Suddaby Public School, originally known as Central School, is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...

elementary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...

Kitchener, Ontario ) , image_flag = Flag of Kitchener, Ontario.svg , image_seal = Seal of Kitchener, Canada.svg , image_shield=Coat of arms of Kitchener, Canada.svg , image_blank_emblem = Logo of Kitchener, Ontario.svg , blank_emblem_type = ...

( formerly known as Berlin). It is located at 171 Frederick Street, in the city's downtown. It serves grades

Junior Kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...

(JK) through grade 6. The school building opened in January 1857, and its first principal was Alex Young. Initially, the school building also accommodated the Berlin Grammar School (later the Berlin High School, now

Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School, commonly called Kitchener Collegiate Institute or KCI, is a public education, public secondary school in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. It is a member of the Waterloo Region District School Boar ...

) in the second-floor room in the northeast corner of the building. In 1871, due to the growth in population of Berlin and due to school attendance having been made mandatory in

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, the school became quite crowded and the high school relocated elsewhere. Attendance continued to increase, and classes had to be held in Berlin's fire hall in 1874. In 1876, a four-room addition was built at the back of the school. In 1877, Ontario's Minister of Education chose the school as a model school for the training of third class teachers. At that time Alex Young stepped down as principal and was replaced by Jeremiah Suddaby. In 1882, the first

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

in Ontario, taught by Miss Janet Metcalfe, was opened at the school. In 1886, accommodations again became inadequate. The Berlin Public School Board decided to resolve this problem by opening new schools—Agnes Street School (now

King Edward Public School Palmerston-Little Italy is a neighbourhood in central Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its boundaries, according to the City of Toronto, are by Bathurst Street to the east, Bloor Street to the north, Dovercourt Road to the west and College Street to th ...

) in 1886, Courtland Avenue Public School in 1890, and Margaret Avenue Public School in 1894. The concept of model schools came to an end in 1908. Suddaby remained principal until his death in 1910, at which point the school was renamed in his honour. In 1921 plans were made for a large addition to the school. The cornerstone of the new building was laid on June 10, 1922, and the addition was formally opened on September 24, 1923. The school celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1957. At that time, the school's original bell was donated to Doon Heritage Crossroads. On November 17, 1980, the school building was designated as a heritage property by Kitchener's city council under the provisions of the ''

Ontario Heritage Act The ''Ontario Heritage Act'', (the ''Act'') first enacted on March 5, 1975, allows municipalities and the provincial government to designate individual properties and districts in the Province of Ontario, Canada, as being of cultural heritage ...

''. The designation noted the facade, the archway between the main foyer, the archway between the main foyer and the original kindergarten, and the oil painting of Jeremiah Suddaby that was painted in 1912 by

A. Y. Jackson Alexander Young Jackson LL. D. (October 3, 1882April 5, 1974) was a Canadian painter and a founding member of the Group of Seven. Jackson made a significant contribution to the development of art in Canada, and was instrumental in bringing toget ...

, one of the original members of the

Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an intergovernmental political forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non-enumerated member". It is officiall ...

. The basement was home to a special-ed program called McQuarrie Enrichment Program. Unfortunately, the McQuarrie Enrichment Program was transferred to Cederbrae Public School and A.R. Kaufman Public School in 2011. The school's most famous alumnus is

William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King (December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian statesman and politician who served as the tenth prime minister of Canada for three non-consecutive terms from 1921 to 1926, 1926 to 1930, and 1935 to 1948. A L ...

, former

Prime Minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the confidence of a majority the elected House of Commons; as su ...

References

*(1942). "Suddaby School formerly Central School, Kitchener". ''Thirtieth Annual Report of the Waterloo Historical Society, Kitchener, Ontario'' 30: 228–239. *Lamb, Kathryn Hansuld (1982). "Suddaby School Celebrates 125 Years". ''Waterloo Historical Society, Kitchener, Ontario'' 70: 127–129. ISSN 0315-5021. * /www.wrdsb.ca/our-schools/schools/ Waterloo Region District School Board - Schools - R-T Retrieved February 24, 2006. {{Waterloo Region schools Waterloo Region District School Board Elementary schools in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo Schools in Kitchener, Ontario 1857 establishments in Ontario Educational institutions established in 1857

See also

References