The first school in Gostyń educating at a higher - than elementary - level was founded in 1885. It was a private school for girls (Privat-Mädchenschule zu Gostyn), which operated till 1910. It was run by three female teachers: Cecylia Gross and Aurelia Nordon from Leszno, and Anna Rackwitz from Morawska Ostrawa. It was a German school, in which religion, German, maths (calculus and geometry), drawing, “realities” (science, geography, history and the elements of physics) were taught. In 1890 a private German school for boys was founded (Höhere Privat-Knabenschule zu Gostyn). Since 1903 it was located in the former slaughterhouse at Leszczyńska street (today Powstańców Wielkopolskich street). In 1906 the school became a municipal institution and got the name Städtische Mittelschule Gostyn. Its new manager was Frantz Moritz, then Karol Lange.

In 1910 at the meeting of the Town Council (Kreistag) a decision was made to merge the private German school for boys with the private school for girls and to create the so called "Reform–Progymnasium". That was the origin of the later Polish lower secondary school (Gymnasium). Till 1919 is had the name Städtische höhere Knaben- und Mädchenschule zu Gostyn and was a secondary school.

After regaining independence in 1919 the Higher Municipal School in Gostyń had its seat in two small buildings in today's Leszczyńska street. They did not meet the needs or the rank of the school. Building of a new school was initiated by a priest Franciszek Olejniczak in 1921. A Committee of Building the Gymnasium was established. The construction started in 1922. A new, imposing building was put to use and consecrated on 23 October 1924. It was one of the most modern ones in the Poznań Province at that time. At the front the inscription "To God and the Reborn Fatherland" was carved. The edifice was regarded a votive offering for regaining independence.

The Gymnasium received full rights of a state school in the school year 1923/24 and in the school year 1926/27 the first graduates left it. However, the school wrestled with financial problems. The town was unable to finance it. In 1933 it was taken over by the Philippines priests and ran till September 1939. In 1934 it took the name The Private Coeducational Gymnasium of the Land of Gostyń Memorial. In the school year 1938/1939 twenty teachers worked there, including Władysław Kołomłocki, Paweł Teodor Schulz, Władysław Rybski, Roman Weiss, Józef Godlewski – who were animators of the social and cultural life in Gostyń, authors of multiple press publications and magazine editors. In 1937 an approval was obtained to open a Private Coeducational Upper Secondary School of the Land of Gostyń Memorial. In 1934 a sports gym was built. Apart from that the school had a common room, two libraries: for teachers and for students, and well equipped classrooms: scientific, chemical, and a physical one. The school soon became the cultural centre of the town. The building during the war was blown up and burned. After the war it was rebuilt thanks to the donations of the citizens. Today it is the seat of the Joint Upper Secondary Schools.