms of the skills and resources it offers, enabling its students to utilise their full potential. “You should be proud of being part of this family, the English School Family”, underlined the Minister.   

The English School, founded in 1900, stands as the oldest school of its kind outside the United Kingdom. The School began with 13 pupils but rapidly grew to become the premier English medium school in Cyprus, drawing its students from a range of cultural communities both locally and abroad.
 

Over 12,566 students participated from 608 schools worldwide.

The results from our students are shown below:
Gold (awarded to the top 5%)
Fu Xiaodi – Gold

Silver (awarded to only 10% of the participating students)

• Kouyialis Theoklis 
• Petasis Antonis 
• Tserkezou Zoe 
• Wang Ruijin 

Highly Commended
Gialeli Andreas

Commended
Xie Yuanhong 

Well done to our students. We are very proud of you!

Andrea Georgiou won 2^nd Place in the 200m with a NPB of 26”.26 and 2^nd Place in the 400m, again with a NPB of 59”.71.  She was also a member of the 4X400m Relay Team for GSP, which won 1^st Place.
 
Evangelos Petasis won 3^rd Place in the 100m with a NPB of 11”.25 and 2^nd Place in the 200m with a NPB of 22”.72.
 
Christos Economides won 1^st Place in the 110m Hurdles with a NPB of 13”.72, setting a New Competition Record.
 
Congratulations to Andrea, Evangelos and Christos!

On Saturday at 12.00 noon, students will have a rare chance to listen to Dr Nicolaides tracing key moments in his pioneering career and answer students’ questions. The talk will be preceded by the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate the naming of the Science Building in honour of Dr Kypros Nicolaides.

On Saturday evening, Dr Nicolaides will attend the ELS22 Graduation Ceremony as Guest of Honour and will address graduates, parents/guardians, staff and management in what is expected to be a night full of emotion!

It was a great opportunity for our students to bond and have a great time in nature. Loads of activities took place including hiking, archery, a farm visit, and many other fun games. What an amazing way to start their summer break!

Nicosia, 21 June 2022
The English School students and faculty warmly welcomed HRH Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, to their premises on Tuesday, 21 June 2022, as part of the celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II‘s Platinum Jubilee across the Commonwealth of Nations. The Earl was received by Headmaster David Lambon and the Board of Management.

The English School, founded in 1900, stands as the oldest school of its kind outside the United Kingdom. This unique status was on full display during the Earl’s visit, also reflecting the school’s long-standing tradition of royal visits and its broader linkage to the United Kingdom, dating back to Princess Mary’s visit in 1936.

Among the historic milestones in the school’s illustrious history was Prince Philip’s visit, in 1993, who also awarded that year’s prestigious Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to students. The English School has a long and distinguished history with the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, dating back to 1968, which seeks to equip young people for life and work, as the world’s leading youth achievement award. Indeed, the school is the oldest Independent Award Centre in the world, counting an astonishing 700 student participants this current academic year alone.
In regards to the Earl’s visit, Headmaster David Lambon underscored the school’s established and multifaceted connection to the UK, alongside its excellent relations with the British High Commission. “We were delighted to welcome Prince Edward to our school, further expanding our longstanding relations. Since our founding in 1900, we have enjoyed close links with the UK, both through the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Scheme and many generations of students attending UK universities. There are many changes in the world at present, however, the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Scheme remains a constant avenue for student development, and we were delighted to welcome the Earl of Wessex to meet recipients today”.

Headmaster Lambon had the opportunity to share the school’s newly-launched Students First initiative, through which the school is taking the next step in the future of education and pastoral care. The flagship programme aims to reinforce the school’s educational mission through comprehensive improvements across all sectors, in continuing to prepare students to access the highest quality tertiary education and to become global and democratic citizens, empowered to aspire to key leadership roles in their adult lives.

During his visit, the Earl of Wessex also toured the institution’s grounds and was presented with a commemorative photo album, replete with archival highlights of the school’s rich 120-year history, including photos from previous royal visits by Princess Mary (in 1936) and Prince Philip (in 1993).

Year 3, congratulations on graduating Lower school! May you achieve many more goals in your life and inspire others around you! You are stars shining bright with achievements and making us all proud!

Many thanks to Year 3 Form Tutors who attended the event (Christos Kilaniotis, Michalis Gavrielides, Chryso Konstantinou, Stalo Achilleos, and Ioanna Koronaki), the Head of Year 3, Leonie Hadjithoma, Ms Katie Demetriou (Head of Year 1), Ms Elena Ignatiou (SMT)Ms Anne Marie Tellalis (SMT). It was a memorable night for the students and their teachers.

A special thank you to Chryso Konstantinou and Stalo Achilleos for the organisation of the event, and to Marios Hadjizorzis for his invaluable help and his amazing zeimbekiko!