The old Hollows schoolhouse on the Middletown Sideroad of West Gwillimbury. In 1863, this school was built by John Garbutt on his lot (Con. 12, lot 11) so his children would not need to walk as far. The school burned down in 1888 and a new, brick one was erected very soon after by William Bingham (pictured here), with William Tindall as the first teacher, later minister in the Methodist church. The new school opened September 29, 1888 with celebration and games. Like many around it, this school was closed and sold in 1960, though the building later became the Hollow Community Centre. The renovated school house is currently the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Skitteral. The mature maple trees on the property were planted by the students in the photo.
"It's graced Barrie Street for over 118 years, but last week, the "Old Convent" met the fate it had evaded for so long and fell to the wreckers. Built in 1876, as the home of attorney and Reeve of Bradford, John MacLean Stevenson, it was one of the few Italianate villa-style Victorian buildings left in Canada. ..."
The Bradford Model School pictured was constructed in 1878 to replace a previous building destroyed by fire. Mr. Frank Wood was the first principal in 1878. It was established by Simcoe County Council for the training of teachers, and by 1907, 496 teachers were trained there. Upon the discontinuance of Model training in Ontario, the building continued to be Bradford Public School until the new Bradford Public School was erected in 1951. The Model School was located east of the present school. It consisted of three rooms downstairs, and two large ones upstairs. It was made of brick, and was heated by two coal furnaces.
