This primary school is named after the Amsterdam school teacher Theo Thijssen (1879-1943). Who says Theo Thijssen, says Kees de Jongen, his novel about Kees Bakels, who is almost 12 years old. And who says Kees Bakels also says: De Zwembadpas (the swimming pool wa;l). This was a special way of walking that makes you move faster, thought up by Kees. You walk with your arms as if you almost fall over. In 2001 a special Zwembadpasdag (swimming pool walk day) was held with even the first Dutch swimming pool walk championships. In 1947 the Westerstraatschool in Amsterdam was renamed the Theo Thijssenschool. A lot has changed since then! This also applies to the location: since 1986 the school has been located in Anjeliersstraat. There the Theo van Thijssenschool moved to a former Catholic kindergarten at number 153-157. A beautiful building that was built in 1927 in the so-called architectural Amsterdam School style.
Theo Thijssen
Theo Thijssen was much more besides being a writer. He was a teacher, unionist, social democratic Member of Parliament and above all Amsterdam and a real Jordaan resident. Born here as the son of a cleaner, he went to the Rijkskweekschool voor Onderwijzers in Haarlem with a grant from the state. Despite the very authoritarian education at the time, Thijssen always placed the children in the center and assumed that going to school and having lessons for children should be fun. Also named after the writer: Café Thijssen at Brouwersgracht 107. On the square in front of the cafe is a statue of Theo Thijssen. At the Eerste Leliedwarsstraat 16, the small Theo Thijssen Museum is dedicated to the writer.
