Johan Gjøstein
Encyclopedia
Johan David Haslund Gjøstein (5 January 1866 – 1935) was a Norwegian educator, newspaper editor and politician.
as the son of teacher Amund Vikingsen Gjøstein (1820-1873) and his wife Anne Munthe Olsen (1826-1901). He was the younger brother of politician and educationalist Ole Georg Gjøsteen
.
Johan Gjøstein was married to Anna Gjøstein, an early women's rights
pioneer and socialist politician.
the same year. He left after one year, but returned in 1890. Parallel with his teaching position, he worked as a newspaper editor for six years. He founded the small, handwritten newspaper 1ste Mai
in 1895. The newspaper only lasted for eight issues, but returned on 30 September 1899 and still exists. Gjøstein sat as editor from 1899 to 1906. In 1909 Gjøstein left his teaching position to become headmaster. He supported the idea of the comprehensive school
, of which his brother was one of the foremost proponents in Norway, to the point of being called "the father of the comprehensive school in Norway".
In 1898 Johan Gjøstein was elected for the first time to the city council of Stavanger. He then served in the executive committee from 1901 to 1910, and as mayor from 1911 to 1912. After this he continued as a regular council member until 1931. In 1913 he was also elected to the Norwegian Parliament, representing the Labour Party
. He was re-elected in 1916 and 1919.
In December 1921 Gjøstein was appointed school director of the dioceses of Agder and Stavanger
. In the same year, a faction of the Labour Party broke away to form the Social Democratic Labour Party
, due to disagreements over the Labour Party involvement in Comintern
and adaption of the Twenty-one Conditions
. Gjøstein followed the breakaway faction, and was elected for the Social Democratic Labour Party in 1922, representing the Market towns of Vest-Agder and Rogaland counties
. This was his final term in Parliament.
In Stavanger, Gjøstein was a member of the board of the local electricity works, the museum
, the school board. He chaired the local Labour Party chapter for some time, and co-founded several trade union. He was a member of several national political committees, including the committee that planned the Sørland Line. He was also a deputy board member of the Bank of Norway.
He left the position as school director on 1 January 1935, and died in the same year.
Personal life
Johan Gjøstein was born at Hystad, StordStord
Stord is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Stord is sometimes called "Norway in miniature" - as it has such a variety of landscapes: coastline, fjords, forests, agricultural land, and mountain areas....
as the son of teacher Amund Vikingsen Gjøstein (1820-1873) and his wife Anne Munthe Olsen (1826-1901). He was the younger brother of politician and educationalist Ole Georg Gjøsteen
Ole Georg Gjøsteen
Ole Georg Gjøsteen was a Norwegian educator and politician for the Norwegian Labour Party.-Personal life:He was born in Stord, and was the older brother of politician and educationalist Johan David Haslund Gjøstein....
.
Johan Gjøstein was married to Anna Gjøstein, an early women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
pioneer and socialist politician.
Career
Johan Gjøstein completed his teacher's education in Stord in 1884, and was hired as a primary school teacher in StavangerStavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
the same year. He left after one year, but returned in 1890. Parallel with his teaching position, he worked as a newspaper editor for six years. He founded the small, handwritten newspaper 1ste Mai
Rogalands Avis
Rogalands Avis is a local newspaper published in Stavanger, Norway. It covers Stavanger and the rest of southern Rogaland. It was established in 1899....
in 1895. The newspaper only lasted for eight issues, but returned on 30 September 1899 and still exists. Gjøstein sat as editor from 1899 to 1906. In 1909 Gjøstein left his teaching position to become headmaster. He supported the idea of the comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
, of which his brother was one of the foremost proponents in Norway, to the point of being called "the father of the comprehensive school in Norway".
In 1898 Johan Gjøstein was elected for the first time to the city council of Stavanger. He then served in the executive committee from 1901 to 1910, and as mayor from 1911 to 1912. After this he continued as a regular council member until 1931. In 1913 he was also elected to the Norwegian Parliament, representing the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
. He was re-elected in 1916 and 1919.
In December 1921 Gjøstein was appointed school director of the dioceses of Agder and Stavanger
Diocese of Stavanger
Stavanger is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers Rogaland. The cathedral city is Stavanger, and the bishop since 2009 is Erling Johan Pettersen.-History:...
. In the same year, a faction of the Labour Party broke away to form the Social Democratic Labour Party
Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway
The Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway was a Norwegian political party in the 1920s. Following the Labour Party's entry into the Comintern in 1919, its right wing left the party to form the Social Democratic Labour Party in 1921...
, due to disagreements over the Labour Party involvement in Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
and adaption of the Twenty-one Conditions
Twenty-one Conditions
The Twenty-one Conditions, officially the Conditions of Admission to the Communist International, refer to the conditions given by Vladimir Lenin to the adhesion of the socialists to the Third International created in 1919 after the 1917 October Revolution. The conditions were formally adopted by...
. Gjøstein followed the breakaway faction, and was elected for the Social Democratic Labour Party in 1922, representing the Market towns of Vest-Agder and Rogaland counties
Market towns of Vest-Agder and Rogaland counties
The Market towns of Vest-Agder and Rogaland counties was an electoral district for parliamentary elections in Norway. It comprised the market towns of Flekkefjord, Kristiansand and Mandal in Vest-Agder county and Haugesund and Stavanger in Rogaland county....
. This was his final term in Parliament.
In Stavanger, Gjøstein was a member of the board of the local electricity works, the museum
Stavanger Museum
Stavanger Museum is a museum of natural and cultural history established in 1877, located in the Norwegian city Stavanger. The museum's collections consist of several departments: the department of zoology, the department for cultural history .Departments include the Stavanger Museum of Natural...
, the school board. He chaired the local Labour Party chapter for some time, and co-founded several trade union. He was a member of several national political committees, including the committee that planned the Sørland Line. He was also a deputy board member of the Bank of Norway.
He left the position as school director on 1 January 1935, and died in the same year.