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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2015-09-09, Page 9Wednesday, September 9, 2015 • News Record 9 The opening of the 'new' Clinton Collegiate Institure,1927 Central Huron Second- ary School is the old- est building still in use as an educational institution in Huron County. The grandeur of the school's exterior design was the pride of Clinton when it opened in 1927 and was an expression of the hopes and aspirations for the area's chil- dren. It remains one of the most impressive examples of school architecture in the province. In October 1924, the Clin- ton Collegiate School Board received a troubling report from the school inspector's report that the old collegiate building needed to be replaced. The original yel- low brick Gothic building with a centre tower and mansard roof built in 1876- 77 was in a state of disrepair and was no longer adequate for the needs of a "modern" school. A new and more spacious building was required to meet the needs of a growing secondary school population. At a time when education meant boundless opportunity, the Clinton Collegiate, was considered one of "the leading attractions" of the town. With rival collegiates in Goderich and Seaforth, Clinton could not afford to be seen as backward in supporting secondary edu- cation for its children. As the Clinton News Record stated the new school should "be avery handsome gift, contributed by the older to the younger generation:' The Toronto architectural firm of S.P. Coon and Son was contracted to design a school building that would be "a credit and ornament to the town" In this, the architects were immi- nentlysuccessful. Noticing that the Clinton Public School was a Romanesque building and the old Collegiate was Gothic, Coon designed the new colle- giate in the Tudor style. The Tudor style incorporated ele- ments from both the Classical and Gothic traditions and deliberately resembled the great manor houses of England at the time of Shakespeare dur- ing the reign of Queen Eliza- beth I. Architect Coon told the Clinton Collegiate Institute's Tudor style facade built in 1926 L itr I� Huron History Dave Yates News Record that the two "outstanding features" of the school's exterior were the two "semi -octagonal bays" on either side of the main doorway which resembled "the old Norman Towers by which the Barons guarded the entrance to their cas- tles." A second feature was the large amount of "win- dow space'; which rendered the Tudor style so "adapta- ble to school requirements:' Recessed in a niche at the crown of the building high over the main entrance is an oil lamp representing the Lamp of Leaming. The lamp also sym- bolizes the school's Latin motto `Him Lucem' (From this place, Light) from the motto of Cam- bridge University. The school's medieval look prompted one critical scholar to observe that it looked "more like some old castle than a school." Others PARK THEATRE z4T EMI MOVIE INFORkTION.,. WWW rnairielinks, ca H d y -L 143611;-265-343B felt that the castle -like qual- ity made it feel as if they "were in a dream." At the enormous cost of $70 000, the new school was hailed as "a building of which Clin- ton has reason to be proud." Indeed, so impressive was the design that other commu- nities copied its example. The former Fergus Collegiate (1928-2004) was modelled on the Clinton design and is now a federally designated build- ing on the Canadian Histori- cal Register. At the opening ceremony on April 25, 1927, the mayor, council, trustees, clergy, teachers and students crowded into the bright sun- lit and "beautifully finished" assembly hall (where the school library is now) to dedicate their new school. Reverend J. Hogg began the program by reading a psalm and consecrating the build- ing. Trustee R.E. Manning gave an eloquent keynote address which paid homage to the old collegiate building which was "the robe that for half a century warmed the body of culture and preserved its life in Clinton:' He men- tioned former Collegiate graduates who "have filled positions of honour as Minis- ters of the Crown and lit (1YNDALL'S $, m (ftOOL•._ "SPECIAL" CLASSES: Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday Night from 6:00-7:OOpm Children Ages 5-7 • Ages 8-12, Teens & Adults Starts: Monday, Sept. 14, 2015 All dd.asscs held .7t the Iiolmesville Community Centre 482-3634 70 register cell before September 12, 2015 nsei Fon Tyndall at Contributed photo in politics, in education, in theology, in medicine and its kindred arts, and jurisprudence." Manning also reminded his audience that education was more than the "clay and con- crete" of the building but "that larger thing that ennobles humanity above the lower orders of life" In language rem- iniscent of the Great War, Manning said the school represented "the sacrifice of every citizen of this County who contributed of his and her treasure in order that you may have a stepping stone to a bet- ter position in life, to a larger usefulness than was afforded to those who went before you." Manning admonished the students to "take over this building, use it as becomes young ladies and gentlemen, and yours will be the honour and yours, too, the pride and satisfaction of having the best school in the County of Huron and the equal of any in the province:' In advice just as relevant today, Manning exhorted the students to "Honour its traditions, enhance its record as an academy, and preserve its beauty of architecture unblemished and unspoiled." Principal Edmund Fines, who remained principal of the Collegiate unti11960, called the students to their first class in the new school building. A different century and generations later, students are still called to class in the Clin- ton Collegiate building. It has been the cradle of the count- less hopes, dreams and aspi- rations of thousands of stu- dents. No other building is so closely identified with the Central Huron community as the old collegiate. It is still "a building of which Clinton has reason to be proud." The Clinton Family Health Team is offering an eight-week course on Mindfulness Meditation This course will take place at the Clinton Health Centre Wednesdays at 2:30 pm and begins Wednesday September 16th. You will learn skills to help alleviate symptoms of stress and distress! To register or for more information contact Julie Talbot MSW, RSW at 519.482.3000