Old Coleman High School

Crowsnest Pass - Coleman

Street Address:	Mayfair Avenue and Second Street
Community:	Crowsnest Pass - Coleman
Boundaries:	Lots 11 to 14, Block 18 and Lots 1 to 20, Block 19, Plan 820L
Contributing Resources:	Buildings: 1

ATS Legal Description:

Mer	Rge	Twp	Sec	LSD
5	4	8	8	9 (ptn.)

PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):

Plan	Block	Lot	Parcel
820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L 820 L	19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 18 18 18 18	9 8 7 6 5 4 3 20 2 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 1 14 13 12 11

Latitude/Longitude:

Latitude	Longitude	CDT	Datum Type
49.635035	-114.502345	Secondary Source	NAD 83

UTM Reference:

Northing	Easting	Zone	CDT	Datum Type
5501020	680298		Digital Maps	NAD 83

Recognition

Recognition Authority:	Province of Alberta
Designation Status:	Provincial Historic Resource
Date of Designation:	1986/03/06

Historical Information

Built:	1936 to 1937
Period of Significance:	1936 to 1963
Theme(s):	Building Social and Community Life : Education and Social Well-Being Governing Canada : Government and Institutions
Historic Function(s):	Education : Primary or Secondary School
Current Function(s):	Leisure : Museum
Architect:
Builder:
Context:	HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE Coleman School District No. 1216 was one of seven such institutions created in the Crowsnest Pass region between 1901 and 1911. This particular school district served the educational needs of the Town of Coleman, which had been created in 1903 by the International Coal and Coke Co. Prior to the organization of the Coleman School District in 1905, the resident student population attended school in Blairmore. The Coleman School was, therefore, one of a number of social institutions created during a period of rapid economic expansion for the Crownest Pass region as a result of increased investment in the development of its coal resources. This period of rapid expansion before World War One was followed by a steady decline throughout the post-war era. The first building erected by the Coleman School District was a one-room frame structure which was used for all grades. In common with other Alberta urban school districts, Coleman also utilized a variety of other buildings such as the Anglican Mission Hall and the upper storey of the Brymner Building to deal with the problem of rapid increases in student enrollment. By 1934, the maturation of the student population resulted in the Board renting the Clubroom of the United Church for use as a classroom for high school purposes. This need for classroom space for high school students resulted in the Coleman School Board's decision to proceed with the construction of its second school building in 1937. Unlike the other high schools in the Crowsnest Pass area, Coleman High School had an auditorium which permitted the School District to organize a number of student activities over and above the courses required by the standard curriculum. These activities included Friday afternoon students meetings which were introduced by David Hoyle, principal from 1938 to 1949, as well as concerts and dramatic events which were presented by the elementary, junior high, and high school students. Community use of the school included night school classes in English which were organized at the request of the Polish Society of Coleman. The auditorium was also used after hours in 1945 by a youth group which organized a social club called Teen Town. A number of these clubs were established in the province at this time. Coleman School continued to operate until 1963 when Horace Allen High School was completed. In 1966, the Coleman School District No. 1216 was absorbed into the Crowsnest Consolidated School District No. 63 thus bringing to an end 61 years of service to the Coleman community. The design and construction of Coleman High School reflects the strong influence exercised by the provincial government in school design and construction during the inter-war years. This role began in 1913 as a result of a major revision of Alberta's school legislation and school construction regulations designed to encourage the erection of improved rural schools. These changes resulted in a virtual government monopoly in small school design in Alberta. Coleman School is based on Department of Education Plan No. SP-1108. It was constructed by Coleman contractor, J.S. D'Appolonia, who submitted the lowest bid of 31,300 dollars. The only amendments to the standard plan were in the window arrangement and the addition of a meeting room for the Board of Trustees. The general appearance of this building was, therefore, similar to the relatively inexpensive styles of four-room, one-storey, hipped-roof or two-storey, flat-roofed schools that replaced their more ornate and expensive pre-war predecessors.

Additional Information

Object Number:	4665-0534
Designation File:	DES 1305
Related Listing(s):
Heritage Survey File:	HS 17649
Website Link:
Data Source:	Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, Old St. Stephen's College, 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 (File: Des. 1305)