The secondary school Carol I is situated in the building of the first high-school from Călărași, which was for boys. The construction of the school started in 1881, and in 1882 it was brought into service the primary school with classes 1, 2 and 3, and in 1884 it was transformed into a secondary school of sciences for boys. On the 19^th of February 1894, the professors proposed for the high school to be named”Stirbei – Vodă”, as an acknowledgement for the Reign of Barbu Știrbei, the one who at 1862 emancipated the city Călărași. On the 1^st of September 1919, it was transformed, by Royal Decree, in the  High School of Sciences for Boys ”Știrbei – Vodă”, the first high-school from the county. After it became a high-school, here there have been developed for a long time numerous important cultural activities, such as: The local section of the “Cultural league”, the first public library from the city, the coral society “Freamătul” and numerous cultural societies of the students. For the performances achieved, the school was awarded with diplomas and medals attested by the royal seal in the years 1909 and 1926. In the year 1961, the high-school moved in a new place, and in the old building remained the School no. 1 with the classes I – VIII which, starting with the 14^th of November 2003, functions under the name the Gymnasium “Carol I”.

In the building, over 130 years old, studied well-known researchers, writers, poets and actors, such as: university professors Panait I. Panait, Petre Diaconu, the writers Ștefan Dinulescu, I.V. Strătescu, poets: Ion Calova, George Alboiu and the actor Constantin Dinulescu.

In the teacher’s chancellery there are six paintings from the period when the building was built. The two blocks of buildings, historical monuments haven’t been modified and it has been requested in countless lines in order to be transformed in a museum or an auditorium.

In the year 2004, the first high – school from Călărași was accepted by the National Commission of the Historical Monuments and registered in the list of historical monuments.

Currently, in the building of the first high-school from Călărași functions the Gymnasium Carol I. Starting with the year 2013, here operates the only class with teaching in English. The students from the gymnasium are acknowledged at the county level for the performances registered in the competitions and Olympiads. Also, they met the success by the awards won at the competitions from the field of music, drawing and acting The school is in a constant development, also having implemented at the European level the projects which aim the experience change with countries such as Poland and Italy.