Farmersville Model School
1877-1912
This iconic Athens building opened in February 1860 as the Farmersville Public School. Primary grades occupied the first floor and in September the grammar (or high) school opened on the second floor. As the first high school in a wide area, it elevated Farmersville as a centre of learning. In 1877, its status rose once again when the second floor became the United Counties Model School for training new teachers. This forced high school students to relocate to the old town hall until a new school could be built for them. The Athens Public & Model School burned in 1905 but, driven by Athens' long-standing passion for education, it was quickly rebuilt and reopened with great fanfare. Special trains brought crowds to celebrate and hear a grand speech by a future prime minister of Canada, Robert Borden, MP, who was himself a graduate of a model school at age 14. After 35 years of operation[,] changes in provincial legislation closed the Model School. The public school closed here in 1967 with the amalgamation of all of the area one-room schools to Pineview Public School. In 1969 the building was purchased by the Lions Club for its good purposes.
[Photo captions, clockwise from top left, read]
• Readers used by primary grades of 1884
• A beard and a blackface mark a Model School play of 1912.
• Model
this page online
• Background photo: This 1953 class, like others, would be allowed to watch Myles Jeffrey bring out a new boat he made over the winter and lower it to the ground from the second floor of his shop near the school.
• Children on the school steps, 1890s. Note the church in the background (at right).
• Athens Public School, c1941. Note the water pump at right.
[Bottom center photo of] Sir Robert Borden (1854-1937)
Erected 2013 by Athens & Area Heritage Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Education. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1860.
Location. 44° 37.662′ N, 75° 57.068′ W. Marker is in Athens, Ontario, in Leeds and Grenville United Counties. Marker is at the intersection of Henry Street and Wellington Street, on the left when traveling north on Henry Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Athens ON K0E 1B0, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Athens Medical History (within shouting distance of this marker); Jeffrey Boats (within shouting distance of this marker); Former Murals (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); The Brockville & Westport Railway
Also see . . .
1. Athens, Ontario at Wikipedia. (Submitted on October 31, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Athens Lions Club, Ontario. (Submitted on October 31, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 31, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 31, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 174 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 31, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
