Many Changes in Educational System Since First School Went up in 1830

[Welland Tribune November 11, 1943]
(By George H. Smith)

The first school in the vicinity of Port Colborne was erected in the 1830’s about the time of the completion of the first Welland Canal and was situated near where the Mennonite church stands. There seems to be no record as to how long it was in existence but one outstanding man received his early education there. He was Rev, Levi Martin Carter.

Mr Carter graduated later from Rochester University and was ordained at Portsmouth, Virginia, and later became minister of the Second Baptist church at Augusta, Ga. When the Civil War broke out he was a chaplain in the Confederate Army where he contracted tuberculosis. Writing to his brother L.G. Carter, he asked if there was any way he might return to Port Colborne to improve his health.

L.G. Carter and a man by name of Tinlan journeyed to Washington, had an interview with President Lincoln and explained the situation. He immediately gave them a pass to go through the Northern army to Port Colborne. They proceeded south and brought back the Rev Levi Carter, but his health failed and he died in 1864. Carter and Tinlan were among the few Canadians that had the opportunity to see and talk with the great Lincoln.

Stone  School House
The Stone School House as it was called, followed the old log school. This school was situated about where Geo. Craig’s house stands on Sugar Loaf street. This was followed by the building of the brick building that now houses the Municipal offices. This school was opened in 1865 and continued as a school until 1921.

The Roman Catholic church was opened in 1880 and the old church on the east side of the Canal on Erie street was occupied as a separate school. This school continued in operation until 1898.

After an enlargement of the brick building to its present size in 1900 it was found to be inadequate and the old Methodist church that stood where the Hydro building now stands was purchased and turned into a school. Later, after the Presbyterian church was partially burned it was also purchased to increase the school accommodation.

The town continued to grow and the Steele Street school was built in 1915 and in 1924 the McKay school was built and named after D.W. McKay, who for many years was principal of the Clarence Street school.

In 1912, the present East Side school was built to relieve congestion on the East side. An addition was built in 1919 and used as a continuation school until 1920, when the present high school was finished. Two more additions have been made to the East Side school, one in 1924, one in 1928. The name was also changed and it is now known as the DeWitt Carter school, named after DeWitt Carter, the first mayor of Port Colborne, who was always prominent in the educational work of the town.

High School Completed
The high school was completed in 1920, the first addition completed in 1927 and the vocational addition completed in 1938.
There was also a frame school on the East side of the canal in the early days where the Canada Furnaces Co. Office is situated and also two private schools, one operated by Mrs Kelly and the other by W.B. Pringle.
It is a long jump from the old log school house where the Rev, Levi Carter attended to our present educational system.

We have an enrolment of 1300 public school pupils with a staff of 33 teachers. Our enrolment at the high school is 405 with 16 teachers.
The members of the board of education are-Mrs. A.A. Thompson, chairman, H. Towne, vice-chairman, M.D. Steele, H.W. Cowan, R. Rogers, Mrs. J. McKellar, Fred Wood, Geo. H. Smith.