A Happy Childhood And a Youth Entirely Dedicated to the

Education

At the beginning of the twentieth century, when Martin Bercovici was born, the humankind looked upon the future with optimism. It seemed that everything had been discovered and invented, and the developing industry was to bring a happier life for the inhabitants of the planet.

But it wasn't meant to be. People, at that time, were wrong. Two world wars and social unrest marked the Earth's population and changed forever the destinies of hundreds of millions of people.

During these hard times lived the scientist and humanist engineer, whose life and work we shall emphasize over the next chapter, focusing the story on documents and proofs.

The Town Where He Was Born

Bârlad is mentioned in the XII century's documents as the place where cattle were sold and bought and a 14114f514o s the hometown of the prince's court's great master from the Lower Land. This settlement is situated on the bank of the river, which bears the same name, on the Moldavian plateau, in an area with hills, no higher than 500m. In the XIX century, it became town. It was known as one of the oldest urban centres of the historical province Moldavia, which, in 1864, was united with the Principality of Muntenia by the prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, bringing into being the United Principalities - The Romanian Country.

As the town was located on the important European road, which linked Constantinopol and the Danube countries with Poland, going further to the Baltic Sea, the prosperity was a normal characteristic of the place.

At the beginning of the XX century, Bârlad was a thriving commercial and hand-made goods centre, with a population around forty thousand inhabitants, formed of Romanians, Jews, Ukrainians, and other nationalities. This mixed population lived in the spirit of the Romanian peasantry and intellectuality, in peace and harmony, in the spirit of the inherited tradition, transmitted from generation to generation, regardless of religion or nationality.

At the beginning of this century, when you entered the town through its southern part, coming from Tecuci, and crossing the High Street, at No. 27, at the corner of Rosiori Street, a vast courtyard with a huge two-storey house with boards, aligned following a precise system known only by the owner, could be seen. At the yard's entrance a large board, bearing the inscription "at Bernard Bercovici's timber yard ", drew one's attention.

The owner of the timber yard and construction materials wasn't a simple merchant; he was a graduate of the School of Applications for Engineers and Conductors, Moldavia's first technical school, created at Iasi, in 1849, by the great Moldavian scholar Gheorghe Asachi. He was renowned in the town and county as a very skilled house constructor, which could build a well systematized, durable/long-standing house. The house had one floor; at the ground floor was the desk, where the Bercovici firm developed its activities, and at the first floor lived the family. The Bercovici family had two children: Marcel, born in 1985, and Adela, born in 1898. The mistress of the house, Mrs. Roza, was a severe, scrupulous woman, who had a vegetable garden and grew domestic birds (hens, ducks, geese, turkeys), which gave the daily food of the family.

On August 24, 1902, the Bercovici family was blessed with a third child, a boy, whom they baptized Martin. The new born child enjoyed the full attention and affection of his parents and of his elder brother and sister. As he was very curious to find out more and more, his elder brothers taught him the secret of writing, reading and counting before going to school. He had a happy childhood.

Primary School

In 1909, when Martin was seven years old, as the laws of the time required, he was supposed to be admitted to the compulsory courses of the primary school.

As result of the prince Alexandru Constatin Moruzi's decision of creating here, in this important town, a Greek school, the primary and secondary education had been certified, in Bârlad, in 1803. During that period, when Martin was ready to start the compulsory primary school, in Bârlad, there were six schools for boys and six schools for girls. The activity of these schools was sustained with money from the state's budget. There were also private schools, created and sustained by the Community of the Israeli Cult, which had its headquarters in no.145, Royal Street.

These private schools, with the attestation of the educational inspector, had classes following the same analytic program as the public schools. In 1830, the teachers' activity was also certified by the same educational inspector. The difference between public and private schools was that that in private schools the children were taught in Romanian, unlike those from public schools, who were taught in Greek. In addition, in private schools the Bible was taught in Romanian.

Martin's parents chose for their child's first four years' courses the public primary school "Gheorghe Rosca Codreanu". During primary school, Martin was a hard-working pupil, getting prises every year. That is why his parents decided to support him continuing his studies, in secondary school, and preparing for an intellectual career.

The High School Years

In 1913, in Bârlad, there were some secondary schools and schools for professions. The pupil, Martin Bercovici, then 11 years old, chose to take an entrance exam at the most important high school in town, "Gheorghe Rosca Codreanu". This high school was known as one of the most prestigious schools in the country, not only because of its teachers' severity but also because of its cultural life, which had a great impact on the population, too.

The "Gheorghe Rosca Codreanu" school was created on October 20, 1846 - bearing the name "Clasul real"- Class with a scientific profile, today an archaic name - with the testamentary donation signed, in 1837, by the great Moldavian patriot and humanist Gheorghe Rosca Codreanu. His will was the courses to be taught in Romanian, and Latin to be also a subject of the school's program. This school had the mission of preparing intellectuals, with a Romanian education basis, who later would cast aside the Greek schools, created by the phanariot princes.

This school followed a continuous modernization program employing elements of the European model, especially the French one. It became, in 1858, high school, in 1864 theoretic high school and in 1946, after a hundred years from its creation, it was declared Romania's forth National College.

