Schools, Associations and Intellectual Life

One of the Cretan State's immediate priorities was to tackle the enormous problem posed by illiteracy. For the first time ever, the Cretan State Constitution established compulsory elementary education for both sexes on the island, accompanying this with the opening of dozens of new schools. In the 1909-1910 school year, 656 primary schools were in operation, with a total roll call of over 40 000 pupils.

Heraklion emerged as a major centre in this drive for education. Both public and private institutes of learning opened in the town, and hundreds of pupils flocked in from the countryside to attend the "Heraklion High School", which was housed in the Turkish barracks (now the Heraklion Prefecture offices).

A whole host of associations and societies contributed to the growth of intellectual and charitable activity. The Vikelaia Library was established in 1910, on the strength of the collection Dimitrios Vikelas had bequeathed to the Municipality of Heraklion two years earlier. Significant progress was also made in archaeological research at this time.

Information and entertainment needs were satisfied by the publication and circulation of local newspapers such as Daphne ["Laurel"], Eleftheria ["Freedom"] and the French-Turkish bilingual Medanet, and periodicals such as Christianiki Kriti ["Christian Crete"] and Kritiki Stoa ["Cretan Arcade"].