Old Aalten > Education > Secondary School > Technical School (LTS)

Technical School (LTS)

Polstraat 25, Aalten (no longer extant)

The Christian Technical School on Polstraat in Aalten was officially opened in 1955. The striking building, designed by Aalten architect Wim Hebly, provided Junior Technical Education (Lager Technisch Onderwijs or LTS). It was demolished in 2007; in 2023/2024, a complex containing 56 social housing units was erected on the site.

On 8 December 1948, the first general meeting of the Foundation for Christian Vocational Education in Aalten took place. In September 1950, permission was granted to establish a technical school.

The first lessons were held in the former gasworks on Bredevoortsestraatweg, which housed the carpentry and machine benchwork departments. At that time, the number of pupils stood at 55. Theory lessons took place in classrooms at the Christian MULO (junior secondary school) and the Dutch Reformed School.

Moving to a Dedicated School Building

On 19 December 1950, the Municipality of Aalten made 4,000 m² of land on Polstraat available. In 1951, theory lessons were moved to the Irene building. In 1952, the Ministry of Education approved the sketch plan for a new school building designed by Wim Hebly. The tendering process followed in 1953.

Construction began on 5 November 1953 and included two practical classrooms, a construction shed, two theory classrooms, a drawing room, an auxiliary gymnasium-cum-canteen, and offices for the headteacher, staff, and administration. The official opening took place on 10 June 1955.

Stained-Glass Window

A notable feature of the school was the stained-glass windows, created in 1955 by the Amsterdam glazier Jan Ooms (1915–1975) in close collaboration with architect Hebly. Ooms was known for his use of bold colours and modern techniques.

When the school was demolished in 2007, the windows were salvaged. Following restoration, they were given a new home in the central hall of Christelijk College Schaersvoorde in Aalten.

Expansions

In 1956, preparations began to expand the school as the duration of the course was extended from two to three years. A new classroom plan was drawn up for this purpose. In the following years, further practical and theory classrooms were added.

Merger and Demolition

In 1993, the Technical School merged with the other secondary schools in Aalten—the Christelijke Scholengemeenschap Aalten (CSA) and the Christelijke Scholengemeenschap Langenhave—to form Christelijk College Schaersvoorde. Around 2006, the school moved to a new building on Landbouwstraat, near the railway station. The old complex on Polstraat was demolished in 2007.

The site remained vacant for a long period until a new-build project comprising 56 social housing units was completed in 2023/2024.