Bradford District High School has a rich legacy that can be traced to a century-and-a-half ago.
Interestingly, Bradford High’s story begins not in Bradford, but rather Bond Head. I’ll explain.
For most of the 1900s, there were no high schools. Most children received all of their education in a one-room schoolhouse, topping out at Grade 8 if they were lucky. Children of well-to-do individuals, almost exclusively boys, received higher education at grammar schools.
The first grammar school in Simcoe County was built in Barrie in 1843. It wasn’t practical for children from all over Simcoe County to attend this facility, so a second grammar school, to serve southern Simcoe County, opened in 1852.
The new school struggled, however. By the end of the decade, there were still only 10 students, so the decision was made to move it to the larger community of Bradford in the hopes attendance would improve.
The two-room school was jacked up onto a sleigh and moved to its new home, a property that would later house Fred C. Cook Public School, in the winter of 1859.
The move to Bradford was a sound one. Connected to the newly built railway, Bradford blossomed, and its population swelled over the next few decades. Attendance at the grammar school grew commensurately; by 1870, it stood at around 50 — a five-fold increase.
Two years later, it became Bradford High School. In theory, the school was no longer reserved for just the sons of prominent individuals. Boys — and soon, girls — from all families were admitted. In practice, most students continued to come from comfortable homes as parents had to pay enrolment fees.
Attendance continued to improve, though, necessitating physical expansion in 1889 and the addition of several more teachers.
Just four years later, the school burned down. Though dramatic, it was no great loss, as the wooden school was aging and outdated. The fire represented an excuse to build a badly needed modern facility. The new school was handsome and built entirely of brick. There were four large classrooms, an office for the principal (a headmaster in period parlance) and playing fields.
As Bradford High was the only high school in south Simcoe, attendance continued to swell, rising to 144 in the new century.
In 1921, the school burned. The sturdy brick walls stood, but the interior was entirely gutted. For the second time in its history, Bradford High would need to be rebuilt after a devastating fire.
