Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 4422 FOCUS - MARCH 2017 Port Perry Union School destroyed by fire Construction got underway on a new educational facility for Port Perry more than 140 years ago, and when completed it was one of town’s most important and impressive structures. Port Perry Union School, named since it combined both a high and public school, was located on the same property as the present high school, but closer to Queen Street on what is now the south lawn. The imposing structure, visible high above the downtown, opened on March 6, 1874, and stood like a beacon for more than half a century. An article in the local newspaper, the Ontario Observer, reported that the official open- ing was held on March 6, 1874. The Observer’s editor James Baird wrote, “The new and mag- nificent school building, having been sufficiently advanced to admit the pupils, held a celebration to which the public were invited. So successful was the celebration that twice as many attended as could be accommodated in the large room in which the program of entertainment by the students took place.” Unfortunately, half a century later, the celebrated structure was ravaged by fire. The inferno raced through the school building during the evening of Wednesday, April 7, 1926, devouring the building and all its contents, reducing it to a pile of charred wood and brick. By sunrise the next morning, all that was left was the smouldering brick skeleton of the once stately building. In reporting the incident, Port Perry Star publisher Samuel Farmer described the fire as follows: “It was a won- derful spectacle. That roaring furnace of flame, situated as it was at almost the highest point in town, lit up the whole countryside. The walls had been splendidly built, and retained the fire like the sides of a huge furnace. The flames would leap high above the walls, where the wind would at times catch them and whirl them forward in quest of new fuel.” Two years after the Port Perry Union School was destroyed, a modern new elementary/high school (seen below) was constructed, just north of the former Union School. The new school was officially opened on May 18, 1927. Thirty five years later, during the 1985 school year, a group of students under the supervision of teacher Paul Arculus, excavated the foundation of the old Union School and created a memorial park. A memorial plaque was erected and dedicated on the old Union School site in May 1987 during a school reunion. Years later the historic foundation and park were destroyed when the Durham School Board began construc- tion of a parking lot on the historic site. The board abandoned its plan, in May 1999, due to public outcry. The memorial plaque still remains. combined both a high and public school, was located on the same property as the present high school, but closer to Queen Street on what is now the south lawn. The imposing structure, visible high above the downtown, opened on March 6, 1874, and stood like a beacon for more than half a century. An article in the local newspaper, the ing was held on March 6, 1874. The nificent school building, having been sufficiently advanced to admit the pupils, held a celebration to which the public were invited. So successful was the celebration that twice as many attended as could be accommodated in the large room in which the program of entertainment by the students took place.” 91YEARS AGO IT HAPPENED IN APRIL 1926 By J. Peter Hvidsten Port Perry Union School IT HAPPENED IN APRIL 1926 By J. Peter Hvidsten