About St. Davids / Laura Secord Public School

St. Davids

St. Davids was the first pubic school ever established in the Niagara area.  First built by Major Francis Goring in 1790, the school was a one room log building.  Construction costs amounted to 1 pound, 12 shillings or the equivalent today of about $5.00.

Since St. Davids was the temporary capital of Upper Canada for a couple of years during The War of 1812, it was the target of many attacks.  In 1814, most of St. Davids including the school was burnt to the ground.  A new school was built near the present location of the United Church.

In 1871, a new one-roomed stone school was built in the village on the present location.  This school was on land donated by David Jackson Lowrey whose descendants attended St. Davids.

About the beginning of World War I, a brick two-roomed addition was added.  These rooms presently used by the Grade 7 and 8 classes.  In 1953, the old one roomed school was removed and two new classes and a playroom were added.  A third addition was completed in 1960.

In the fall of 1990, the Lincoln County Board decided to add a gymnasium addition to St. Davids.  Grant Sauder was selected as the Architect and the construction was awarded to Risen Construction.  Construction began in September, 1991.

It was appropriate then that the school's thorough renovation, construction of a new library/computer room, construction of offices and creation of a new entrance would also be awarded to Grant Sauder.  This work was begun in the summer of 1994.

While the building has changed over the many years of its existence, the inquiring students, the dedicated teachers and strong community support has remained steadfast.

Laura Secord

In 1844, the Old Stone School, named in honour of heroine Laura Ingersoll Secord, and consisting of two classrooms and an enrolment of 120 pupils, was built on the northeast corner of the present school grounds.

In 1914, the antiquated structure was replaced with a fine red brick building consisting of two large cloakrooms within each of two classrooms, a library, teacher's room, pressure water fountains, indoor lavatories and a basement playroom, stage and kitchen.

Increases in the school population due respectively to the construction of the Queenston Generating Plan (1920-21) and the Sir Adam Beck power plant (1949) necessitated the use of the stage and the auditorium as classrooms.

In 1953, a new wing composed of two classrooms, a hallway and a teacher's room was constructed with another classroom being added shortly thereafter.

Throughout its long history, Laura Secord School has featured a fine sense of cooperation amongst the pupils, parents, staff and the community - a characteristic that exists to this very day.