Appendix D. The Schools

Richmond Hill Public School (Common School)

The first formal school in Richmond Hill, the Common School, was organized under Benjamin Barnard in 1816. No complete records have been found to identify the teachers who followed Barnard after 1821, but from about 1851 the records are fairly reliable.

The Headmaster taught on his own until 1861 when he was joined by a female assistant. In fact, only two women served as headmaster/principal up until 1930: Miss E. A. Spragge from 1888 to 1894, and Miss Mary Duncan, substituting in September 1897 and April 1898 for J. W. Forhan.

The school population continued to grow, so that by 1873, two assistants were required, and in 1879 a third was taken on. About 1880 to 1882 the School Board attempted to keep expenses down by cutting back to two assistants but finally acknowledged the need for a third in 1883.

For nearly a decade between 1915 and 1924 there was a continual turnover of staff mid-year, but under principal Walter Scott a more stable core group of teachers was established. The backbone of this group of teachers was Mrs. M. L. McConaghy, who first joined the staff in 1906. Mrs. Mary Wiley had given a similar stability to the teaching staff from 1878 to 1905.

Headmasters/Principals/Senior Teachers

Date	Name
1816 - c1821	Barnard, Benjamin
c1831	Burns, A.
c1851	Edmund, Reverend
c1851	Clarke, William
c1854 - c1857	Pollock, William
c1858 - c1859	McNaughton, Duncan
c1860 - 1864	Bannister, Charles
c1865 - 1868	Porter, G. H.
1868 - 1871	Gray, R. A.
1871	McLean, Allan
1872 - 1875	Switzer, J. A. E.
1875 - 1879	Bracken, James
1880 - 1882	McMahon, T. F.
1884 - 1888	Spragge, Miss E. A.
1888 - 1894	Clubine, John
1895 - 1897	Kirkpatrick, Frank H.
1895	Coombs, George R. (substituting for Kirkpatrick)
1897 (September)	Duncan, Miss Mary
1897 - 1899	Forhan, J. W.
1898 (April)	Duncan, Miss Mary (substituting for Forhan)
1899 - 1900	MacDonald, Neil S.
1901	Conlin, O. W.
1902	Trench, Wye
1903	Currie, D.
1903 - 1911	Lamon, Thomas A.
1911 - 1919	Lehman, A. E.
1919 - 1920	Thorpe, E. H.
1920 - 1922	Varden, E. T. "Dolly"
1922 - 1923	Watson, James R.
1923 -	Harper, David
1924 - 1930	Scott, Walter

