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PAGE 8, WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 7. 1976, WHITBY FREE PRESS Colborne Street School holds many memories by BRIN WINTER Staff Writer As the new year dawns in Whitby, with .hopes for a future filled with progress, it is perhaps appropriate to stop and realize for a moment that at this tirne an era is ending in our town's history. During the last week of December, demolition of the Colborne Street School began, to make way for construction of a senior citizens apartment building. The school, no one will doubt, has outlasted its useful- ness, but for generations of Whitby residents and former residents it holds fond memories. Indeed it once held a very high place among the educational institutions of the province when it was the town's high school and Collegiate Institute. The history of Colborne Street Sohool actually dates back to 1846 when a grammar school, the first in Ontario County, was established on the site of the present build- ing. Its story is important to Whitby, but this sketch will begin with the building of the structure now under demo- lition. In the spring of 1872 the Whitby Board of School Trustees determined that more high school accommodation was required since there were 120 pupils attending the old grammar school, which was meant to accommodate only 80. The cost of a new building was estimated at $3,500, but with repairs to the old grammar school, it actually reached about $6,000. The new high school, built The most important ac- complishnient of Mr. Robin- son's term, however, was the elevation of the high school to the status of a Collegiate Institute. For many years the school in 1873 as a four-room addition to the old grammar school, was designed by the noted Toronto architect Henry Langley. Mr. Langley was distinguished as the builder of many fine churches in Ontario, including Whitby's Ail Saints' Anglican Church. The building fund received a boost from the former head master of the Whitby Grammar School, Thomas Kirkland, who donated a sum of $500. Mr. Kirkland was head master at Whitby fron 1863 to 1871 and went on to become Principal of the Toronto Normal School (a teachers' college) and the author of numerous text books, for Ontario high schools. In 1872 the annual budget for the high school was $2,670, of which $2,175 was paid in teachers' salaries. The head master, S. A. Marling, resigned after the new build- ing was completed in July 1873, and was-succeeded by G. H. Robinson who remain- ed as head master until 1883. During Mr. Robinson's time, many improvements were made in the school, including the installation of- honor roll boards bearing the names of successful pupils, and the adornment of the assembly hall with cotton streamers bearing mottoes in Greek, Latin, French and English. diamond at a cost of $1,000. This old frame gymnasium was in use for 38 years. Mr. Robinson was suc- ceeded as principal in 1883 by L. E. Embree. While at Whitby Mr. Embree was ap- pointed to a committee of the Ontario Department of Edu- cation to prepare school readers for the province. He was succeeded by W. W. Tamblyn, another accomplish- ed educator, who left a sum of money in his will for prizes to be awarded for public speaking. The Tamblyn prizes have been awarded at the Whitby Collegiate Insti- trustees had wanted this, but the school could not be grant- ed Collegiate Institute status until it had 60 boys studying Latin. This was achieved in 1880, and the school was known as the Whitby Colle- giate Institute until 1911 when it reverted to a high school status. The latter part of the 19th century was a time of high honors and special recogni- tion of the Whitby Collegiate Institute, whose teachers and students alike went on to make a mark for themselves in the world. In 1881 Sir Hector Langevin, the federal minister of publie works, paid a visit to the school and presented a silver cup for athletic compe- tition. The cup is still award- ed to this day and is kept in a vault at Henry Street High School. In 1883 the Collegiate Insti- tute trustees purchased two lots east of the school for $250 and six years later erected a gymnasium on the site of the present baseball tute and High School for more than 60 years.' Mr. Tamblyn's son, who taught classics at Whitby in 1899 and 1900 became a professor of English at the University of Western Ontario at London. Another former teacher at the Whitby Collegiate Insti- tute was James A. McClellan who becane director of Teachers'Institutes in Ontario, and a member of the advisory board for the minister of education in the 1890's. Many students of the Whitby Collegiate Institute reached high positions in later life. Among the-most notable were Hamar Viscount Green- wood, the last ChiefSecretary for Ireland; Florence McGilli- vray, a Canadian painter; and Major General Sir James How- den MacBrien, commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mount- ed Police in the 1930's. Hamar Greenwood was president of the school's literary society and second vice-president of the debating society, and was elected "Leader of the Boys" in 1887. Major General MacBrien's father was James MacBrien, inspector of public and high schools for Ontario County, who taught calisthenics at the Whitby Collegiate Institute. The first class of girls per- mitted to write junior matri- culation examinations at the school was in 1878, and in 1883, instruction was com- menced in shorthand. In te 1880's, students at the Collegiate Institute had to pay fees to attend school because the costs of the school could not be met through taxation. In 1890, commercial and industrial subjects were intro- duced, and by 1896 there were five teachers and 173 students. By 1911, the quality of the Collegiate Institute had de- clined ta the point where it reverted to the status of a high school, and the board of education realized that major renovations were required. In 1915, the upper floor of the main building and much of the back wing were entirely rebuilt, and the school was opened again in 1916. The staff was increased from four to five, and an agricultural class was intro- duced, with support from Col. J. E. Farewell, one of the trustees. By 1919 there were six teachers. The next major change at the high school was the con- struction of an addition on the east side of the school in 1927 which added three class- rooms and a modern gymna- sium. At this time Arthur Archibald became principal and served until 1942. At the same time an addi- tion was made to an old house on Dunlop Street to accommodate the agricultural class, and this became known as the annex. i2 KICK THE HABIT LIFE AND BREATH! Your Christmas SealAssociation Can Help FOR YOUR FREE KIT ON HOW TO GUIT SMOKING Mail form below tc- Durham Region TB-RD Assciation 757 Grierson St., Oshawa. LlG 5J8 an sincerely interested in stopping smoking please send free kit to: A .... ... .................................. ..... Please print / DESS....................................... Postal code This is how most Whitby residents will re.rneber Colborne Street School whenit was Whitby's high school and later a senior public school. The photograph was taken 21 years ago, shortly after the building ceased to be the high school after the construction of a new school on Henry Street. Whitby Historical Society Photo With its days nunibered, Colborne Street School is under the wrecker's hammer. This picture was taken last week as the demolition began, but by the time the reader sees it, most of the 103-year-old building will be gone. Free Press Photo IT'S A MA TTER OF, For many years there were cadets at the high school, with the last cadet troop being in 1946, and field days in the town park were big events each year where the students compe±ed for awards. In December 1946, the Whitby High School celebrated its 100th anniversary, with the guest speaker being Ontario Premier and Minister of Education, George Drew. By the early 1950's, Whit- by was beginning to grow, and a larger high school building was required. The old build- ing which was served as Collbgiate Institute and High School for 81 years was re- placed by Henry Street High School in September 1954, and it became a senior public school for grades seven and eight. Colborne Street School continuea in use until June 1975 when it closed its doors for good. In its 102-year history, thousands of Whitby students passed through its classrooms and out into the world. For each of those who attended Colborne Street School there - are special memories, but for the writer of this article the most signi- ficant is that it was in this school that he acquired his interest in local history which is still very much a part of his life today. Î4