Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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a fine residential property was bought on Simpson St. in 1887, and the Residential and Day School opened in its present quarters, in the Autumn of that year, under the direction of Miss WooUan, Acting Principal, until the arrival of the appointed Principal, Miss Grace Fairley, M.A. of Edinburgh, who assumed her duties in January, 1888. The mem- bers of the original Staff were: — Miss WooUan, Acting Principal: Miss Blanche Smith: Miss Labatt, Lady Housekeeper: Miss Harriette McDonnell, Drawing: Mr. A. J. Eaton M.A., Ph.D., Temporary Lecturer in Classics: Mr. Charles Geddes, Vocal Music: Miss Marguerite Sym, Music: Dr. A. A. Browne, Visiting Physician. Many old pupils will remember Miss Sym, who remained in the service of the School till her death in 1931, thus completing a period of 44 years. The early history of this old house is very interesting. Through the kindness of the Archivist of Montreal, we have learned that the land on which it was built, was originally part of a large farm, owned by two Frenchmen, Hertel de Rouville and Boucher de Boucherville. They sold a portion of it to Alexander McKenzie, whose heirs sold their portion, or part of it, in 1845, to Sir George Simpson, of the Hudson Bay Company; hence the name Simpson Street. He held it for a short time, and in 1848 it was pur- chased by Adjutant General Wetherall, who built the house, calling it Chalderton Lodge a small replica of his old Lome in England, which still stands, and bears the same name. The grounds surrounding the house, which comprised four acres, with coach house, stables and kitchen gardens, extended to Redpath St. with a driveway running from Simpson St. to Redpath St. Filbert trees and shrubs were imported from England for the gardens. The property was bought in 1850 by Mr. Philip Holland, who lived there till his death. In 1864 it was sold to Mr. Henry Thomas, who occupied it till 1878. After his death the property again changed hands, Mr. Alexander Mitchell being the next owner. The grounds on the Redpath St. side were then sold for building lots, and the [18]

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was, the education of young women of the middle and higher ranks of society, with special emphasis on religious and moral training, as part of the Curriculum, or, as he expressed it to qualify young persbns for discharging in the best manner, such duties as ordinarily devolve upon the female sex. He foresaw the trend of modern education, when he provided Scholarships, which would enable certain girls to attend the Institute. It was his wish that, among those to profit by this arrangement, should be daughters of the Protestant Clergy, especially those of Presbyterian Ministers. He bequeathed to the Trustees, for the use of the School, a Telescope, a Microscope, Globes, Maps, etc.. Busts, in marble of himself and his wife, and oil paintings of Mrs. Ross and her sister. It was his wish that the Ross family motto, Spem successus alit should be the motto of the School. He made suggestions as to the number of teachers to be engaged, subjects to be taught, outside Examiners for the June Examinations, and annual Ross Lectures on Literary or Scientific subjects. He allowed the Trustees a great deal of latitude, and though, during the course of fifty years, many changes have been neces- sary, the spirit of the Will has been closely followed. In 1881 the Trafalgar Property was placed under the care of Mr. Nairn the accom- plished gardener, for nearly twenty years at ' Viewmount ' , and the Executors transferred to this property a collection of plants which formerly adorned the ' Viewmount ' green- houses, placed under sufficient glass for the use of the Institute. In 1890, this property, with its greenhouses, was rented by the Trustees of Trafalgar to McGill University, to be used as Botanical Gardens. The lease was for seven years at a rental of $200 per annum, with right of renewal, and this lease was extended to 1901, when the property was sold. Mr. George Copeland was the gardener, employed at $35 a month, with a house, and privileges in the gardens. Mr. Copeland is remembered today by many McGill grad- uates. Dr. Carrie Derick, then Demonstrator, afterwards Professor of Botany at McGill, recalls trips to those Gardens. She took a group of young women, and Professor Penhallow a group of young men, to the Mountain, by separate paths, in search of rare specimens of wild flowers; eventually the two groups met