Riverside Consolidated School
History
Schools in rural Canadian areas had a growing trend of becoming consolidated in the early 1900s, with New Brunswick supporting the creation of them through 1903 legislation. $5,000 in funding for the school was provided by Abner Reid McClelan, a former Senator and Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, with additional funding being provided by the province and through taxes. Riverside Consolidated School was built in 1905, designed by architect Watson Elkinah Reid. H. Copp and Dixon, contractors from Sackville, were hired by Reid for the construction. The wooden building, measuring three storeys tall, sits next to the Shepody River. Succeeding the Grammar School for Albert County, the school opened in September 1905 with an initial enrollment of 275 students, serving grades 1–11 at the time. On June 15, 1906, the school's opening ceremony began. Established as a consolidated school, it previously served high school-level students.
On May 27, 1997, the school was recognized as a Provincial Heritage Place under New Brunswick's Heritage Conservation Act. In 2015, the Anglophone East School District held a council meeting addressing the potential closure for the school, which local residents campaigned against citing concerns such as the lengthy busing distance to the closest alternative in Hillsborough. The council unanimously voted to continue running the school. Riverside Consolidated School still features a distinctive escape chute on the schoolbuilding.
References
- ^ "School Profile". Riverside Consolidated School. Anglophone East School District. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ "Summary Statistics" (PDF). Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. April 2023. p. 51. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ McLean, Dawne (Wright) (August 25, 2020). "The 115th Anniversary of the Riverside Consolidated School". Connecting Albert County. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ "Riverside Consolidated School". Albert County Museum. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ "Riverside Consolidated School". www.historicplaces.ca. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ "How Things Are Going At The Riverside Consolidated School". St. John Daily Sun. March 21, 1906. p. 8. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ Allen, Tess (May 31, 2012). "School celebrates 107 years; ? Riverside Consolidated School will stage re-enactment of opening in 1905". Times & Transcript. ProQuest 1017747021. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ Shannon, Redmond (April 28, 2015). "Riverside Consolidated School to stay open". CBC News. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ Spence, Cathryn (October 18, 2003). "Small schools, big hearts". Times & Transcript. ProQuest 422856597. Retrieved May 8, 2024.