The school was headed by Karl Iogan (Ivanovich) May (1820-1895), a gifted, practical teacher who followed the progressive educational ideals of N.I. Pirogov and K.D. Ushinsky. Karl May graduated from St. Peter's Chief German College in 1838 and the Faculty of History and Philology of St. Petersburg University in 1845.
Originally, the school was named the "Natural Science College of Grammar School Rank," which reflected the fact that the school provided an advanced applied education (as compared to that of governmental educational institutions), while, at the same time, it taught all disciplines of a grammar school, (including the following languages: Latin, Greek, German, French and English).
Since 1861, the school had occupied building No.13, 10th Line. However, by the end of the century it had run out of space due to its high popularity.
As a result, in 1909, the necessary funds were accumulated to acquire a plot of land: No. 39, 14th Line. G.D. Grimm, an 1883 school graduate and an academician of architecture, prepared a design for a new school house free of charge. A "May Bug" bas-relief was sculpted over the entrance door arch. The construction was completed by autumn of 1910. His Eminence Veniamin, Bishop of Gdov and future Metropolitan of Petrograd, solemnly consecrated the new building on October 31st with many people present.
The four floors of the school provided capacity for 600 students. There were twelve up-to-date classrooms, including three auditoriums in the shape of amphitheatres, a carpenter's workshop, a library containing 12,000 books in six languages, a gymnasium, and a dining-hall.
The school was named the "K.May Grammar School and Natural Science College." That name reflected the two departments that were established to accommodate those students whose talents were geared more for the humanitarian and arts studies and for those whose talents were more inclined to the natural sciences. Approximately 1000 Petersburg young people were educated here from 1856-1918.
