Over the years Bobcaygeon Public School has had many face lifts and changes. In 1873, two brick buildings were erected. The one-storey Rokeby School was for primary students and was built on the north side of the village for a cost of $1200. It is now used as a garage. The remaining students went to the two-storey Bobcaygeon School on King St. It cost $2400 to build at that time.
In 1889, an addition of 2 more classrooms was added to Bobcaygeon School for a cost of $2,500. In 1929 Rokeby School was closed and sold and all students attended Bobcaygeon School. With the increase in the student population, the school was soon too small and the school board was forced to use the old high school. It had been first built as a private school (known as Comber School), but had been closed when the secondary school students were bussed to Fenelon Falls Secondary School. The southern school was occupied by grades 1-4 and the northern school by grades 5-8.
The northern school was located at the edge of the village in the building which became, in succession, Hillcroft Hospital, then a nursing home, and now a medical building. In 1956, a new school, consisting of 6 classrooms was built and opened at 30 Balaclava Street in the north end of the village. It housed all eight grades at a cost of $16,000 per classroom.
In the early 1960’s, the rural schools in the south of Verulam Township (with the exception of Dunsford School), Scotch Line School, The Red School on Highway 36, and King’s Wharf School formed a school board and classes for the lower grades were held at Scotch Line School with the senior grades at The Red School. King’s Wharf School, which was actually situated in Emily Township,was closed.
In December 1969, when all rural schools in the province were closed, pupils from both Verulam Township and Harvey Township in Peterborough County attended the school in Bobcaygeon where a new addition had been built to house the additional students. At this time a new county school board was formed for all the townships in the county, with the board office in Lindsay. The new Board was known as the VICTORIA COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION. Prior to this, each school had its own trustees who looked after their own school i.e. hiring of teachers, paying of expenses etc.
The following rural schools were closed, with their students attending Bobcaygeon Public School: Scotch Line, Dunsford, King’s Wharf, Red School, Blythe, Ingram’s, Quigley’s, Lamb’s, Devitt’s, Red Rock, Fell’s, Fairbairn, and Hetherington’s
All students from these schools were then bussed to the enlarged Bobcaygeon Public School which opened in January 1970. Some of these schools had been closed due to low enrolment prior to this.
On January 1, 1978 a new school was opened in Dunsford called Dunsford District Elementary School and most of the students living in the south of Verulam Township were moved to that location in order to relieve the high enrolment at Bobcaygeon Public School. In 1991, another new school, named Langton Public School, in Fenelon Falls was opened and once again the boundaries for Bobcaygeon Public School were changed. Students living in the north west part of Verulam (north of Sturgeon Lake) were transferred to Langton P.S.
In 1997, a new amalgamated board was formed consisting of the Victoria County Board, the Haliburton Board and the Muskoka Board of Education. This board was named Trillium Lakelands District School Board with the corporate office in Lindsay.
By 2000, the school had thirteen portables and the original 1950’s wing needed major upgrades to meet requirements for utilities and safety. A new facility was officially opened in the Spring of 2002. The portables and the original part of the school from 1956 were removed and replaced with new and renovated classrooms, office space and ancillary rooms, a new gym, a new library and a computer lab.
Facts
In 1890 the school property was valued at $10, 500, furniture and equipment was valued at $760.
In 1892 fire drills were introduced as required by the Department of Education.
In 1936 chemical toilets were installed.
In 1937 the teaching of music was introduced by Mrs. Isla Herbert.
Principals
1875 Mr. Jones
1887-1912 Mr. Hickson
1912 – Mr. Simpson
1923 – 1940 Mr. Anderson
1940 Mr. Lewis
1944 – 1955 Miss M. Oliver
1955 – 1966 Mr. G. Stevenson
1966 – 1981 Mr. R. King
1981 – 1988 Mr. D. Simser
1988 – 1990 Mr. J. Hopkins
1990 – 1992 Mr. K. Thurston
1992 – 1996 Mrs. N.J. Nelson
1996 – 1999 Mrs. K. West
1999 – 2003 Mr. K. Adams
2003 – 2004 Mrs. G. Sherin
2004 – 2006 Ms. A. Duncan
2006 – 2010 Mr. P. Baker
2010 – 2016 Mrs. J. Austin
2016 – present Mrs. T. Hetherington
