SCHOOL+HISTORY

The original Queen Mary School was built in 1913. Prince Albert was a growing city however it was expected to boom with the building of the LaColle Falls Dam just northeast of the city. The new dam would make electricity and that would allow all kinds of factories and businesses to come to the area. The city decided to be ready for the new growth and made plans to construct 3 eight room schools. One of these was Queen Mary, the other two were Connaught and King George schools.

The school was constructed out of brick and the brick was made right here in Prince Albert at Deacon’s Brickyard, located near the river where the pulp mill is today. They were brought up the river to the school with a fleet of three sided river boats owned by Captain Deacon. The school was made with double walls with a space in between. This made the building cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

The first principal to be hired for Queen Mary School was Mr. J.H. Corristine. He was the principal until 1941. There were only five classrooms being used at that time because the dam was never completed and people did not flock to Prince Albert as had been expected.

In 1918 the entire school had to be closed because of a terrible flu that went across Canada. It was called the Spanish Influenza. All of the city’s schools were closed from October 21st until November 30th.

The next principal was Mr. H.L. Loucks. He was the vice-principal and then became principal in 1942. He served the school from 1942 – 1971. He was dedicated to Queen Mary and learned a lot about the history of the school and the city of Prince Albert.

By 1941, all eight classrooms were used with no double grades. There were 30 – 45 pupils in each class. The enrollment continued to grow each year, and finally every room, including the attic, was filled. A separate building just west of the school was built in order to accommodate all of the students. It was referred to as the annex. In 1958, eight new classrooms were added to the north side of the school and an auditorium was built. A library was then added between the annex and the main school.

In 1971, Mr. D.W. Tomlinson became the principal. The school became a community school in 1981. Mr. Tomlinson retired in 1989, and Mrs. Gloria Lennox took over as principal. She worked for the school for 20 years as vice-principal and principal. In 1980, the old school burned down and a new Queen Mary School was built. The enrollment reached 770 students.

Mr. Alan Nunn became principal in 2000, where he worked hard for the west end and community schools. He moved onto become a Super-Intendant for the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division in June of 2006. Mr. Kevin Mugford is the current principal of Queen Mary Community School, and has the honor of being only the school’s sixth principal since it opened way back in 1913!


 * __QUEEN MARY FIRE__**

On a really cold day back in 1980, Queen Mary School was set on fire. The morning was January 30, 1980. It was one of the coldest days Prince Albert has ever seen. The fire was as a result of arson, as three separate fires were purposely set around the school. It was just before 6 o’clock in the morning when a police officer was driving by the school, noticed the fire and radioed in for the fire department. All of the fire fighters, even those not scheduled for that day, had to be called in to come and help battle the blaze. It was noon by the time the fire was put out. By then, the entire school had been destroyed and the school, which was once a beautiful brick castle in the city’s west flat, now appeared to be a lonely ice palace! Many difficulties were faced that day in battling the fire, such as the fire’s size and hoses freezing up and having to be thawed before they could be used again. For the people who watched the blaze and the fire fighters who battled it, it was a day that none of them will ever forget!