Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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EDITORIAL ' HIS YEAR, on Trafalgar Day, October twenty-first. Dr. Foster gave us a very interesting account of the history of our school. The founder of Trafalgar School for Girls, Mr. Donald Ross, had come to Montreal from Scotland in 1811 as a boy of fifteen years. He wanted to found a school for girls in memory of his mother, and planned to call it the Ross Institute . When he obtained part of the Trafalgar property he decided to change the name to Trafalgar Institute . It was not until 1934 that the name was changed by the Governors to the present name, Trafalgar School for Girls . Mr. Ross died in 1877, leaving the residue of his estate to the Trafalgar Institute. [12]

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Trafalgar iErtjo MAGAZINE STAFF Editor Margaret Peters Sub-Editor Morven McIlquham Literary Editor Elspeth Girvan Secretary -Treasurer Kristin Liersch Art Editor Judy Brow Sports Editor Kathy Barr Honorary Adviser Miss Stansfield MAGAZINE COMMITTEE Form Arts VI ViCKY Cumyn Form Science VI Cathie Stokes Form Va Gail Fitzpatrick Form Vb Elizabeth Dingman Form IVa Patsy Wilson Form IVb . Susan Kilburn Form IIIa z Emily Cartwright Form IIIb Jane Walker Form Upper II . . , Anne Begor [11]

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Our school motto, Spem successus alit , was the Ross family motto, and it was Mr. Ross ' wish that it should be the motto of the school he founded. He left to the Trustees several items for the school ' s use among which were a telescope, a microscope, maps and globes. He also left two oil paintings, one of his sister and one of Mrs. Ross. These paintings today hang just outside Dr. Foster ' s office. It looked as though the Institute would not be founded for a long while, but in 1883 Rev. Dr. James Barclay, who had just come to Montreal, was able to interest Sir Donald Smith (Lord Strathcona) in the Institute and he donated some money. It was now possible to begin a school. Mr. Ross had planned that the Institute be built on the Trafalgar property, which was on the south-eastern slope of what is now called Westmount Mountain and just opposite his home at 4005 Cote des Neiges Road. This property was not within the city limits of Montreal and Lord Strathcona had stated with his donation that the Institute must be within the city limits. The piece of land on Simpson Street where the school now stands was therefore bought in 1887. In the fall of 1887 the Institute opened for girls over fourteen years of age. It was in 1890 that classes were started for younger girls. Miss Woolan was the Acting Principal until Miss Grace Fairley M,A. of Edinburgh arrived in January 1888 to take over her duties as Principal. Until 1890 everything took place in the original house, but in that year a new east wing was added. It was after this addition that classes were started for girls under fourteen as well. In 1915 a new part was added to the Institute. This addition contains the Lab., art room, locker rooms and several classrooms. Miss Fairley retired in 1913, after being Principal for twenty-six years. She would not accept anything for herself, so a scholarship was established which was called The Trafalgar Scholarship. After Miss Fairley ' s death in 1932, the scholarship was called The Grace Fairley Trafalgar Scholarship. Miss Hardy became Principal in 1913, but in 1915 returned home to England. Miss Windsor remained for two years, and then in 1917 Miss J. L. Gumming was appointed Principal. Miss Gumming was Principal until 1940 when our present Principal, Dr. Foster, came to take over the responsibilities of the school. We shall be sorry to see the newest part of the school demolished when the city of Montreal puts McGregor Street through, but plans are now being made so that there will be accommodation when this takes place. [13]