Love it or hate it, going to school has been a fact of life in Edmonton for more than 130 years. Today, there are over 300 schools in Edmonton, and around 2/3 are operated by Edmonton Public Schools.
Schools grow with communities, reflecting population increases and patterns of development. Between 1882, when the community’s first public school opened, until the end of the First World War in 1918, 24 permanent public schools were built to serve Edmonton’s growing population. Scattered throughout the city’s older neighbourhoods, these early schools can be easy to miss – especially since many are on quiet residential streets, hidden by large trees and other buildings.
In this joint exhibition by the City of Edmonton Archives and the Edmonton Public Schools Archives and Museum, we invite you to discover Edmonton’s oldest public schools.
