The "Stephan Ludwig Roth" High School in Mediaș: a history of over 400 years

The Legacy of "Stephan Ludwig Roth" High School

The fame and reputation of the "Stephan Ludwig Roth" High School in Mediaș are well-known throughout the country, and there is no room for debate about this. However, not many are aware of the story of this high school, which has been fulfilling its duty of educating students for over 400 years. The standards have been just as high since 1604, when the school issued its first report card.

Establishment and Early History

The documented establishment of the "Stephan Ludwig Roth" High School dates back to 1604, when an official document mentions the appointment of "Matheas Schullerus" as the rector of the school. Although this year is recognized as the official founding year of the high school, there is evidence that the school was functioning as early as 1586.

Stephan Ludwig Roth Becomes a Professor

In 1821, the renowned Lutheran pastor Stephan Ludwig Roth became a professor at the high school that would later bear his name. The period during which he was employed at the school revolutionized the curriculum: thanks to him, subjects such as gymnastics, music, and instruction in Latin were introduced.

Expansions of the High School

The first expansion of the high school took place in 1889, when the building housing the drawing room and elementary classes was constructed. As a result, ten years later, the high school had over 160 students and 15 teachers.

A second, even larger expansion occurred between 1909 and 1912. In fact, the current building of the high school was constructed on the site where the Heydendorf and Andrae houses once stood. The design of the building, which cost over 500,000 Austro-Hungarian crowns, was done by Fritz Baltes, one of the best architects of that time.

The Best-Equipped High School in Transylvania

There was no compromise on the equipment of the classrooms:

• The lighting network was executed by Siemens & Halske.
• The blackboards were from Johannes Miller in Vienna.
• The equipment in the chemistry and physics laboratories came from Max Kohl in Chemnitz.
• The decorations were by August Gerber from Cologne.

At that time, replicas of Venus de Milo, Sophocles, Orpheus, Eurydice, Zeus, Demosthenes, and Hera were also placed in the corridors of the high school.

Name Changes Throughout History

Here are the names of the high school from its establishment to the present day:

1. 1604 - 1918: Evangelical Gymnasium CA Mediaș
2. 1919 - 1948: "Stephan Ludwig Roth" High School Mediaș
3. 1948 - 1965: Secondary School No. 1
4. 1965 - 1971: Industrial High School No. 1
5. 1971 - 1991: Industrial High School "Stephan Ludwig Roth"
6. 1991 - present: Theoretical High School "Stephan Ludwig Roth"