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The first school
in Lunenburg was situated where the Old
Fire Hall now stands. When the first
Academy was constructed, the first
school was purchased by the Anglican
Church for the princely sum of $85 and
was to be used as a Parish Hall.
The first
Lunenburg Academy was built in 1864 on
what is now know as Jubilee Square. To
signal its opening a royal salute was
fired from Blockhouse Hill.
In 1883 for the
sum of $500, a school was constructed on
Tannery Road to serve the needs of the
younger pupils of Newtown. Today this
building houses the Industrial Arts and
Home Economics Departments of the school
program.
On September 23,
1893, just before the noon session, fire
completely destroyed the first Academy,
but because of the prompt action of
Principal Burgess McKittrick and his
teachers in clearing the school of
pupils, there were no injuries.
The second
Lunenburg Academy, the third school, was
built in 1894 - 95 on the Gallows Hill.
This site was chosen following an
acrimonious debate in the Town Council
which resulted in a tie vote which was
broken by the Mayor casting the deciding
vote.
H.H. Mott of Saint
John, N.B., designed the building which
was constructed by the Oxford Furniture
Co. and the school was opened on
November 7, 1895. It has always been
regarded as a masterpiece of
architecture and those responsible for
its planning and construction deserve
the highest praise.
The Education
Review of February 1896 described the
structure as follows:
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"The new
school building is of wood, two
storeys high, with a mansard
roof and occupies one of the
finest and most commanding sites
in the Province, being visible
for many miles around. The
ground floor contains six large
classrooms with separate
cloakrooms for boys and girls.
The second floor contains six
classrooms, cloakrooms,
laboratory and library. There is
a large Assembly Hall capable of
seating over four hundred. The
ceilings throughout are of white
wood and beautifully panelled.
The floors and wainscotting are
of birch, while the rest of the
interior is furnished in ash and
birch, giving to the whole a
substantial and neat appearance.
There are six entrances
affording a complete separation
of boys and girls except in the
classroom. Four towers adorn the
building, in one of which a
large bell, weighing over six
hundred pounds, has been placed.
The principal's department is on
the second floor and is
connected with each classroom by
electric bells. It is seated
with single desks. The
blackboards are of slate. On one
side of the room opens the
laboratory, on the other, the
library. |
Every flat is
fitted with a large gong, attached to
the ceiling which is controlled from the
Principal's department. Speaking tubes
connect each floor with the basement.
The Smead-Dowd
heating, ventilating and sanitary system
has been adopted and gives excellent
satisfaction. The basement contains six
furnaces, which are supplied with fresh
air from outside, thus giving each room
a constant supply of pure warm air.
The laboratory is
well supplied with chemical and physical
apparatus. A geological collection of
about one hundred Canadian specimens has
recently been added.
Altogether the new
Academy is one of the finest school
buildings in the Maritime Provinces. It
is thoroughly modern in style and finish
and is admirable adapted for education
work.
This remarkable
building, an architectural masterpiece,
is a landmark in the Town of Lunenburg.
The unusual architectural style enhanced
by an abundance of decorative Victorian
designs, sometimes referred to by the
term "Gingerbread", creates a unique
structure greatly admired by visitors to
the Town of Lunenburg.
The Academy, owned
by the Town, housed grades one through
twelve until 1965 when a new high school
was built. Today, it continues as an
elementary school (P - 5) with an
enrollment of 165 students.
Through the efforts of the Lunenburg
Academy Foundation, the Lunenburg
Academy, on March 20, 1984, received the
official designation of a Provincial
Heritage Property. Also, on March 6,
1984, the Historic Sites and Monuments
Board of Canada approved the Academy as
a site of both nations and architectural
significance.
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