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Thomas Wells Opens School

The new Bradford District High School was officially opened by Education Minister Thomas Wells last Tuesday in a ceremony involving dignitaries from the province, the county, and the town of Bradford.

About 400 people braved the cold and blowing snow to attend the event, highlighted by a policy statement from the education minister, a tribute to Bradford resident Tom Gardner, and a key presentation from architects Adamson Associates and contractor C.A. Smith to principal Alex Taylor.

A moment of silence was also observed for Simcoe County Board of Education superintendent of planning Syd Owens who died the previous Sunday of a heart attack.

Trustee Sam Neilly said of Mr. Owens, "He was one of the most important men in the planning and design of this school. His sudden passing leaves us saddened."

Addresses followed by MPP George McCague (Dufferin-Simcoe), West Gwillimbury Reeve John Fennell, Bradford Mayor Roy Gordon, and York-Simcoe MPP Arthur Evans who introduced Mr. Wells.

Principal Alex Taylor gave a brief history of education in the Bradford area, which began in 1852 with the opening of a grammar school in Bond Head.

After the railway was opened to Bradford in 1859, Mr. Taylor said, the growth of Bradford warranted the establishment of a school there, and the grammar school was loaded onto wagons and moved to Bradford.

He joked that it was the first portable in the county.

Another school was built in 1890 which burned two years later, and a new brick school was built in 1893, but it too was destroyed by fire in 1923.

In 1923 Bradford District High School was constructed (now the Fred C. Cook Senior Public School) which served as the high school until last year.

Bradford's 1976 citizen of the year Tom Gardner, a long-time member of the school board before his retirement, was honored by the chairman of the Simcoe County Board of Education, C.W. Brown.

Mr. Brown called Tom Gardner "Mr. Education," and described his life-long efforts on behalf of education in the country.

He then presented Mr. Gardner with a plaque naming the resource centre in the school "The T.H. Gardner Resource Centre."

Mr. Gardner received a standing ovation from the assembly, and called the tribute "the highlight of my life."

Director of Education Jack Ramsay pointed out to Mr. Wells that the pressure would soon be on for the go-ahead to an extension for the new school next year.

He laughed, "We are optimistic that there will be no delay for that since Mr. Wells is present here."

Trustee Sam Neilly told the audience that today was Mr. Ramsay's birthday, and everyone promptly broke into a rendition of Happy Birthday.

The program concluded with a guided tour of the new high school.

Bradford high school principal Alex Taylor (right) accepts the official government of Ontario plaque from education minister Tom Wells commemorating the opening. Over 400 people were on hand to witness the official opening ceremonies.

Article about the tornado which ripped through Bradford on August 4th, 1981 - one week later.

Event Date: Tuesday, May 9th, 1933
Event: Death

Memorial and Obituary for Rev. George E. Tindall of the First Methodist Church, Alexandra, Minnesota. Grew up in Bradford, part of the West Gwillimbury Tindall family.

Event Date : Monday, June 26, 1933
Event Type : Death

Mr. Joseph Park passed away early on Monday morning following many weeks of sickness, which from the first was diagnosed as his last illness. Mr. Park was in his seventy-fourth year and for a number of years conducted a jewellry business here. The Funeral takes place this afternoon, a private service being held at his late residence followed by a public service in Trinity Anglican church. Interment is being made in Mount Pleasant cemetery, Toronto. He is survived by his daughter, May, who has been her father's housekeeper and into whose life his passing will necessitate a trying readjustment, and two sons, William of Windsor and Frank of Bradford.

From page 5: "At Bradford, on Monday, June 26th, 1933, Joseph Park, in his 74th year. Funeral on Wednesday. Private service at the home followed by a public service at Trinity Church at 1.30. Interment in Mount Pleasant cemetery, Toronto."

"The brutal murder of Robert McKay, young RCAF veteran and his wife, Gloria, on Monday evening [August 1, 1949] of last week, has aroused the people of this province as few such tragedies have ever done before and the setting for this crime appears to be definitely established in the Bradford area..."

Describes the events leading up to Mr. and Mrs. McKay's murder. The two were shot to death and found in Toronto. The killer, Stanley Buckowski, was found in Los Angeles as a serial robber and murderer, where he was charged and executed in 1952 by gas chamber. He was never charged for the McKays murder, though admitted to the crime and of another murder of RCAF veteran, Alfred Edward Layng, in Toronto on July 30, 1949.

Zima building bylaw dispute - part two