Vilnius Vytautas Magnus Gymnasium

Russian Empire implemented various Russification policies. After the Lithuanian press ban was lifted in 1905, Lithuanians were allowed to establish Lithuanian primary schools, but there were no Lithuanian high schools. Vilnius was captured by the German Imperial Army on 18 September 1915.[5] The Lithuanian Society for the Relief of War Sufferers hurried to establish a gymnasium which was named after its official founders Jonas Basanavičius, Mykolas Biržiška, and Povilas Gaidelionis. The first teachers' meeting took place on 9 October and first lessons were held on 18 October 1915.[6] At the time, the school had 47 students (30 boys and 17 girls) and 15 teachers. In December, Lithuanian Education Society Rytas took over the school and it became known as the Lithuanian Gymnasium of Rytas Society.[7] Juozas Balčikonis Gymnasium in Panevėžys was established on 1 October 1915 clinching the title as the first Lithuanian gymnasium.[8]

In 1918, as more Lithuanian refugees returned from Russia, the number of students grew to 320. In November 1918, administration of the school was transferred to the Lithuanian Ministry of Education.[9] It was officially renamed as the First Men's Gymnasium (at the same time, a girls' gymnasium was organized by Ona Mašiotienė) and moved to spacious premises on Gediminas Avenue (former Vilnius Girls' Gymnasium,[10] present-day Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre). When Lithuanian institutions evacuated to Kaunas at the start of the Lithuanian–Soviet War in January 1919, the school was again taken over by the Rytas Society. In March 1919, the first 11 students graduated from the school.[9] The boys' and girls' gymnasiums were again merged into one in 1920.[11] The number of students grew to 504 for the 1920/1921 school year.[2]

Gymnasium director Marcelinas Šikšnys in his office c. 1934

After the Żeligowski's Mutiny in October 1920, Vilnius Region was incorporated into the Republic of Central Lithuania and later the Second Polish Republic. Lithuania continued to claim Vilnius as its capital leading to a bitter diplomatic conflict with Poland. Lithuanian organizations remaining in the region faced increased scrutiny and restrictions from the Polish government. In August 1921, Polish authorities ordered the gymnasium to change its name and move out of the premises on Gediminas Avenue.[12] In response, the school decided to adopt the name of Grand Duke Vytautas the Great (ruled 1392–1430) but refused to move out. On 1 October 1921, Polish police forcibly evicted the school.[12] It struggled to find new premises. In December 1921, it rented 12 rooms which forced the school to hold classes in two shifts.[13] The school moved to more spacious premises in 1930.[14]

Only in 1925, the gymnasium was recognized as a state school. Without this recognition, gymnasium's diploma was not accepted by Polish universities.[15] But even with this recognition, students had to take twice as many graduation exams as students of Polish gymnasiums.[15] In total, students had to take 12 written and oral exams.[16] The exams were graded not by the director of the gymnasium, but by an outsider.[15] Linguist Jan Otrębski often served in this role and was known as a strict grader. As a result, for example, only half of the students successfully passed the graduation exams in 1933.[15] Therefore, most students after graduation moved to independent Lithuania.[17]

The lessons were taught in Lithuanian except for languages and subjects required to be taught in Polish. It was another cause for friction as Polish authorities demanded to teach general history and geography in Polish even though the Polish law required to teach history and geography of Poland in Polish.[14]

The number of students gradually declined from 1923. This is attributed to the declining number of Lithuanian primary schools.[3] Many such schools were maintained by the Lithuanian Education Society Rytas and faced increasingly strict requirements by the Polish government.[18] Additionally, to be allowed to study at the gymnasium, students had to present a certificate that they spoke Lithuanian at home.[14] Teachers were also subject to restrictions and annual approvals by the Polish government.[3] On several occasions, teachers were arrested, deported to Lithuania, or forced out. For example, three teachers were arrested in November 1920.[19] In 1922, school's director Mykolas Biržiška, three teachers, and school's doctor were deported in Lithuania.[2] In 1933, six experienced teachers were forced out of their jobs; they were replaced by Lithuanian university students.[3]

The school's curriculum focused on humanities and required Latin and either German or French languages.[20] At the end of year, students had to take exams to determine if they could move up to the next year. Students who received at least one failing grade had to repeat the entire school year. In 1933, 72 students had to repeat the classes.[21]

Lithuanian schools severely lacked Lithuanian-language textbooks. With support and funding from the Lithuanian Scientific Society, gymnasium's teachers were active in translating or writing new textbooks.[22] In 1915–1925, they published 45 different textbooks.[23] Biology teacher Motiejus Stankevičius was most active and prepared eight different textbooks.[24]

Gymnasium students wore a school uniform and a hat with gymnasium's initials.[25] The students were active and organized various music and theater performances, played sports, had a scouting group and a Catholic group Atžala.[11][25] On several occasions, students performed for official delegations visiting from Kraków, Lviv, Silesia to showcase the culture of Vilnius Region.[3] The school also emphasized religious education. Students participated in days-long Spiritual Exercises at the Church of Saint Nicholas and processions to Vilnius Calvary.[26]

After Lithuania gained Vilnius in the aftermath of the Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty of October 1939, the school was divided into boys' and girls' gymnasiums. The girls' gymnasium was named after Grand Duchess Birutė (mother of Vytautas).[11] In 1944, after Red Army captured Vilnius in the Operation Bagration, the schools were renamed to the 1st and the 2nd Gymnasiums dropping the historical reference from their names.[11] The girls' gymnasium is now Vilnius Salomėja Nėris Gymnasium.[25] In 1949, boys' gymnasium was reorganized into the 1st Vilnius Secondary School.[11]

In December 1957, the school was named after writer Antanas Vienuolis.[1] At the time, Soviet officials wanted to name the school after the Bolshevik revolutionary Felix Dzerzhinsky but school's teachers managed to convince the authorities to name the school after Vienuolis who died in August 1957. At the time, only two other schools in Vilnius were named after people (poet Salomėja Nėris and painter and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis).[1]

In 2005, the school was split into a primary school (progymnasium since 2015) named after Antanas Vienuolis and a gymnasium named after Grand Duke Vytautas thus restoring its historical name.[11]

During the Soviet era, pre-1940 protocols of teachers' meetings were hidden by gymnasium's former director Juozas Naujalis. They were rediscovered in 1995 and published in 2011.[21] In 2015, a monument to gymnasium's founders Jonas Basanavičius, Mykolas Biržiška, and Povilas Gaidelionis was built in the schoolyard.[27]

In 2018, Vytautas Magnus Gymnasium had 605 students and 47 teachers. The number of students grew to 731 in 2021.[11]

School's directors were:[11]

Notable people who have attended the school include:[1]