Uxbridge History February 1, 2023

We Look Back Wednesday’s | Uxbridge Public School

Uxbridge Public School

Uxbridge Public School - 1910

Uxbridge Public School – 1910. Photo courtesy of the Toronto Public Library

 

The Original Building

The photo above shows the original Public School on Victoria Drive in Uxbridge.   According to the Uxbridge/Scott Museum files, land was acquired and a new brick school was built on the site of the present Uxbridge Public School.

Elementary students were located on the main floor with the high school students on the second floor.

This building became over crowed and in 1887 and a new high school was built on First Avenue.  This new school opened to high school students in 1888 with the younger grades remaining in the school on Victoria Drive.

Uxbridge High School Blog post.

 

The Fire

This school stood on this site from the 1870’s until it was destroyed by a fire in July 1910.  Some works were doing some renovations to the school and had a fire going to heat some water.  Sparks from the fire landed on the work shed that was attached to the school (see photo below) and before long the whole structure was on fire.

 

Back of the Public School, showing the wood shed that caught fire. Photo courtesy by Lynn Voisard

 

New School

Uxbridge Public School, built in 1910. Photo courtesy the Uxbridge/Scott Museum.

 

New School

The new school built on the site of the original building was officially opened in October 1911.  Until the new building was opened, classes were held in local church basements and vacant stores.

 

Additions

According to the Uxbridge/Scott Museum file the first addition to the school was officially opened in November 1955 and would held four new classrooms for grades 5 – 8.

1955 addition to Uxbridge Public School

The new addition to Uxbridge Public School opened in November 1955. Photo courtesy of Uxbridge The Good Old Days by: J. Peter Hvidsten Page 39.

 

1955 addition to Uxbridge Public School with original school in the background

View of the new addition with the original school in the back ground. Photo courtesy of Uxbridge The Good Old Days by: J. Peter Hvidsten Page 39

 

In November 1964 a second addition was added to the school.  The new structure was added to the west and connected to the previous addition.  This addition would feature 4 additional classrooms and the gymnasium-auditorium to the north.

Drawing of additions to Uxbridge Public School

Drawing courtesy of Uxbridge The Good Old Days by: J. Peter Hvidsten showing the proposed addition to the Public School. Page 135

More Photos

Provided by Uxbridge Public School

Uxbridge Public School 1973/74 school year

Uxbridge Public School 1973/74 school year

Uxbridge Public School 1964/65

Uxbridge Public School 1964/65

 

Uxbridge Public School Now(2021)

Now the Uxbridge Public School  serves a population of approximately 350 students in grades K-8 in the French Immersion Program.

Uxbridge Public School 2021

Uxbridge Public School 2021

 

My Public School History – Shane

I attended school here from Kindergarten to Grade 6.  My grades 1-3 where in the original building with my grade 4 being in a portable and 5-6 where in the newer part.

The school has a large yard divided in the middle by a hill.  The top portion nearest the school had a large hard top area, grass areas and a large playground.  The bottom potion was the sports fields.  Many winter recesses were spent tobogganing when the playground was covered in snow.

There are so many great memories growing up in this school.   Memories from milk days, hot dog days, track and field, watching the train go by and having a Michael Jackson day where we watched his new Thriller video in the gym.

 

 

Photos and Credits

Toronto Public Library

Uxbridge/Scott Museum

Uxbridge The Good Old Days by: J. Peter Hvidsten