About our school – LITHUANIA - school in Židikai

Mažeikiai district Židikai Marija Pečkauskaitė secondary school The school in Židikai was founded in 1865. It is not known what it was like and who was learning there. In 1904 there were four classes and only one teacher who was Russian, knowing not a word in Lithuanian. In 1915 Marija Pečkauskaitė, the famous Lithuanian writer and teacher, came to Židikai where she worked until 1930. She was noted for her great altruism, kindness and devotion for goodness. Living here M. Pečkauskaitė worked educational work, took care of children and youth, set up a youth choir, founded hospital, chemist’s and an old people’s home which she supported afterwards. Moreover, she built a spacious parish hall, arranged performances and charitable lotteries, and founded a clandestine Lithuanian school in which she worked herself. The legal Lithuanian school in Židikai was founded in 1918. In 1929 primary school of Židikai was named after Marija Pečkauskaitė ( this name was withdrawn during the soviet period.) After the death of Marija Pečkauskaitė the school proceeded with its activity. Progimnazija (junior high school) was opened in 1948 and secondary school in 1954, it survived political changes and endured hard years of hardship. In 1989 the name of Marija Pečkauskaitė was reintroduced. Obliged by such an honourable name the school teaches to live and lives itself according to the ideals of goodness and love and devotes a lot of attention to spiritual and moral education.