HISTORY BACKGROUND

Prostovitsa, which was renamed to Drosia in 1955, is a village in Tritaia, Achaia. It is located on the slopes of Erymanthos, at an altitude of 726 m. from Stavrodromi and 51 km. from Patras.

Its view to the endless sea horizon is unparalleled, it binds the heart of the well-meaning visitor over time.

For some, the name Prostovitsa is of Slavic origin, from the Slavs who had colonized a large part of the Peloponnese. Another version attributes the name to the first settler Prostova.

The history of the village is important and long:
In 1928 the excavation of archaeologist and academic N. Kyparissis revealed an extensive Mycenaean cemetery in the western part of the village. He counted over a hundred looted caves, which were the carved tombs of the ancient Mycenaeans (1600-1100 BC). It is worth mentioning that on the floor of one tomb bones of a dead person were found, while in a second were found important funeral gifts, details of which can be informed from the Minutes of the Archaeological Society of 1928. Some of them are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Patras.

Tracing the pre-Christian period, we focus on the 4th century. BC and the ancient village of Evpagio, which was plundered by the persecuted ruler of the Goths Alaric. In the ruins of ancient Evpagio it is probable that Prostovitsa was built.

Much later, during the conquest of the Peloponnese by the Turks (1460), there is no mention of the existence of the village. However, Gomosto is recorded as inhabited in the area of the homonymous spring. It is probably the same place, the so-called until today Gomosto, located at the entrance of the village.

In the last years of Venetian rule (1687-1715), Prostovitsa seems to be thriving. Based on the Grimani census of 1700 it had 42 families with 156 inhabitants.

Exploring the last period of Ottoman rule, we pay tribute and bravery to the Prostovitsanos thief Giannias. Born around 1760, he was the son of Papandreas. The name Giannis was small to "fit" the size of the man, so he was called with the magnifying "Giannias". It was active from 1787 to 1804, mainly under the leadership of Zacharias. His tank was located in Trikala of Corinth. One of the many testimonies, that of the scholar Fotakos, mentions that he "sent many Turks to Hades". Many folk songs praise his action and heroism. In 1804 Giannias was inducted into the Pantheon of Heroes in a martyrdom manner. He was hanged by the Turks on the threshing floor of Ag. Athanasiou Marouda of Patras under a melikokia tree, which existed until 1878, according to a record of St. Thomopoulos. At the place of the sacrifice of the hero Giannias, the Tritaites Association of Patras in 1998 erected a statue as a minimum tribute to the emblematic historical personality of their compatriot. High in Erymanthos there is the so-called cave of Giannias. In the central square of the village dominates proud and imperious until today "the plane tree of Giannias", to remind perhaps the carefree that the struggles lurk and provoke...

Giannias' sacrifice was not in vain, as is the case with all sacrifices, sooner or later. He embraced in his son a passion for freedom. Thus, Georgios Giannias or Deligiorgis of Giannias rushed from the first in the Revolution of 1821. He suffered a similar fate to that of his father. He fell heroically fighting against the Turks in the village of Lala. Father and son, two lads immortal in memory of their descendants.

The Yanniades were not the only heroic children of Prostovitsa. They were also the famous thieves Karachalios and Prostovitis, but also the fighters of 1821 Mitros Mantas, George Karachalios and Nikolas Mantoukas.

The active role of the village in the revolutionary years is also attested by the testimony that in Prostovitsa, in 1827, the English commander-in-chief of the Allies, Church, was encamped. Besides, the inhabitants of the village seem to have intense political activity as signatures in favor of Kapodistrias are preserved by: A. Drosopoulos, A. Papaggelopoulos, K. Binoyannopoulos, but also political sensitivity, since in 1844 they tore the phony ballot papers resulting in the postponement of the elections and their conduct with genuine ones.

In free Greece, Prostovitsa became the capital of the Municipality of Erymanthia or Erymanthia (1836-1840) and later of the Municipality of Tritaia (1841-1912). Therefore, it reaps many benefits: the first Primary School of the Municipality of Tritaia is founded, without the exact date being known. In 1900 the Primary School for Girls of Prostovitsa was founded, the only one in the entire municipality.

At the end of the 19th century. and early 20th Prostovitsa has a Justice of the Peace (1881), a Post Office (1884) and a Telephone Office (1906).

During the 20th century. Many were those residents of the village who gave a dynamic militant presence in the important historical events of the nation, such as the Balkan Wars of 1912-14, the Asia Minor Campaign (1918-22) and the Second World War as well as the abominable Civil War (1940-48). Many of them are among the "victims of wars", a heavy legacy to posterity.

The history of Prostovitsa (Drosia) is enriched by its three settlements:
Kuberi settlement: The name was given by the settler or the owner of the village land and reminds the Albanian word "best man or contractor". It is mentioned in the census of the Venetian conquerors of 1689 with 65 inhabitants.

