W.A. Nijenhuisschool Katlijk In 1986 werd de school voor het laatst verbouwd. Het werd toen een basisschool. De kleuters kwamen er bij. There are about 50 pupils on the school. They are devided over 3 class rooms in the combinations of groups 1 and 2, group 3, 4, 5, and groups 6, 7, 8. There are 3 teachers with a whole weekdays assignment and 2 part-timers. Pricipal of the school is Ben Wemmers. The school has their own Homepage (in Dutch language only): http://www.nijenhuisschool.nl History of the W.A. Nijenhuisschool The married couple Wietze Andries Nijenhuis (1874-1953) and Leentje Hoekstra (1890-1973). In 1890 the Reformed School Association where founded, with the purpose to found a Christian elementry school in Katlijk and Mildam. But it did made no progress, because the location of the school was a hot issue. The association was cancelled. In 1914 there is founded an association again. One of them was Wietze Andries Nijenhuis (1874 - 1953). He opened on July 10th, 1914 a meeting in the meetingroom of the Reformed church of Mildam, to discuss the possibilities. A painting of the school with the house for the principal as it put into use in 1915. W.A. Nijenhuis was the man that gave the push for the foundation of a society and building a school with a house for the school principal, in spite of the fact that he and his wife Leentje Hoekstra (1890 - 1973) did not have children themselves. Nijenhuis was a farmer in Katlijk and later also alderman in the municipal of Heerenveen. He was also the founder of the "Boerenleenbank" (Farmers loan bank) in Katlijk and the dairy factory in Bontebok. His name does live on in the name of the school and there is even named a street to him, the W.A. Nijenhuisweg, formerly named Boerenstreek (Farmers region). Till 1962 there is taught in this building. On April 1st, 1915 the school became festive opened and on April 2nd there is began teaching to about 70 pupils and that is still going on today. The first principal of the school was D. Runia, wich left in 1920 as principal of the school in Oudeschoot. This picture is taken at the 60th anniversary of the school in 1975. After years there must come to a new school. On June 6th, 1962 the new school became opened. Mrs. Nijenhuis opened up the front door and rang the school bell, so inaugurating the school. In 1969 there became a new house for the principal. Another milestone is the opening of the new third classroom on March 29th, 1973. Due to the coming of the small children, the chool must be made fit for it in 1986. It must be rebuild, there became a play-classroom for the small children and a gymnasium, which is used also as a theater and a schoolyard with play equipment for the small children. The opening took place on June 17th, 1986. The last alteration was in 2002. The gymnasium got 'expanded' with about 20 square meters, and therefore also useful for tinker en klay molding. The room is also multifunctional, and suitable for meetings, performances etc. Besides the school is thorough renovated. The central heating is renewed, the toilets are renewed, all the softboard ceilings are replaced by systemceilings and the floor covering is renewed. Besiders the classroom at the first floor is got airconditioning, because in de summer the temperature was tropical.