The path to knowledge, civilization and from here to well-being passes imperturbably and invariably through school, where generations and generations of children and young people must cultivate and form their mind and soul, becoming their own national entity that is the country itself. With this in mind, we set off in any activity we undertake. On August 17th, 1899, a kind lady, Sylvia Schmierer, who was the president of the Israelite ladies from Galati, asked the Ministry of Cultures and Public Instructions to open a private girls’ school with 180 students in Galati. This is how our school is born. Looking through the mirror of time, we find other important historical data, which contributed to the way we look at school today, as an institution and as a desideratum – in 1910, students of Romanian nationality began to be received in this school. Although at the outbreak of the First World War the school was requisitioned and used as a hospital, canteen, towards the end of hostilities in 1918 the school was liberated and classes began in 1918-1919 with 295 students. In 1924, a number of 410 students attended the school when it was transformed into the “Commercial School for Girls”. They studied as objects: accounting, shorthand writing, commercial arithmetics, French, German. On May 8th, 1929, the Israeli community decided that the Israeli-Romanian Girls’ School should be named “Schmierer School”. During 1939-1940, the school also had a kindergarten with 50 children. At the beginning of the school year 1941-1942, the school premises are occupied by the Danube Division, so that the school will operate in a rented premises in St. Spiridon Street no. 31. In the school year 1944-1945 it returns to the initial place in Arieșului Street. By decree no. 176/ since August 2nd 1948 popular education is abolished and Silvia Schmierer primary school becomes state property.
The school in the following years follows an upward course and the training conditions improve. From 1950 until today it has been operating as a boarding school.
These days, when the axiom of Carol I – School is the future of the country is no longer considered a fundamental truth by all, the management of our school, together with the teachers, students and their families constantly try to embrace the concept of learning in a beautifully colored, cheerful and suitable coat for everyone. Consequently, with these ideas in mind, we say that we do consider us to be a school for all and everyone. That is why we promote concepts such as tolerance, respect and dignity, aiming to ensure a safe, inclusive school environment, both for our students and for teachers. We look at human resources as inexhaustible sources of potential, the performance, however small, of any type of our students, being motivated for which any class ends with a smile. We train and educate children for life, to become quality people, who can adapt to the new society, which is constantly changing. We contribute daily to the physical, moral and intellectual development of our students and create an environment based on communication and open dialogue, in which education is supported and oriented towards democratic, humanistic and spiritual values.
Why a school for ALL and EVERYONE? Because in our school there is also the Kindergarten of the Secondary School No. 16, with two groups, an environment where the educators put their creativity and ingenuity to work and create wonderful activities with the youngest and most prolific “actors” in the history of our school : ( workshops on various themes and activities of promoting Romanian traditions). Because primary school teachers create, new teaching methods, year by year, gaining experience and talent, interacting with students, working on innovative educational projects, in which the practice of skills mingles with the development of talents: ( Parents’ Day- a tradition in our school ; Books – a spring of knowledge; Be creative , Discover Talents !) Middle school students are professionally oriented due to their skills and abilities, the result occurring after a long process of counseling. Thus, we can say that education, in the space of our school, is handled by both teachers and school psychologist and other community members, representatives of medical and financial institutions, with which we create interesting projects every year, with deep educational value. ( Career orientation activities ,volunteering and civical activities ) Although we are a secondary school, we have spread our wings to disadvantaged members of our community and, for them, out of love for education, we have implemented the Second Chance Programme, an educational programme designed to have a significant impact in the community.
A vivid image of our school is also presented in the school magazine, a publication with tradition, which, twice a year, offers us the opportunity of a union of creative forces. Teachers and students work both for each word and for each comma, because, for us, education finds its echo not only in a catalog or in a corrected thesis, but everywhere, in magazine pages, in readings secretly read in the corner of the hall, in spontaneous debates on interesting topics.