The Fred C. Cook Senior Elementary School is located at 75 Queen Street. It is not the original building to be found on this site. That structure was a small, two-room, grammar school from Bond Head that was loaded onto a sled and pulled by horses many years ago to the newly-formed town of Bradford. It was set among the pine trees found on a plot of land between Fletcher and Queen Streets. That structure eventually became the first high school in Bradford. It was destroyed by fire in 1890 and a new school was opened on the same site. It burned as well. The Fred C. Cook Senior Elementary School (as seen in the photo) was erected in its place in 1923 or 1924. It was built in the Colonial Revival style. A four-room wing was built in the rear school yard in 1956 (1960’s?) to alleviate over-crowding.
The main building has 2½ storeys. Its large, simple, rectangular form dominates this site. The structure is set well back from the street on a broad expanse of lawn. This positioning suggests its importance in the community. There are large window openings with high floor to ceiling heights, and a flat roof (probably covered with built-up tar and gravel). The entrance is raised one-half storey above grade level. Stairs lead directly to an over-scaled entrance door framed by white-painted pilasters and a plain, wood entablature above. The double door and transom do not appear to be original. The tall, ‘Venetian” windows (characteristic of the neoclassical style) have pilasters and three-foot ‘lights’. The first and second-storey windows are joined by recessed, wood panels. A white-painted, urn-trimmed, roof balustrade is set into a brick, parapet wall. Thin pilaster strips (set into a continuous ‘sill’ at the ground-floor level) sub-divide the front façade into multiple bays. The building has concrete, masonry construction with brick, masonry cladding, applied wood details, and a concrete foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, the building is in excellent condition with many original details.
A new, modern version of the Fred C. Cook Elementary School opened in September, 2013. It is located at 20 Fletcher Street. (1, 3, Bradford District High School’s web site)

On May 13th, parents and other members of the school communities of Fred C. Cook, W.H. Day and Sir William Osler Public Schools met to consider the names suggested for the new Bradford elementary school on Professor Day Drive. Following the protocol established by the Simcoe County District School Board, parents and students at the three "feeder" schools were invited to submit names for consideration. Among the suggestions: Susan Cassidy, the first teacher in Bradford; Charles Evans,; Jean Kell; Gordon Compton; Dr. Blackwell; and Kristin Coombes. Not all the suggestions were people: some were descriptive, like Trillium, Fieldcrest, Hillside and Windy Hill. On May 21st, a special committee consisting of a parent representative from each school council, a member of the Town Council, Superintendent Stan Wells, Trustee Bob Evans, and new Principal Marlane Brooks, will meet to select 3 names, to be recommended to the School Board - which will make the final decision, possibly on June 16th. Brooks emphasized the importance of the name selection process, noting, "It's a new beginning."

"Yesterday afternoon Mr. Geo. Stoddart met with a serious accident. He was working on the new school building at Middleton, and the scaffold on which he was standing at the time gave way precipitating him, and Mr. Fred McKay, to the ground a distance of about 25 feet. Mr. McKay escaped unhurt, while Mr. Stoddart sustained a broken leg at the ankle. The nature of the break is considered to be quite serious, and may mean amputation of the right foot."

Amsterdam S.S. #24
Either located on, or the picture was taken from Hwy #11.

Bond Head Public School. Teacher was Miss Taylor. Back of photo reads, "Mrs. Kathleen Watt, 1580 Bathurst St. Apt. 23, Toronto." Kathleen Smith Watt is in the back row. Annie Smith Tomlin is the fifth person from the left in the second row.

S.S. #5, Bond Head Public School.
Back Row, left to right: Lucy Aitchison (teacher), Mildred Reynolds, Marion Burton, Alice Smith, Joyce Reynolds, Marguerite Dermott, Walter Reynolds, Wallace Reynolds, Stewart Reynolds, Douglas Reynolds.
Middle Row: Margaret Sutherland, Barbara Lockett, Doreen Higgs, Charlie Hansford, Bobby Higgs, Norman Harvey, Alan McLean, Gordon Brown, Donny Whiteside, Billy Higgs.
Front Row: Etta Whiteside, Gwen Geddes, ? Higgs, Billy Whiteside, Jimmy Beaton, Keith Reynolds, Joe Foran, Tom Whiteside, Jimmy Hipwell, Karl Reynolds.

S.S. #5, Bond Head Public School, class from 1948-1949.

Two room school house at Bond Head in background.
If you have any additional information about this photo or its contents please contact the library at 905-775-3328.

S.S. # 5 Bond Head.