Assistants/Teachers

Date	Name
1861 - 1864	Robinson, Miss
1865 - 1866	Oates, Miss Isabella A.
1867 - 1871	Sinclair, Miss
1871 - 1872	Turnbull, Miss Margaret
1873 - 1874	Turnbull, Miss Margaret
	Bracken, James
1875	Bracken, James
	McMurchie, Miss
1876	Gregory, Daniel
	McMurchie, Miss
1877	McMurchie, Miss
	Lawson, Miss E.
1878	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Seager, Miss Lucy
1879	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Coulter, Miss A. (January-July)
	Miller, Miss L. (September-December)
1880	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Miller, Miss
	Marsh, Miss L. (September-December)
1881	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Marsh, Miss L.
	Lawrence, Mr. A. G. F. (January-July)
1882	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Marsh, Miss L.
1883	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Hamilton, Miss
	Williams, Miss
1884	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Rutherford, Miss T.
	Cruikshank, Miss J.
1885	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Rutherford, Miss T.
	Cruikshank, Miss J. (January-September)
	McLaughlan, Miss Annie (October-December)
1886- 1887	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Rutherford, Miss T.
	McLaughlan, Miss Annie
1888	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Rutherford, Miss T.
	Newton, Miss Elizabeth
1889	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Waters, Miss
	Newton, Miss Elizabeth
1890 - 1893	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Newton, Miss Elizabeth
1894	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Newton, Miss Elizabeth (January-June)
	Trench, Miss Mary (July-December)
1895- 1899	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Trench, Miss Mary
1900	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Dobie, Miss Sara (January-March)
	Keith, Miss (April-December)
1901 - 1903	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Keith, Miss
1904 - 1905	Wiley, Mrs. Mary
	Scanlon, Miss
1906	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Scanlon, Miss
1907	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Scanlon, Miss (January-August)
	Trench, Miss Mary (September-December)
1908 - 1914	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Trench, Miss Mary
1915	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Trench, Miss Mary
	Holmes, Miss E. M.
	Garrison, Mrs. E. W. (October-December)
1916	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Trench, Miss Mary
	Holmes, Miss E. M. (January-June)
	Aikenhead, Miss Gertrude (July-December)
	Garrison, Mrs. E. W.
1917	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Trench, Miss Mary
	Aikenhead, Miss Gertrude (January-March)
	Smale, Miss (April-December)
	Garrison, Mrs. E. W.
1918	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Trench, Miss Mary (January-April)
	Finlay, Miss (May-December)
	Smale, Miss (January-March)
	Cameron, Miss M. S. (April-December)
	Blackburn, Miss (January-June)
	Morrison, Miss (July-December)
1919	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Finlay, Miss (January-April)
	Boyd, Miss B.R.M. (May-December)
	Cameron, Miss M. S.
	Herridge, Miss (January-August)
	Fleming, Miss Jessie (September-December)
	Pratt, Miss M. Grace (October-December)
1920	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Boyd, Miss B. R. M. (January-June)
	Clark, Miss Emily
	Cameron, Miss M. S. (January-June)
	Douglas, Miss Hazel (July-December)
	Kneeshaw, Miss L. I. (January-June)
	Fralick, Miss M. (July-December)
	Pratt, Miss M. Grace (January-June)
1921	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	White, Miss Gertie (March-December)
	Clark, Miss Emily
	Anderson, Miss Mabel
	Fralick, Miss M. (January-June)
	Burns, Miss Kathleen (July-December)
1922	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	White, Miss Gertie (January-February)
	Marritt, Miss Joy (March-December)
	Clark, Miss Emily
	Anderson, Miss Mabel
	Burns, Miss Kathleen
1923	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Marritt, Miss Joy
	Richardson, Miss F. E.
	Anderson, Miss Mabel
	Clark, Miss Emily (January-August)
	McManus, Miss C. (September-December)
	Brown, Miss F. M.
	Finch, Miss Alice (January-August)
	Wellwood, Miss E. P. (September-December)
1924	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Marritt, Miss Joy
	McManus, Miss C.
	Wellwood, Miss E. P.
	Welsh, Miss
	Brown, Miss F. M.
	Richardson, Miss F. E.
1925	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Marritt, Miss Joy
	Martin, Miss
	Welsh, Miss
	Brown, Miss F. M.
	Richardson, Mrs F. E.
1926	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Scott, Mrs.
	Martin, Miss (January-August)
	Mortley, Miss Lavina (September-December)
	Brown, Miss F. M.
	Richardson, Miss F. E.
	Fox, Miss B. M.
1927	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Webb, Miss R. A.
	Mortley, Miss Lavina
	Brown, Miss F. M.
	Richardson, Miss F. E.
	Fox, Miss B. M.
1928	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Webb, Miss R. A.
	Mortley, Miss Lavina (January-July)
	Corner, Miss Alice (August-December)
	Brown, Miss F. M.
	Richardson, Miss F. E.
	Fox, Miss B. M.
1929	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Webb, Miss R. A.
	Corner, Miss Alice
	Brown, Miss F. M. (January-August)
	Collings, Miss Bernice (September-December)
	Reesor, Miss E. M.
	Richardson, Miss F. E.
1930	McConaghy, Mrs. M. L.
	Webb, Miss R. A.
	Corner, Miss Alice
	Collings, Miss Bernice (January-February)
	Unger, Mrs. (March-December)
	Reesor, Miss E. M.
	Richardson, Miss F. E.

Richmond Hill High School (Grammar School)

Richmond Hill High School (Grammar School) was first established beside the Common School in 1853 under William Clark. By 1869, Headmaster A. M. Lafferty required an assistant. Except for a brief period in 1883 and 1884, the headmaster and his assistant managed to meet the needs of the senior students until 1903.

In 1873 a new high school was built in front of the Common School. This high school burned down, however, on December 23, 1896, and was subsequently re-built in 1897 on the property at the corner of Yonge and Wright Streets. Increasing enrollment and lack of space in the existing high school in the early 1920s prompted the opening of a new school farther along Wright Street on December 5, 1924.

