The Big School on Resö

The school was built in 1927. At this time, there was already an infant school on Torgelsholmen, and before this time, teaching had taken place in private homes – one room would be used as a classroom, on farms like Hogen, Gropen, Kinnet, Nordgård and others. On Torgelsholmen there was also a canteen for the school children.

The school was built using wood from the mainland. Unlike other wooden houses on the island, which were usually first built where the wood was cut, then taken down and moved; the schoolhouse was built in what was actually intended as its final location. As there was more timber than required, they were able to build a second house as well, which would later become Restaurant Panget. The foundation was dug by hand by August Lantz, and the stone base was cut and laid by stonemasons from Tanum.

To begin with, the ground floor had a classroom, a corridor, a map room, and teacher’s accommodation. The PE-hall was located in the attic, and was also used for handicraft. Vivan, who was the maid of Miss Svensson, the first school teacher on Resö, later told of how they slept together in the chamber with Miss Svensson’s dog, and had their meals in the kitchen.

The classroom, corridor and PE-hall were heated by fuel-burning stoves, and the teacher’s accommodation had tiled stoves and a cooking stove. The outbuilding was one lavatory for the girls (2 seats), one for the boys (2 seats), and one for the teacher (3 seats). These still remain. In the garden, the teacher hade fruit trees and small vegetable patches. A few of the children probably went scrumping for apples or pears here from time to time.

The school had around 20 pupils from third to sixth grade; the younger children went to the infant school. The school closed in 1962, and the building, which was then owned by Tanum Local Council, was rented out as a private dwelling for a few years. In 1972, Paul and Britten Olsson bought the building, and Paul, who at the time ran the hotel Resö Pensionat together with his sister, Karin, rebuilt the classroom to provide accommodation for hotel guests. Paul and Britten carried on renting out rooms in the schoolhouse even after the hotel had been sold and turned into a summer restaurant. They sold the schoolhouse to Christian Almström and Christina Näsholm in 1998.

At this time, the old school was renovated and turned into a conference venue. A conservatory was added, which is now used as a dining room. The former PE-hall looks more or less the same as it did when this was a school, and there are many names of now middle-aged Resö residents carved into the walls. The hall is now used as a conference room. The view over the meadows and the sea towards the island of Rossö contains everything people associate with the north of Bohuslän; fields, meadows, cliffs, boathouses and the ocean.

In November 2009, Anders Hedenstedt and Erika Hedenstedt Appelgren took over the Old School, where they continue to organise conferences, and to offer both self-catering and bed & breakfast accommodation.

They also work together with a number of operators on Resö to offer various activities and package holidays, including boat trips, guided walks on the islands of Lindö-Kalvö-Trossö, oyster safaris, lobster fishing in the autumns, and more.

Resö Old School is also a member of Njord Närvaror in the north of Bohuslän - a local quality brand, which aims to highlight what is unique for the northernmost part of Bohuslän.

Interesting links

www.reso.nu
www.kosterhavet.se
www.njordnb.se
www.vastsverige.com
www.vitlyckemuseum.se
www.mjolkerodgk.se
www.temporeso.se