When Martin Bercovici decided to register for the courses of this prestigious school, which competed with the European schools, many of its former students had already become university professors, members of the Romanian Academy, generals in the country's army, writers and well known artists, economists, engineers and specialists in various fields. All these people were very proud of them once having learnt at this school.

Martin Bercovici, candidate at the entrance exam, in the educational year 1913-1914, for I class of the "Gheorghe Rosca Codreanu" high school, succeeds to be received on one of the first places.

In this high school taught well prepared teachers, many of them becoming university professors only after a stage of teaching. The high school's building was a monumental one with classrooms full of air and light, physics and chemistry laboratories, a sports hall, a class for cultural festivities, and a big courtyard, for the pupils to spend their breaks.

Martin Bercovici, at 14 years old, with his parents, Rosa and Bernard

The analytic program similar to the one of the European high schools, enabled the graduates, after the school-leaving examination, to take an entrance exam at any Romanian or European university.

During the seven high school years, from the first to the seventh class, Romanian, French, and Italian were taught; mathematics, geometry, algebra were basis subjects and were taught from the first to the seventh class. Physics and chemistry were taught from the third to the seventh class. Romania's history and the world's history, geography, zoology, botany, biology, music, painting, philosophy and physical education were also taught.

A very rich spiritual life characterised this cultural centre. The pupils of the superior course, from the fifth, sixth and seventh classes took part at this life, too. The history still holds proof of Bârlad's Academy, of the associations, cultural societies, literary clubs and magazines published in that town.

At the end of every educational year, the pupils took oral and written exams in every subject, and were given marks from 1 to 10.

At this prestigious high school the pupil Martin Bercovici received every year, from the first to the seventh grade, awards. Martin's great spirit and knowledge were noticed by renowned professors like Tudor Angheluta, an important didactical personality in the field of mathematics, who, after teaching at a high school level, received a position as university professor at the Faculty of Science of the University of Bucharest and after a while he became professor of the University of Paris. The professor T. Angheluta recommended his pupils, who wanted a career in science or engineering, to solve the problems of "Gazeta matematica" - "The Mathematical Gazette". The first edition of this newspaper had been published on September 15, 1895, with the help of mathematicians like Gh. Ţiteica, Vasile Cristescu, Mihail Roco. The publication was waited with enthusiasm by all the pupils, studying at classes with a science profile from high schools all over the country. The pupil Martin Bercovici was subscribed at "The Mathematical Gazette" and at the "Timisoara's Mathematical Magazine". He solved regularly the problems published in the mathematical magazines and was known as an active and loyal correspondent, as a hard-working member of the "Mathematical Magazine" club. That is why the pupil Martin Bercovici became known all over the country as an eminent correspondent of the magazine. T. Angheluta appreciated especially his talent and way of thinking in the mathematical field. Undoubtedly, he always received the highest mark in mathematics.

The pupil Martin Bercovici enjoyed also the appreciation of another great professor, the scientist stefan Procopiu. He was a well-known physician, who, after teaching at the high school "Gheorghe Rosca Codreanu", became university professor in Iasi, member of the Romanian Academy. He was renowned all over the world for his original contributions in the field of geomagnetism and thermodynamics.

The first World War - where the Romanian Kingdom finished victorious, and as a result the Great Kingdom of Romania/ Great Romania was created, through the unification of the territories where Romanian population lived: Transilvania, Basarabia, and Bucovina - brought no changes to the educational process of Bârlad.

When it came to mathematics and physics, Martin Bercovici was the star of the class and of the high school. As for the other subjects he was well prepared, too and he learnt with great interest. At the end of every high school year, he received awards, for his activity as (a hard-working) pupil.

Featuring this excellent theoretical preparation he finished high school and took the school- leaving examination, at a class with science profile, where he received the qualification "very well".

As pupil he had already thought of becoming an electro-mechanics engineer. After leaving high school he followed his dream and took the entrance exam at the Polytechnics School.

The name of the well-known, eminent and awarded student stands written in golden letters on the high school's honour plate.

In 1971, in Iasi, was published the monographic work "Liceul Gh. Rosca Codreanu" - "The High School Gh. Rosca Codreanu", written by the professor Traian Nicola. In this monographic work, at page 396, are reminded the graduates of the 1920 promotion - science class, and the second one in the list is the graduate Bercovici Martin - academician, university professor. In the same work, high school's former pupils and later great personalities are being praised - among them, at page 162, a short biography and the photo of the academician Martin Bercovici are to be found.

Student at the Prestigious Polytechnics School Bucharest

The Romanian technical education became a necessity for the economic development of the Principalities of Muntenia and Moldavia, at an industrial level of the European continent's states.

Until the beginning of the XIX century, the young Romanians from the Principalities, used to study arts and science at universities with tradition from Western Europe like those of France, Germany, Italy.

In Moldavia, at Iasi, Gh. Asachi created, in 1814, schools, in which pupils could prepare for a technical, engineering career by studying mathematics, geodesy, architecture, constructions and other similar subjects. The same happened in Muntenia. At Bucharest, Gh. Lazar created, in 1818, schools with the same aims as those in Moldavia.

