Hvidovre Cavalry School

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The King, the church and the school

By Keld Grinder-Hansen, Cand.mag., Ph.D. (18 stories)

Hvidovre Cavalry School was built in 1722. It may well have been the first of a total of 240 that were built on the initiative of King Frederik IV. Like the other cavalry schools, it was near a church. The vicar kept an eye on the teaching, and the school's running costs were paid for by the church tithes. No one could forget that the schools were King Frederik IV's idea. They just had to look at the sandstone plaque that was put up at all the cavalry schools. The inscription praises King Frederik IV for his school initiative. Hvidovre Cavalry School was used as a school until 1902 and is now a culture centre.

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The first general schooling in Denmark

Story written by Keld Grinder-Hansen

Time / Periode 1722

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In 1715, King Frederik IV began to divide Denmark into 12 cavalry districts". Each district had 20 cavalry schools built for the local children. They were a brand new idea in the history of Danish schooling. For the first time, a large group of rural children – both boys and girls – could go to school. The schools taught mainly Christianity, but the children also learned reading, writing and maths. The children's schooling began when they were six years old and continued until they had learned enough to be confirmed. The idea of cavalry schools was that the rural population should learn very basic skills and become better members of society. "