Remember Carly Simon singing “I know nothing stays the same…”?This house was once the Holt School, the pride of the farmers who in 1907 finally agreed on a building site on the edge of this field (some wanted the school built on the north side of the main road, others on the south side), hauled bricks by horse and wagon to the spot and paid $2,000 to see the building completed.
How long it remained a school I don't know, but it's only a little more than a mile to Mount Albert, a larger EG community where public school children from Holt go to school today, grades junior kindergarten to grade 8.
Holt was a hamlet then. Holt is a Hamlet now. Ok, some things don’t change, at least not as quickly as others.
I found this old photo in a book called East Gwillimbury in the Nineteenth Century by Gladys Rolling. Hmmmm. Actually, this school was erected in the twentieth century but I guess 1907 was close enough to be included.I think it’s fun to compare the two photos. I’d have preferred to have taken the new photo from the same spot as the original, but now there’s a fence (chain link, I think) all around and trees and shrubs to give the homeowners privacy, which blocked my view.
As you can see the building has been modified. For instance, the roof has been raised to make room for a second floor, windows have been added or made smaller, and gables have been built on. But the chimney is in the same spot and the house has two front doors, just like the school -- one for girls, one for boys.
It looks like a great old building. There are a few of the old 2 door churches around here but I didn't realize they made the schools like that too. It really seems funny in today's world.
ReplyDeleteWhen did it stop being a school? It looks like that it would be nice and warm inside.
ReplyDeleteI love the old buildings and the fact that it is being used today (as a residence it seems) make it sthat much more special. Also the fact you have the old picture-----great. MB
ReplyDeleteTwo great pictures of one great building.. I had fun compairing one spot to the other.. the work that as been done is very goog, it give the new owners what they need but as not took much away from the old school building.. I think I would have kept the school bell in place.
ReplyDeleteTom
Schools here used to have separate entrances of boys and girls. I didn't notice the upward extension until I re-read your description. I'd noticed the removal of the old bell-tower [a few of those still be seen in the UK - slightly different design] and the modern addition of a satelitte dish.
ReplyDeleteBut very tastefully transformed by the look of it.
I used to live opposite an old school house that had been converted into a residence.... and it had 2 doors... one for girls and one for boys, but I thing they both led into the same room.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a very nice building with a great job done to put it new!
ReplyDeleteNice post.
I love these old buildings as they have so much history to them.
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