In 1948, the new communist regime dropped the Radu Negru name. Soon after, former student Ion Gavrilă Ogoranu formed an armed group, part of the Romanian anti-communist resistance movement; several of its leaders had been classmates at Radu Negru. Various changes followed through the late 1960s, including the admission of girls in 1956 and a constant oscillation between 10, 11 and 12 grades being offered. Meanwhile, the school retained its prestige, supplying most of the local economic, educational, medical and administrative elite.