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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.

S. S. # 4 School house.

Newton Robinson Public School between 1906-1912.
This school possibly began in the 1830s when it was Latimer's Corners, though the structure in the photograph was from 1875 on land purchased from James Downey. It joined with SS #12 of Tecumseth. There was only one teacher by 1920 because of low enrollment. The school was replaced in 1923, though by 1959 students were transferred to the nearby Fisher's Corners School. The Hon. Earl Rowe bought the school (two small buildings at this time) in 1960 and turned it into residence.

Entire school population of 11 students of S.S. #24 on Highway 11 in the 1930's.
Front Row l-r: John Beke, Mary Beke, Helen Smith, Connie Cook, Rose Speziali
Back Row l-r: Art West, Tom Speziali, John Speziali, Sam Catania, Louis Beke, Irene Beke.

This is the opening of Ansnorveld Public School in September of 1935. The first teacher was Miss. Aileen Nolan. In 1957 Mr. Dan Blake of Bradford was the main instructor.

Turning sod for the new Bond Head school on Thanksgiving weekend, 1953.

S.S. #10, Newton Robinson, c. 1884.

S.S. #5, West Gwillimbury, Bond Head School. Teacher was Irma Burton.
Back Row, left to right: George Brown, Audrey Cameron, Alice Shaw, Irma Burton (teacher), Harold Webb, Harold Thompson, Don Wilson, Lorne Harvey.
Middle Row: Jean Reynolds, Marie Wilson, Mary Brown, Mary Mellon, Wilma Hansford, Dorothy Bentley, June Duncan, Bud Brown, Jim Thompson.
Front Row: John Preece, Bill Breedon, Clark Shaw, Joe Reynolds, Art Preece, Wilson Stoddart, Stewart Reynolds.

Bradford Public School, Teacher: Mr. Atkinson
Front Row: Elenor Colling, Jean Robinson, Harold, Lewis Walton, Belfry, Gordon Ogilive, Jim Church, James Elwood, Cavallo, Keith Kilkenny
Middle Row: Donald Wilson, Fred Nesbitt, Irwin McLean, Margaret, Hilda Corrigan, Wilbert Curry, Beatrice Younger*, Lorne West, Ken Sein, Charles Nesbitt
Back Row: Marion Edney, Mildred Root, Cathy Williamson, Mary Webb, Helen Metcalf, Georgina Depew, Gwendoline Ward, Constance Ward, May Park, Marion Church, Margorie Sein

S.S. #5, Bond Head School. Teacher was Edna Ball.
Back Row, left to right: Clark Thompson, Marion Thompson, Golda Hansford, Edna Ball (teacher), Josephine Orr, Jack Breedon, Al Harvey.
Middle Row: Jim Bentley, Don Wilson, Jean Reynolds, Marie Wilson, Dorothy Bentley, Audrey Cameron, Fred Switzer, Harold Webb.
Front Row: Jim Thompson, George Brown, Bud Brown, Art Preece, Bill Breedon, Ken Aspden, Lorne Harvey.