Education The first school in the city was established on February 21, 1850. At various times, Simon Gugunava, Niko Mari, and Ekvtime Takaishvili attended the school. On July 1, 1874 the school came under municipal administration. Interest in education and literacy was increasing at this time. Due to widespread political activism among the student population, the school was briefly closed on the order of the Transcaucasia Governorate near the end of the 19th century. In the beginning of the 20th century, Constantine Leselidze and Porfiry Chanchibadze also attended the school. In 1918, the city school introduced elementary-level education. In 1922, due to increasing attendance, a new school, thereafter called School #2, was opened. Both schools offered education to the 7th grade. There are now five public schools, two parochial schools, nine kindergartens, and one art school in Ozurgeti. , the total number of students enrolled in primary and secondary schools was roughly 2,850, and there were 236 teachers. There is also a vocational college with some 500 students and 30 instructors. Sports Ozurgeti has rugby and football clubs. There are two stadia in the city: Friendship Stadium belongs to the municipality and is used by the football club; Zvani Stadium is used by the rugby club. In 2007, a “sport palace,” containing a space that can be converted into a miniature football stadium, a volleyball court, a basketball court, and a wrestling ring, was built. The city operates a municipal sports school including a tae kwon do club, a basketball club, a tennis club, a boxing club, a track club, a judo club, a weightlifting club, a freestyle wrestling club, and a hockey club. Notable residents Siko Dolidze — Film director and screenwriter Viktor Dolidze — Georgian composer Grigol Tkabladze — Actor Giorgi Kekelidze — Poet Simon Gugunava — Poet Niko Marr — Historian and ethnographer Ekvtime Takaishvili — Historian and ethnographer Konstantin Leselidze — Red Army Commander during The Second World War Porfile Chanchibadze — Red Army General Zviad Kvachantiradze — Ambassador. Politician and Diplomat Manuchar Kvirkvelia — Winner of the Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling Vakhtang Blagidze — Winner of the Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling Honors A minor planet, 2139 Makharadze, discovered in 1970 by Soviet astronomer Tamara Mikhailovna Smirnova was named after the city (sister city of Henichesk) in honor of the friendship between the Georgian and Ukrainian peoples. See also Guria References Bibliography