The idea to found a high school dates to 1864 from the moment of the passing of the public education law, because young people in Severin attended high schools in craiova or other cities.

In 1885/ 1886, Parliament votes the 21000000 lei credit for the school construction, the location of a high school being set in Turnu Severin. On June 4th 1886, The ministry of culture and public education requests city hall that at least 1 ha be reserved for the school construction. The amount of 300000 lei is approved on August 24th 1886 for the local high school construction, city hall contributing with the plan for the location construction.

On March 31st 1890, the contract for the Turnu severin high school building construction was signed between The ministry of culture and public education and entrepreneurs S. Kifshinger associated with A. Bachmann. The building plan was done by architect Al. Săvulescu and applied by engineer C.C. Țăpârdea. On August 24th 1890 the ground stone of the high school was set, at the festivities being present prime minister G. Manu and the minister of culture and public education.

The high school building construction was done in record time, the letters of the Traian high school being placed on the frontispiece on December 17th 1891. The final reception of the construction took place on April 25th 1893.

The physics and chemistry equipment was bought from France and Germany, through the National Bank from Turnu Severin. In 1893, the school uniform was introduced with the ministry approval and with the parents’ signatures. In 1896, the library, historical maps, geographical globes and the introduction of water in the school were ordered.

The library was done in oak and sculpted by  Jak Metzgher, from Turnu Severin. Books in French and Romanian were ordered: Hegel, Kant, Stuart Mill,  H.  Spencer,  Descartes,  Balzac,  Dante,Th.  Mommsen,  Fustel  de  Coulanges,  J.  Michelet,  Homer, Euripide, etc.

The high school was visited by king  Carol  I, and principle T.C.Costescu  promised to arrange a garden. The high school garden with flowers and small bushes rought from Timisoara, from Casa Muhle, was arranged after the garden grading, completed in 1899.

That same year (1899) water was being introduced in the school and the facilities were being built. In January of 1900, T. Costescu requested that the ministery pay the cost for the final transport of musical instruments because the high school had an orchestra band with five music masters. From 1898 the trumpet was removed and the bell was used to announce the beginning and ending of classes.

The plan was to remove the weather station from the central area to place the bust of king Carol I, work which the next principle will finalize, prof. C. Armașu. The bust of king Carol I was bronze on a Ravena granite base, done by a former student settled in Italy, sculptor C. Bălăcescu, also credited with the M. Eminescu medalion in the high school teacher’s lounge.