The Princeton Union School

An Essay by Adam Mason

It was beautiful. Yes, it was picture perfect from Main Street. But then there was a fire, and it was destroyed. The beautiful Union Princeton School would never be again. It stood out among all other schools that have ever been in Princeton. Here is its story. The story of the schooling systems in Princeton: past and present.

The first record of any school in Princeton was in 1822. Since then there have been many other schools. This school was called No. 3 Burford; an old log, one room school. The next school in Princeton was called No. 21 Blenhiem which was located on the second concession. The territory of the No. 3 Burford school was split, and some students started attending the new school.

Teachers of this period of time received $280, $220, and $120 salaries. The Princeton school teacher, Mr. Bolsten, did not receive more than $200. Teachers at this time were tested on arithmetic, reading, spelling, writing, grammar, geography, bookkeeping, school organization, and neatness before they received their certificate.

Time passed and the plan for uniting the two schools under one roof became a goal. On March 24, 1849, the Union Princeton School Board met in Woodstock and set plans for a new union school. The school was to be built at the east end of Elgin street so it could be seen plainly from Main street.

The land was bought for $200 and the building started. The school was built out of double red brick, with partitions. It had two floors. On the top floor were two large classrooms. The lower floor consisted of two recreation rooms, or gyms, with the north recreation room being the girls and the south one being the boys. The school had a large chimney, two furnaces and a slate roof. It also had a beautiful bell which hung over top of the school. When it was finished, the bill came to approximately &6,000.

Classes stared in the new school on February of 1895. To open the new school there was a grand procession of the students into the new school. The teachers were Mr. Mckay, who taught the senior classes, and Miss. Galibraith who taught the junior classes.

Soon the school became so full of students that one of the downstairs rooms was turned into a classroom.

The beautiful Union Princeton School prospered. Then on the cold night of January 12, 1949, a fire of unknown origin started in the school. It spread throughout the beautiful building. The damage was so extensive that the beautiful old school was useless to try to repair. The Union Princeton School was torn down and a more modern school was built.

Since then, the more modern Princeton Central Public School has been expanded and renovated to be the present school you see today. The Saint Francis Catholic School has also been built, bringing another school to Princeton.

No school in Princeton's history has ever been comparable to the old Princeton Union School. Though it was modeled from the schools in Plattsville and Drumbo, it was very special. As soon as you look at a picture of it you wish it was still standing, lighting up the end of Elgin street, forever and ever.