In Bucharest, the French engineer Louis Chrétien Léon Lalanne created, in 1884, a technical conductors' school.

In 1867, the United Principalities' prince, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, signed a creation's decree of the "School for Bridges, Roads and Mines", with an educational period of five years and two sections, one of roads, and the other one of mines. In 1881, at the direction of the school was named the professor engineer Gh. Duca. He introduced a severe discipline not only in the educational system but also in the pupils' (students') behaviour, increasing the preparation level at those of the great technical European universities. The official recognition of this superior school took place in 1892. The director of the National School for Bridges and Roads, the professor Scarlat Vârnav, asked the school to be officially recognised in a royal decree. This royal decree also contained the following important specification for the school: "the technical culture's degree, which characterises our school is similar to those of the foreign schools". This superior technical school had over the years professors, who through their engineer works became known not only in Romania but also abroad. For example: Anghel Saligny, constructor of the longest bridge, of that time, over the river Danube, Spiru Haret, world wide known astronomer, Traian Lalescu, author of the world's first complete equations treaty, Elie Radu, the first to use the technics of reinforced concrete in Romania, Andrei Ioachimescu, author of several mechanics textbooks, Ion Ionescu, a well known mathematician and others.

After the first World War, at the same time with the unification of the country, - The Romanian Country, the National School for Bridges and Roads, Bucharest, was reorganized as the Polytechnics School Bucharest. This happened in 1920. The name was certified in the law promulgated on September 20, 1923. The new school employed the same preparation traditions, of the young students in the field of engineering, as the old one. It also developed the technical education concerning new fields of interest.

At the time when the candidate, at the profession and title of engineer, Martin Bercovici took the entrance exam, the Polytechnics School Bucharest had four sections: the Construction section, which prepared specialists in the field of civil and industrial construction, the construction of railway, roads, bridges, railway stations, ports, embankment works and land improvement works; the electro-mechanics section, which prepared engineers for the design and exploitation of the mechanic and electric installations, energy's distribution and transport, the hydraulic machines, locomotives, generators and electric engines' design and construction; the mines' section, which prepared the young students for the exploitation of the coal, oil, gas, metalliferous and

Polizu Polytechnics

non- metalliferous substances' mines; the industrial section, which prepared future specialists in the field of chemical, metallurgical, textile and food industry.

The young high school graduate Martin Bercovici, took a hard entrance exam at the Polytechnics School Bucharest in 1921, at the electro-mechanics section. There he spent the next five years and became known as a hard-working, eminent, well prepared student.

The polytechnic education had, at that time, prestigious professors, who undertook not only a didactical activity but also led research works famous not only in Romania but also abroad. The professors' activity implied also design and industrial activity. Martin Bercovici assisted at lectures held by: Nicolae Vasilescu Karpen (1870-1964), researcher in the field of electro-magnetic phenomena, thermo-dynamics, atomic physics, creator of several electrification projects, like those for Câmpina and Constanta towns; Constantin Budeanu (1886-1959), who elaborated the theory of reactive and deformed phenomena in the electric networks; Ion St. Gheorghiu, author of the first treaty regarding the electric machines from Romania; Dionisie Ghermani (1877-1948), who contributed at the theory concerning the similarities between magnetic fields and designed Bucharest's water supply system (the Arcuda station), being also the initiator of the hydraulic laboratory of the Polytechnics School Bucharest. Martin Bercovici was renowned during the university years and received the highest grades in following courses: electric machines, held by professor Ion S. Gheorghiu, electric measurements held by prof. Constantin Budeanu, electric stations and networks, held by Ioan stefanescu Radu, whose team was the starting point of Martin Bercovici's career as engineer at the General Society of Gas and Electricity; electric traction, electric machines, electro-technical materials, telephony, held by professor Iancu Constantinescu, radio communications, held by professor Tudor Tanasescu.

The teaching concept of the school where Martin Bercovici studied contained basis courses necessary to all the engineering specialities like mathematics, physics, chemistry, a. s. o. and specialised technical courses. The practical works and the

Student 1921

practice in the field of industry enriched the theory-based courses and stimulated the technical imagination and creation. Apart from the technical education, courses of political economy, administrative law, accounting, commerce and the work's organization were also taught. Regarding the documentation and communication with foreign specialists, French, German and English were then taught. Undoubtedly, the future engineer possessed encyclopaedic knowledge.

The chancellor of the Polytechnics School Bucharest, Nicolae Vasilescu Karpen, stated a series of philosophical ideas regarding the engineer's preparation: " the engineering art implies a knowledge variety and a special erudition for building solid and wonderful works". He used to ask the students (pupils) of the Polytechnics School: to write well, to compose, in order to express the ideas, which later they would materialize through implementation; to be able to draw the plans, to study thoroughly the geometry, optics and mathematics, to know the history and the philosophy, to understand music, astronomy and natural science.

This high-levelled school was the studying place of the future engineer Martin Bercovici. He possessed encyclopaedic knowledge, which helped the master in his activities as engineer and as director of the production process.