The school house of School Section No. 1, Whitby Township better known as the “Town Line School” at Almonds, was destroyed by fire early Sunday morning (Nov. 4). All that remains of the building is part of the brick walls. The fire was discovered about 7 o’clock a.m., but had made such progress that nothing could be done to quench the flames, and the nearby residents were forced to stand idly by and watch the building burn.
The fire is thought to have been caused by a tramp who was occupying the building overnight. A light was seen in the basement late Saturday night (Nov. 3), but it was not regarded as especially worth investigating, as members of the board and caretaker frequently visit the building for various matters. In the basement was a quantity of charcoal, as well as four tons of coal. From the appearance of the cellar, it is believed that the intruder started a fire for warmth with charcoal and that the blaze spread suddenly beyond his control, catching onto the large pile of charcoal. One of the basement windows was found to have been removed and was leaning against a tree near the school. The loss is serious, as a good deal of improvement had been made to the school during the recent summer vacation. The library, which was destroyed, was a valuable one. There was insurance on the building to the amount of $1,500.
Temporary arrangements are being made to hold school in the wagon shop at Almonds, but it will probably be a week before the building can be fitted up to properly accommodate scholars. The teacher, Miss Wilson, left for her home on Monday (Nov. 5) and will return when the temporary quarters are ready. Miss Wilson was unfortunate in losing practically all her books.
It has not yet been decided by the trustees whether work will be proceeded with at once on a new building, or the rebuilding held over until spring, but a consultation with the inspector will probably enable the Board to reach a decision. It is estimated that a new school building of the proper kind will cost at least $4,000.
