Mr. Fritz Schillig passed away peacefully at home on the afternoon of Wednesday, 11 January 2017, aged 87 years.
Mr. Schillig was the founder of Anglo-Continental School of English in Bournemouth. After the war, as a young man in Switzerland, he started his career in an import/export company. He soon realised that the future of global economies would lie in the ability to communicate effectively in English in order to trade with rapidly growing markets, such as the United States. He therefore resigned from his job and travelled to England to attend an English language course in Christchurch, England. It was here that he saw the potential to create a well-run and professional English language school, where only the highest quality of service in every aspect of the students’ experience would be good enough.
Mr. Schillig founded his own school in Christchurch in 1950 with 80 Swiss Francs lent to him by his father to advertise for students in Switzerland. His father never expected to see his loan repaid. Mr. Schillig borrowed 4 tables and chairs and a blackboard from St. Mary’s Gate School (which were returned) in order to launch the new language school.
Anglo-Continental expanded rapidly and the school’s current site in Wimborne Road was settled in 1955. Anglo-Continental has since grown to become one of the largest and leading English language schools in the UK. It has always prided itself on promoting the highest standards in teaching. Mr. Schillig encouraged teachers to develop their own curricula prior to textbooks being readily available to English language students. As a result, many well-known EFL authors started their careers at Anglo-Continental.
Anglo-Continental has taught over 400,000 students from 120 different countries and continues to thrive today. Anglo-Continental has a loyal base of staff, some of whom have worked at the school for many years (and even decades!), including his wife, Jane Gorman, and his son, Guido Schillig.
The visionary founder of Anglo-Continental, Mr. Fritz Schillig, will be very much missed. Everyone at Anglo-Continental will continue to do their utmost to honour his vision and to continue to promote the high standards and professionalism which Mr. Schillig instilled in all who worked for him.