in the Botanical Gardens for further study. I remember, with pleasure, between 1896-1901, taking parties of Trafalgar School girls, up Cote des Neiges Hill, to the Gardens to enjoy the beauty of the grounds, and the fine view. The provisions of Mr. Ross ' Will were such, that it would be many years before the stipulated amount of money for the erection of the School could be realized, and there seemed little prospect of the Institute being opened for a long time. However, when Rev. Dr. James Barclay came to Montreal in 1883, as Minister of St. Paul ' s Presbyterian Church, he enlisted the goodwill of Sir Donald Smith (Lord Strathcona) who donated $30,000; with this, and a legacy of $16,000 from Miss Ann Scott, added to Mr. Ross ' bequest, it was possible to make a beginning. Mr. Ross had intended that the School should be built on the Trafalgar property, opposite his old home Viewmount (which on his death passed to his wife ' s sisters) but, as the deed of donation of Sir Donald Smith stipulated that the School should be built within the then city limits of Montreal. [17]

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property reduced to its present size. In the early days the families in the district, drew their water from a small private reservoir on the Mountain. Drain pipes were not laid on Simpson St. for many years, when solid rock had to be blasted for the purpose. Chalderton Lodge was always a centre for entertaining. In Mr. Mitchell ' s time, a stage was erected in the Library, for private theatricals, and 125 guests sat in the Drawing Room; dancing followed later in the evening. The rooms are large and lofty, and well adapted for entertaining. The entrance hall, staircase and Drawing Rooms are very fine, and the whole house is quaint and attractive. This fine old property was sold to the Trustees by Mr. Mitchell in 1887, for $30,000, and has been the home of the School ever since. Under the wise guidance of Rev. Dr. Barclay, and the able Principalship of Miss Fairley, the School was a success from the first. When it opened, all Class Rooms, Dormi- tories, and Living Rooms were in the original house. In 1890 the new east wing provided an upper and a lower Dormitory, and a Dining Room and Music Room on the ground floor. These two rooms were thrown into one in 1922, making the present large Dining Room, where as many as eighty are often accommodated at the midday meal. At that time there was neither a Gymnasium nor a Studio, but Gymnastics under Miss Barnjum, and Art classes under the direction of Miss Harriette McDonnell, who served the School for twenty years, and is the only living member of the original Staff, were conducted in the large outdoor building which had formerly been used as a Coach House. There was a large platform, with a piano, where girls practised, and .where they often danced, or had Fancy Dress Balls as they called them, on Saturday evenings. To the left of the long passage which led to this hall, was the Conservatory, which supplied flowers for the house and garden. In the early years of the School, girls under fourteen years of age were not admitted, but in 1890 preparatory classes were started for younger children. In this year, also, outside examiners set and marked the final Examination papers in June. This practice continued till the pupils took the McGill Matriculation Examinations in 1909, a step which was followed by the affiliation of the School with McGill, two years later. In 1895 the affairs of the Institute were, by authority of the Supreme Court, placed under the care of Mr. A. F. Riddell, who had been Secretary-Treasurer of the Trust since 1879. He continued to act as Secretary-Treasurer till 1929, and then served as a Governor till his death in 1932. The growth and prosperity of the School are in a great measure due to his faithful service and sound judgment. Mr. Riddell ' s father and Mr. Donald Ross were close friends, and they often discussed with Sir William Dawson, the arrangements for the establishment of this School. My long connection with the School began in 1896, and I often think of the garden as it was then. There were no prepared Tennis Courts, but, on fine days, nets were placed on the upper part of the lawn, and the girls played on two courts, and seemed to enjoy their games, in spite of the sloping ground. There were many lovely trees: — a beautiful elm, on the Redpath St. side, with a rustic seat beneath it; a fine copper beech on the Simpson St. side, and a large walnut tree just opposite the front door, with a catalpa [19]