Jan Stastný

Born on December 6, 1824, in Želenice near Slaný, Jan Evangelista Šťastný became one of the respected figures of Czech education in the 19th century. He studied at the Academic Gymnasium led by Josef Jungmann, then worked as a tutor before joining the first Czech Realschule in Prague in 1851.

He remained connected to that school for 44 years, eventually serving as its director from 1869 to 1895. Alongside his teaching, he took part in school commissions and teacher training, and he was known for the energy and skill he brought to educational work.

Šťastný also wrote and co-wrote readers and grammar textbooks, contributing to the development of Czech-language instruction at a time when that work mattered deeply. He was honored during his lifetime for both his teaching and literary efforts, and he died on June 17, 1913, in Královské Vinohrady.