Ankara Ataturk H.S. (TAŞ MEKTEP) History
Our school's first building was established on the site of today's Yüksek İhtisas Hospital and was known among the people of Ankara as "Taş Mektep" (Stone School). The foundation for the school building was laid in the Rumi year 1302 by Sırrı Bey, the governor of Ankara at the time, and was completed in the Rumi year 1305. The school, which began its education as a five-year IDADI (secondary school) in the Rumi year 1302 (1886 in the Gregorian calendar), was converted into a SULTANI (high school) in 1908. Our school was first visited by Atatürk on December 30, 1919.
In 1921, due to the conditions of the National Struggle, the school was moved to Kayseri along with other official departments. It returned to Ankara a year later in 1922 and continued its service in its old building.
During the years of the National Struggle, the school's teachers and students participated in battles on the front lines, achieving the status of war veterans (gazi) and martyrs (şehit). For their superior efforts and patriotic work in the defense of the homeland, our school was presented with our star and crescent banner by Atatürk himself at the end of the National Struggle. This sacred trust from Atatürk has been carefully preserved to this day and has become the greatest source of pride and honor for our school. (This banner is displayed in the 75th Anniversary Education Museum located in our school garden.)
The name of our school was changed to ANKARA ERKEK LİSESİ (Ankara Boys' High School) after the Law on Unification of Education (Tevhid-i Tedrisat Kanunu) was accepted on March 3, 1924.
During one of his visits to our school, Atatürk requested the establishment of a scout troop (oymak) and allowed it to be named GAZİ OYMAĞI (Gazi Troop). (This valuable flag is displayed in the 75th Anniversary Education Museum in our school garden.)
While the construction of the new school building was still underway in 1938, a delegation consisting of H. Avni Yukaryuç, the Director-General of Secondary Education at the time; Salim Atalık, the Ankara Director of Education; and İhsan Üngüt, the School Principal, presented the proposal to name the school ATATÜRK LİSESİ to the Great Leader Atatürk at the Çankaya Presidential Mansion. With Atatürk's permission, the school's name became ANKARA ATATÜRK LİSESİ. On October 10, 1940, our school moved to its newly constructed building, which is its current location. Initially consisting of a single block, two more blocks were added over time, along with an assembly hall and indoor sports halls.
Between 1960 and 1970, some parts of our school were allocated to Ankara Higher Teacher Training School, providing dormitory, dining, and study hall services. Also, starting in these years, a boarding facility (pansiyon) was opened for our students. However, due to problems that arose in later years, boarding services were discontinued at the end of the 1987-1988 academic year. Our school began co-educational instruction in the 1974-1975 academic year.
Starting from the 1991-1992 academic year, our school was granted the status of an ANADOLU LİSESİ (Anatolian High School), which involves teaching some subjects in a foreign language. As Ankara's only Anatolian High School with a preparatory class, our school continues its five-year educational activities and is one of the country's most well-established schools. It fulfills its mission of preparing its students for life in the best possible way through its high university placement success rate, central location, qualified teaching staff, social, sports, and cultural activities, and strong vision and mission.