From his boarding house aam Korvel 57, Vincent walked daily via Kloosterstraat to the King Willem II State High School, located in 1866 in the King's old palace on Stadhuisplein. This palace was built in the aftermath of the Ten Day Campaign in 1831 after the secession of Belgium, near the military training camp in Rijen where 13,000 soldiers were stationed. However, King William II dies in 1849, shortly before the completion of his palace. It is then converted into North Brabant's first state high school. Vincent was among the earliest students at this school. Here he enjoyed excellent instruction in languages, history, geography, mathematics, fine writing and drawing. Hand drawing is taught four hours a week in the first grade, and three hours a week in the second grade.
Vincent's drawing teacher is Constant Cornelis Huijsmans (1810-1886). He enjoys a good reputation as a painter and drawing teacher. Prior to his appointment in Tilburg, he teaches at the Royal Military Academy in Breda. He develops the drawing methods Het Landschap in 1840 and Grondbeginselen der Teekenkunst in 1852. With such a drawing teacher, it is astonishing that Vincent later wrote: "Had there been someone to tell me then what perspective was, how much misery I would have been spared, how much further along I would be now.
Vincent achieves excellent grades. With a grade point average of 7.36, he is among the best students in the school. Nevertheless, halfway through the second school year, for unknown reasons, he broke off his education and returned to his parental home in Zundert in March 1868. There he continued to live until, in July 1869, he joined his uncle Cent, Goupil & Cie's art dealership in The Hague as a junior clerk. He was seventeen years old at the time. His father accepts an appointment as pastor in Helvoirt in 1871. The family then leaves Zundert for good.
Vincent later mentions Tilburg only once in his letters to Theo: "I live in one of the suburbs of London, where it is relatively quiet, it has something of Tilburg, or so.
The Koning Willem II College archives contain a class photo from 1866-1867, showing teachers and students. Presumably Vincent is on it.
In 2009, a reconstruction of Vincents Tekenlokaal, using Huijsmans' drawing methods, plaster drawing examples and old images of Tilburg, was made in the Palace-Council House.