Headmasters/Principals

Date	Name
1852	Clarke, William
1854 - 1859	Boyd, Rev. James
1859 - 1860	Johnson, Rev. Samuel
1860 - 1861	Rodgers, Rev. Robert
1861 - 1862	Verner, Arthur C.
1862 - 1864	Evans, L. H.
1865	Dunn, J. M.
1866	Windeat, James (one month)
1866 - 1870	Lafferty, Alfred M.
1871	Jolly, J. W. (nine months)
1871 - 1874	Crozier, James
1875 - 1876	McMurchie, James
1876 - 1881	Carscadden, Thomas
1881 - 1883	McBride, William
1884 - 1887	McBride, John
1887 - 1888	Redditt, T. H.
1888	Kennedy, Mr. (four months)
1889 - 1891	McCuaig, H. M.
1891 - 1892	Monroe, J. A.
1893 - 1895	Robertson, N.
1895 - 1899	Coombs, A. Ernest
1899 - 1903	Farquharson, R. A.
1903 - 1907	Shaw, Robert
1907 - 1908	Henry, T. M.
1908 - 1910	Witherill, E. R.
1910 - 1916	Davidson, J.
1916 - 1918	Jenkins, R. S.
1918 - 1920	Haynes, Mr.
1920 - 1922	Elliott, Thomas E.
1922 - 1930	Stewart, James

Assistants/Teachers

Date	First Assistant	Second Assistant
1869 - 1874	Slater, Mr.
1874	Moserirt, Miss
1875	Robertson, Mr.
1876 - 1878	McKay, Miss Myra
1878 - 1882	Palmer, Miss L. F.
1882	Kerr, Mr. (2 months)
	Elliott, Mr.
1883	Watson, Mr. (4 months)
	McBride, Mrs. (2 months)
	Burns, Mr.	Langstaff, Ernest (1 month)
1884	Redditt, T. H.	Kirkland, Mrs. (6 months)
		Langstaff, Ernest (4 months)
1885 - 1886	Redditt, T. H.
1887	Lent, Mr. (4 months)
1887 - 1892	Innes, R. A.
1892	Robertson, N.
1893 - 1895	McLean, Alexander
1895 - 1897	Brown, W. E.
1898	Haviland, H. J. (3 months)
1898 - 1900	Johnson, F. J.
1900	Anderson, G. R. (6 months)
1900 - 1901	Johnson, F. J.
1901 - 1902	Glass, W. A.
1902 - 1903	Shaw, Robert	Bell, Winnifred
1904 - 1905	Andrews, R. T.	Bell, Winnifred
1905 - 1906	Andrews, R. T.	Preston, Miss
1906 - 1907	Morden, Frances	Edwards, Miss M.
1907 - 1908	Lemon, Miss	Edwards, Miss M.
1908 - 1910	Graeb, Miss Mabel
1910 - 1911	Fraser, Miss Lucilla	Jackson, Miss Anna
1911 - 1912	Fraser, Lucilla	Carpenter, Miss Ida
1913 - 1914	Bell, J. A.	Carpenter, Miss Ida
1914 - 1916	Stewart, James A.	Douglas, Miss Leila
1916 - 1917	Stewart, James A.	Stinson, Miss M.
1917	Stewart, James A.	Adams, Miss
1918 - 1920	Park, Miss	Clark, Miss
1920	Morgan, Miss (4 months)	Stanley, Miss Pauline
1921 - 1925	Collins, W. A.	Stanley, Miss Pauline

Other teachers known to be teaching between 1921 and 1930:

1921	Johnston, Miss	Kay, Miss
1923	Cole, Mr.
1924 - 1930	Izzard, Miss Edna
1925 - 1926	McCullough, Miss Janet
1927	Hume, A. G.	McLennan, Mabel
1928	Sinclair, M. (replacing Hume)
1928 - 1929	Dengate, Miss
1928 - 1930	Sutton, Miss
1930	McEachern, Mr.	Jones, Miss
	Reesor, Miss

Jefferson School

The northern area of the community was primarily served by Jefferson Common School, a joint school section serving Markham and Vaughan. It was a one-room, one-teacher school from the 1840s to the 1940s when space at St. Johns Anglican Church was required to accomodate all the students. The first school house, built of logs, was on the west side of Yonge Street just north of Gamble Road. In 1868, a brick school was built across the road. Names of the teachers from the 1840s to 1861 are largely unknown.

