Trafalgar Township Historical Society Digital Collections

S.S.#2 Palermo Public School, 1875-1942

Description
Media Type
Image
Item Type
Photographs
Description
In modern terms, the one-room Palermo schoolhouse is located at 2431 Dundas Street West.

There was a school in Palermo as early as 1819. It was one of 3 public schools in Trafalgar Twp. The first school may have been on the same property as the ones built in 1844, 1875 & 1942 or it may have been across the road near the cemetery.

The first school was built in 1844. A new school was built in 1875. In 1942, the Wendover construction company started work on the present building which is now the home of the Trafalgar Township Historical Society. This new 1942 building contains the date stone of the old. We have many photographs of the students, teachers and new building in our digital collection for your further information, but linked here is the record with a number of photographs of the demolition and construction of the 1879 and 1942 buildings.

In 1955 a new Palermo Public School was built south of Dundas Street. Marg Wark was the last teacher at S.S. #2. The new school wasn’t ready on time and the students were taught in the Palermo hall, St Lukes & the old Palermo school until it was completed. The present-day St. Joseph's Portuguese Roman Catholic Church at 2451 Bronte Road incorporated the school in its building.

After the school closed, the building was used by the Trafalgar Police Department.

A 1967 article in The Daily Journal v.5, 216 said that the original registration of 55 pupils had increased to 195 in 1967. Principal William Reynolds was just completing his first year at Palermo Public School, having come from Pine Grove School Home and School President was Mrs. Ross. Cowan. The former S.S. #2 building was being used for a class of pupils from Lorne Skuce School in 1966-67. (From clipping in TTHS print file Families-Lawrence.)

In 2010, the Halton District School Board opened a new Palermo Public School in northwest Oakville.
Notes
This public school was S.S. #2.

The former Halton Board of Education had previously owned a school named Palermo Public School, located on Bronte Road, on the east side and south of Hwy. 5. This school was closed and sold in 1978.

The village of Palermo is at the intersection of Dundas Street and Old Bronte Road. The Palermo community is referenced back in the 1841 census.

A link to the website of Wendover Construction Inc. is included in this record for your further information on this historic area company.
Subject(s)
Local identifier
TTADM000527
Collection
Trafalgar Township Historical Society
Geographic Coverage
  • Ontario, Canada
    Latitude: 43.43341 Longitude: -79.78293
Copyright Statement
Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
Recommended Citation
S.S.#2 Palermo Public School, 1875-1942
Contact
Trafalgar Township Historical Society
Email:michelle@tths.ca
Website:

Trafalgar Township Historical Society Sponsor: Jeff Knoll, Local & Regional Councillor for Oakville Ward 5 – Town of Oakville/Regional Municipality of Halton
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