Deloro Separate School - R.C. School Section #1
In Jan. 2024, Greg Courneya, grandson of ED O’Connor, donated a variety of Ledger books and minute books from this school, giving us more clues into daily life at the Deloro Separate school. Ed O’Connor was secretary of the school committee for over 50 years.
In July of 1909, the supporters of the Separate School in Deloro held a meeting and decided to hire a "high class" teacher, at least a second professional, as they were financially much stronger by then, thanks to Mr. Michael J.O'Brien, founder of the Deloro works, and an exemplary Catholic and strong Separate School supporter. He assured Father Murtagh that his taxes from the Deloro Co. will go for the future to the Separate School in Deloro.
The first separate school in Deloro was opened in 1897 in a log house with the address “Marmora Drive”. From the ledger books, we know that in August of 1888, the school received a grant of $11.00 and the teacher was Miss Margaret Breen. That year she received 3 new benches for a total of $$2.25, new maps, a 25 cent broom, 5 lbs of nails for repairs, and a box of chalk for twenty cents.
Total costs, including the teacher’s annual salary of $200.00, was $211.66, all paid for by the Government grant of $11.00, tax money of $136.64, a loan of $60.00 and forty dollars from a social.
By 1890 we see Richard O’Connor is Chairman of the school committee , with G. Matthew O’Connor, James Auger, John O’Connor and John A. McCallum as trustees. 1891 saw two new teachers, Maud Macaulay, and Catherine Shain. Then, Eva Bradley (1897), Mary Campbell (1899-1900), Ella Kearney (1901) and Agnes Doris & MarieJ. McNally (1904)
Electricity was supplied by the Deloro Smelting and refining company
Miss Forrest of Almonte was hired as teacher for September of 1909,
The one-room school was built there in 1917 and served that community for more than 50 years. Miss Curran from Port Hope was the hired staff in 1917.
Margie Royle writes: This is where I started school in September 1955 but moved into Sacred Heart School in Marmora before the year was out. Agnes Loveless was the teacher. I don't remember it looking so desolate. Some happy memories here!
Pat McCrodan writes: I rememberRita Farrell, teacher, gathering milkweed pods for the war effort for life preservers. One year, 4 ft snow in the yard and the grade eights dug tunnels all over the yard.
