School

  Until 1750 the children of Romanian priests and nobles from Transylvania went to the schools of the other nationalities, because there wasn't a Romanian school. As a German (Saxon) village, Petelea, we believe that there existed a Lutheran evangelic school, that had been founded at the same time with the parish.In the XVIII century the German School existed in the village. In 1782 it is recommended that the IV-th grade should be introduced for modernized schools, a recommendation that is immediately applied in the schools from Reghin,Teaca, Petelea. In 1785 the archbishop Bob I. spreads the imperial order of Joseph II. concerning the establishment of a school in every village, with a population of over 100 families, in Transylvania. In this way, on May the 21st 1803, the "The Residential Protocol of the Bishop" is issued, through which the deacons from Teleac, Petelea, Solovastru and Filipisul Mare, together with the Priests teach the youngsters from these localities. We regard this as the beginning of Romanian school in the locality. The Romanian School, as an institution, functioned in the very beginning, in a rented house, and in 1850 an own schoolhouse was built, near the church on the hill. It had only one classroom and was renovated in 1896. Around 1900, there were few pupils: 49 and 27 at the repetition school for a population of about 500 Romanians and about 200 Gypsies. Between 1924-1925 the new Romanian school is built, having two classrooms, a hall for the Romanian population in the village, for the Romanian population is not accepted by the German (Saxon) population at the village club, and three rooms as lodging for the principal. The school does not have the records until 1945, because these have been destroyed. The German School burnt down in 1883 and a new building replaced the burnt one. It had 3 classrooms, in 1900 it was enlarged by the principal's lodging, teachers' room, library, and bank. It is the present big school from the village. Until 1940 there were two schools, a German and a Romanian one. In 1940 the Romanian School becomes Hungarian school, having a Romanian department. After 1945 the Romanian school also takes the building of the German school, due to the leave of the German (Saxon) population. Within the Romanian school there were a German and a Hungarian department, each having a teacher until 1962. From 1946 there is a Romanian nursery with a nursery school teacher position. In 1950 there were 481 school-aged children, of which: 282 Romanians, 53 Hungarians, 16 Germans (Saxons), 130 Gypsies. In the school year 1974-1975 the number of the teaching staff was: 3 nursery school teachers, 6 basic school teachers (grades 1-4), 7 teachers. In the school year 1996-1997 the number of the teaching staff was: 3 nursery school teachers, 8 basic school teachers (grades 1-4) and 6 teachers. In the locality there was for one year the IX-th grade, day course, and the X-th grade evening course, intensive course with 52 students for the IX-th grade, of whom 18 graduated.