Date	Name
1840s	Smith, John
	Foster, George
Unknown	Denton, Judge
1861	Miller, James
1871	Tupper, Florence
1874	Bracken, James
1876- 1878	McMahon, Thomas F.
1880	Gamble, Joseph
1883 - 1884	Beynon, George M.
	Tyndall, J. E. (supplying)
1884 - 1888	Rutherford, J. C.
1889 - 1890	Bracken, Fred
1890	Ewers, George A.
1891	Robertson, G.
1892 - 1893	Mortson, Victoria (to June 1893)
1893	Legge, Jessie
1896- 1898	Miller, Miss
1898 - 1902	Saigeon, H. J. (to June 1902)
1902 - 1903	MacDonald, Donald D. (to Feb. 1903)
1903	Legge, Miss Emily (March)
	McCallum, Miss Lila (May)
	Oliver, Ernest (April and June)
1903 - 1905	Legge, Miss Ethel
1905 - 1909	Robertson, Miss Margaret
1909	McLennon, D. (September-October)
	Steele, G. (November-December)
1910	Munroe, R. W. (January-June)
	Taulty, Miss Theresa (September-December)
1911- 1919	Brown, Miss F. M.
1920	Wood, K. A. (to June 1920)
1920 - 1922	Cooper, Mary (to June 1922)
1922	Hames, Miss Alfreda (September-December)
1923	Corbett, Miss Hazel (January-June)
1923 - 1924	Rankin, K. S. (to June 1924)
1924 - 1925	Dorey, Miss Eleanor (to April 1925)
1925	Hunter, M. (May & June)
1925 - 1929	Haggerty, Bernice (to July 1929)
1929 - 1930	Collings, K. M. (to July 1930)
1930	Perry, Miss Catherine

Headford School

The southeast corner of Richmond Hill was served by the Headford School on Lot 17, Concession 2, Markham. This also was a one-room, one-teacher school, and like Jefferson, the first school was replaced by a larger one. The new Headford School was of scissor-truss frame, built in 1874, and similar in construction to the German Mills School in Markham.

The early teachers at Headford have still not been identified.

Date	Name
1851	Aikins, William
1857	McKinnon, Angus
1861	Duffy, Thomas W.
1885	McConaghy, F.
1890	Ferguson, John
1891 - 1893	Williams, Angus (to July 1893)
1893 - 1900	Osborne, Miss Ella
1901	Foster, Miss Lavina
1902	Harper, Phillip
1903 - 1904	Byam, Miss Emma (to July 1904)
1904 - 1905	Dalton, Miss (to July 1905)
1905 - 1906	Harris, Miss E. G.
1907 - 1908	Porter, Miss M. L.
1909 - 1913	Smith, Miss Hazel (to July 1913)
1913 - 1916	Fortune, Miss E. E.
1917 - 1918	Jeffs, Miss Kathleen
1919 - 1921	Vanderburgh, Miss Mary (to July 1921)
1921 - 1925	Hislop, Miss Hannah (to July 1925)
1925 - 1927	Montgomery, Miss R. Irene
1928 - 1929	Kirkpatrick, Miss E. M.
1930	Savage, Miss Lucy

School Section #4 Markham

School Section #4 Markham was located at the southwest corner of Lot 26, Concession 3, Markham (i.e., the northeast corner of Elgin Mills Road and the current Leslie Street), and accommodated children from the northeast part of Richmond Hill. It is believed to have been moved to be used as a farm building on Lot 25, Concession 3, and was demolished in 1990. Early records are sparse.

Date	Name
1851	Arnold, James or Hare, Joseph
1861	Landy, James
1891	Henricks, Alison
1901 - 1902	Harrison, Fred W.
1904	Humphreys, Mr. (to July 1904)
1905 - 1908	Nicols, Louis L.
1914 - 1916	Hazen, C. S.
1917 - 1920	McGarity, Miss Eleanor
1921	Johnson, A. F.
1922	Allen, Miss Charlotte
1926- 1927	Caswell, E. A.
1928	Brown, J. W.

Temperanceville and Oak Ridges Schools

Even more sparse are the records for Temperanceville and Oak Ridges schools. Confusion is increased by the occasional reference to Jefferson School as the school at Oak Ridges.

We do know that the Love family sold 1/4 acre to the trustees of School Section #21 at Temperanceville in 1857. In 1879, a new school was built, and in the 20th century it was raised on a high basement, and brick-clad. The 1879 belfry remained on the school, however, until the building was demolished in the late 1980s.

Also in 1857, the Hon. Robert Baldwin granted a small parcel on Yonge Street to school trustees. This parcel was enlarged when Thomas Legge sold a further 1/4 acre to the Trustees of Union School Section #1 in 1874. The current Oak Ridges School was built in 1914.

Only a few names and dates have come to light.

Date	School	Name
1881	Oak Ridges	Ansley, Fred
1882	Oak Ridges	Potter, Mr.
1889 - 1890	Temperanceville	Gillies, Mr. A.
1892	Temperanceville	McKenzie, A. F.
1903 - 1904	Unknown	Jennings, E. W.
1918	Oak Ridges	Trench, Miss Mary
1928	Oak Ridges	Mortson, Miss

For more information, please consult the local historical collection at the Central Branch of the Richmond Hill Public Library.

Copyright © Richmond Hill Public Library Board, 1991