Settlement of Pteris (Tsapoga): The name, according to Thomopoulos, is Bulgarian from the god Tsapoga. Another view (K. Triantafyllou) attributes the name to an Albanian founder of the village. This view is more prevalent, because in 1461 30 Albanians lived in the area.

Agrapidies settlement: It is a new settlement of the community of Drosia with the current name "Kato Drosia".

For the above, the few available historical data were studied and utilized. Many aspects of the past were hushed up, wiped out, or deliberately concealed in "hard times." But the primary material remains: TOPOS, with its diverse beauties, the snow-capped Erymanthos, its dense forests, its gurgling springs, the forgotten paths, the picturesque chapels, the "ruins" of buildings and ... Souls. An honest effort is being made to exploit them in order to ensure the dynamic present of the place and its reborn hopeful future. The participation and presence of all residents of the village is morally imperative. It is dictated by the debt to history, the homeland, the younger generations.

Assiduity:
Evridiki Paizi, Philologist

Sources:

"TRITAIA DIACHRONICA" - Petropoulos Georgios
"PROSTOVITSA IN TIME" - Kyriazis Vasilis

History

Funeral oration for the late teacher Evangelia Massara

March 25th parade, transition of the primary school to the village church accompanied by the late teacher Evangelia Massara in 1967.
Commemorative on the stairs to the school from the parade March 25, 1966 with our late teacher Evangelia Massara.

Our beloved teacher,
Today is a day of remembrance, tender reminiscence, sweet nostalgia for our childhood. It is a day of honor and gratitude to our Lady who left an indelible mark on our innocent childhood souls, who illuminated the paths of our lives, who stigmatized our existence.

The years of the 60s were not easy at all in this small and remote place. What today is taken for granted and self-evident, for then it was laborious and uncertain to conquer. Poverty, poverty, ignorance, ignorance, lack of information and communication with the rest of the world, superstitions, social stereotypes composed the climate of that time. And when you climbed the stairs of our school, which was the most beautiful and imposing I did not meet in no matter how many schools I walked, you were in another world dominated by light, laughter, joy, friends, dreams. As if this ladder were there to take you to other places and other worlds, to lift you up and set you free. The dominant image of our teacher in my memory is climbing these imposing stairs quickly and gracefully, a unique, special, beautiful, well-groomed, elegant, smiling but also strict when necessary. A woman educator with boldness, with a crystallized point of view, with a dynamic speech, with a strong personality, at a time when women were in the shadow of life and in the background of society. To our innocent childhood eyes, our teacher was our good fairy.

In our school, educational means were non-existent, infrastructure was zero, books were scarce. There were only many children whose parents entrusted their destinies to God and the teacher. Heavy responsibility, difficult but also admirable work. You, our teacher, were fortunate not only to experience all this but also to carry it out successfully. With the charisma of a great educator, with your dedication to your duty, you have created great people, brilliant scientists, successful family men and conscientious professionals. You were justifiably proud and proud of all of us. Your love for your country, for your fellow villagers, your anxiety for the progress of their children mobilized all your forces and mobilized your necessary pedagogical tools. So you boosted our self-confidence, encouraged initiatives, detected special qualifications. A valuable legacy for our later life.

I remember that you once gave me to copy a very long poem, to memorize it to recite at a celebration. My childhood hand had been caught by the long hours of copying. And for younger people to learn, there was no other way to reproduce a text (photocopiers are a later saving conquest). So you secretly came to my ear and said, "Don't tell your mother you're tired, but only you can do that." Much later I learned that this is called pedagogical encouragement, which makes you feel great, evolve, master the learning process. Something that you instinctively knew and applied.

Strongly etched in my memory are our school celebrations.
You will all agree that the celebrations organized by our teacher were the top cultural event in a culturally deprived era. Literally from her flesh and from the rags, perfect theatrical performances were staged that would be the envy of many theater educators today. He directed plays, performed choreographies, taught the art of recitation. Our teacher taught Theatrical Education, Aesthetics, Dance, Poetry, experientially and from the soul, many years before they took the form of consolidated lessons they have today in Primary School.

A few years ago, we met by chance in the center of Patras. Despite her advanced age, I took pride in her walk, I was moved by the unchanging timbre of her voice, I was impressed by her clarity, I felt lucky to receive her aura in my maturity. With her words and advice I felt like a student again. Only teachers can taste such gifts, moments of unparalleled emotional euphoria. That's why, I thought, this woman's baptismal name (Evangelia) was overshadowed by her liturgical role. Until she left she was "THE TEACHER". And I am sure that this rare honor was both wanted and enjoyed by herself.

Our beloved teacher,
You were a very lucky woman. You are fortunate to have many spiritual children who will never betray you. You will always be loved and thought of with much respect and immense gratitude.

You may have left this futile temporary world as a physical presence, but your shadow remains with us forever. You will be present in our lives, you will be our Mentor.

And up there you are not alone, you are accompanied by our wishes, our appreciation, our reciprocal thanks for the valuable life supplies you generously gave us.

Your favorite student
Evridiki Paizi