(CJLS News photo)
Next week will be bitter-sweet for present and former students and staff of Yarmouth Central School.
Thursday June 27 will be mark the last graduation day for the last grade 6 class.
School Advisory Council chair Richard Gosling they’ve planned something different for the special day.
“It will be held outdoors, weather permitting. it should be a good send-off.
He says there will be tears but also smiles as everyone is excited about moving into the new Yarmouth Elementary School, just across the street.
“Our oldest will be graduating in that group and he’s been walking down memory lane the last month or so. They will be some tears of sadness but tears of joy. It’s going to be a great day.”
That is scheduled to be open in September.
Yarmouth Central School was built in 1936 and replaced the Yarmouth Seminary, which was dedicated on October 12th, 1864 on the area known as “Education Hill”.
The cornerstone was laid by the Honourable Angus L. Macdonald who was premier of Nova Scotia. The cost at the time…about $20 000, which was paid by the residents of the town of Yarmouth.
The school was originally heated by coal, and was the first school in Yarmouth to have electric lights and tiled floors along with movable desks.
The basement had no classrooms and was divided into two sections, one for the boys and the other for the girls and was used for recess, games and sports.
The Canadian Red Cross used the basement during the War years for blood donor clinics. After the Yarmouth Academy fire in 1949, Central School was host for its classes.
The School Library is named for the first Principal, John J.Oliver, who had a 35 year tenure.
In 1970, a second section was added to connect to the east side of the building over the site of the old Seminary.
