Schooling grew gradually, together with the village. As the community grew, the school needed more space and better facilities.
From school to the House of Arts
German-language teaching since 1844, generations of children and a building that is now changing its purpose: the old Gărâna school is preparing to become the House of Arts.
Schooling · 1844
A school the size of the village
From the first years after colonisation, the Pemi ran their own school in their language. At Brebu Nou the first teacher was Josef Scherbauer, followed in 1836–1838 by Johann Irlweg and Franz Stuiber. At Gărâna, in 1844 the teacher was Franz Folge; in 1921 there were two teachers, and from 1936 – three. Among the first teachers were Josef and Michael Stuiber, Josef Kotwa, Karl Belinta, Antonia Friedrich, Maria Mathe and Gisela Bach.
Much of village life was woven around the school. Young people and pupils formed an amateur theatre troupe, alongside vocal-instrumental bands, a dance group and a mixed choir – all keeping the Pemi tradition alive.
The future · House of Arts
The same walls, a new purpose
The building has not been left without purpose, though. It later housed a tourist information centre, closed after a fire that affected the upper part of the structure, and has stood unused since. Owned by the County Council, the old school was taken over by Brebu Nou Town Hall, which plans to turn it into a museum.
The building is today associated with the future House of Arts in Gărâna project, a space dedicated to culture, memory and community activities.
Work will start with what is most urgent: “the roof will be repaired with money from the local budget”, to stop the building’s decay. For the rest, “European funds will be sought to finance the remaining works”.
Today, the old school looks over the village just as it did a century ago. Only now, instead of lessons, its walls are preparing to host the art, memory and stories of the community.
Sources: historical data – Valeriu F. Fabian, Brebu Nou (Gărâna) – vatră de istorie, oază de sănătate și de recreere, Editura Pardon, Gărâna, 2002, via Mircea Rusnac, Istoria Banatului; the museum conversion plan – InfoCS. Photographs: the commune’s historical archive.