I contacted Jim Hunter for his expertise and knowledge regarding the first year that Port Hope Schools were open.... I found this reply fascinating and definitely worth a share!! I guess I was not aware as history has never been my thing- but I truly LOVED hearing about this piece of history!! Hi Karen, There is a record that a teacher was first hired for the children of the workers in the saw mill, owned by the firm of Stafford, Haywood and Jenness in Port Hope in 1860. The first school house was a bark shanty and was located near the saw mill where the chimney now stands. As the community grew, more children came with additional workers, and the people of Port Hope built a brand new two story school building in 1871. It was located near the cite of the old Port Hope council hall and jail, or just next door north of Marge Woodwards house. The great fire of the fall of 1871 burned that building to the ground. The next year, the citizens built a new two story school house at the corner of School Street and Second Street, across from the Methodist Episcopal Church, (we now know it as the Red Church). That building served the community for 53 years, until 1925 when the new school was built at the present location of the school. The 1872 building was torn down, but the roof of the bell tower was saved and is now in the Port Hope memorial park next the the Port Hope Boat Club. So there has been a Port Hope School for at least 154 years. There has never been a time since the first settlers came to the community that a school didnt exist. Sincerely, Jim Hunter
Posted on: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 21:45:27 +0000
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