Central Collegiate Institute - Ye Flame Yearbook (Regina, Saskatchewan Canada)

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'r TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN CENTRAL In the year 1889 the little seven year old town of Regina, capital of the North-West Territories, decided to provide oppor- tunity for more advanced study than that offered in the then existing public schools. The public school course of five grades was extended to include three high school grades-third, second and first class. By 1905 Regina boasted a Normal School housed in the upper part of the red brick building formerly used as a Police Court and also a High School Department of the Public School. The white brick building which housed the High School students of those days stood on the present site of the Glasgow House. The staff consisted of three teachers, the principal of the combined High and Public Schools being Mr. R. D. McMurchy, B.A. In 1907 the new Act re- , specting secondary education came into force and the Regina High School district was or- ganized and our school be- cause if its size and importance was entitled to rank as a Collegiate Institute. R. A. Wilson, M.A., Ph. D., now head of the English Depart- ment, University of Saskat- chewan, was added to the staff and for two or three years students prepared in the Regina High School were per- mittedtowritetheirsecondyear examinations as set by Queen's University. In that year the staff consisted of five teachers, including the Principal, while one hundred and thirty stu- dents answered the roll call- hardly one-half as many as we now have in grade nine. Amongst this number we find the names of Harold Brown and Douglas Fraser in the senior forms both of whom have retained an active interest in the school. On November 25th, 1909, the Regina Collegiate Institute, which formed the front part of the building as we know it, was formally opened with an appropriate ceremony. In the descrip- tion of this building is the following, A special feature of the building is the Auditorium which will bc used as a general assembly hall for the students. Since that time two additions to the original building have taken place, one in 1913 which gave us the gymnasiumand the other in 1927 which gave us that part to 9 W. G. SCRIMGEOUR, M.A.

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the East and South of the gymnasium, while at the same time other secondary school buildings have sprung up in other parts of the city. The growth in school population has been most remarkable. There was a time when only the clever girls and boys who passed grade eight continued their education into High School, but now practically all grade eight students find their way into one of our secondary schools. By 1910, the numbers had increased from the 130 of 1,907-08 to 210. By 1913 the ten class rooms of the new school were overflowing. In 1924 Scott Collegiate first opened its doors. Its class rooms were soon crowded and a platoon system set working to relieve the congestion. In 1927 came the second addition to Central, while Balfour Technical School which opened in 1930 was filled almost immediately. The modest one hundred and thirty of early days had by 1934 become an army of two thousand five hundred. The courses offered had become much more numerous and varied, and the opportunities much greater for a fuller and more rounded education. But it takes more than bricks, desks and blackboards to make a school, and true success can not be measured by numbers and increases. The citizens have always taken a live interest in our school and they have done much for education in Regina not only by giving us fine schools and supporting them, but also by backing up our every effort in other directions. We hope that as students pass through from grade to grade they may catch some of that indefinable spirit which we all help to create and which is being built into the school by all her students past and present. Space permits only a bare mention of former principals. The old school records the names of D. S. McCannell, W. J. Chisholm, J. B. Hugg, E. B. Hutcherson, W. J. Elder, R. D. lVlclVIurchy, and Hector Lang who carried the tradition over into the new school. Coming to more recent times, Mr. Lang was succeeded in turn by Norman MaclVIurchy, and he by Norman Black who was followed by G. R. Dolan, now principal of Balfour Technical School. This brings the record up to the year 1930. Regina owes much to these men for the guidance and direction given to secondary education for over a quarter of a century. In the same connection mention is made of the unselfish service rendered by public spirited citizens who have served on the Collegiate Board of Trustees. They have given unstintingly of their time, money, and ability. A school can be no better than its staff. Our staff has at all times ranked high in scholarship, experience and ability because of the care used in the selection of our teachers. Some teachers have been on the staff but a short- time, some ten to fifteen years, some a few years longer than that, one or two getting up to or passing the quarter century mark. These latter especially are held in the highest esteem by each succeeding body of students. In this brief outline some space must be left for reference to the achievements and outstanding accomplishments of our students. We have always had our brilliant intellectuals who 10