The girls’ gymnasium started operating in 1898. It was built in count V.Zubovas’ plot of his donated bricks. Unlike in the gymnasium for boys, here mainly middle-class townspeople’ s girls learned because 52,3 per cent of all pupils of the gymnasium were Jewish girls, whose social status was middle-class townspeople.
The gymnasium successfully operated till World War I. In 1918, the licence was obtained to re-open it, this time both for girls and boys. When normal economic conditions settled, it was decided to continue old teaching traditions.
In 1928, gymnasiums for boys and girls again began operating separately. The gymnasium for girls offered enhanced courses of German and English languages. Longtime director of the gymnasium for girls was Antanas Klupšas. During the interwar period many famous people worked here: V.Daugirdaitė-Sruogienė, J.Minka, K.Venclauskis, Dr. J.Šliūpas, etc.
When World War II started, school premises were occupied by German soldiers, the school was turned into a military hospital. Retreating from the city, Germans burned the school building.
The school rebuilt after the war housed the 2-secondary school. When it moved to new premises, the 5 secondary school started its life in the former gymnasium for girls. Since 1963, this school resumed the enhanced course of English.
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