Heritage in the Hat: The Spirit of St. Louis
By Malcolm Sissons on September 3, 2021.
It looks like the original St. Louis School on Balmoral Street is on the market. Of the three century old schools in the North Flats, it is the first to be taken out of service with its future uncertain. Before World War I, Medicine Hat was booming, population was increasing and schools were bursting at the seams. Father Cadoux began organizing St. Louis Separate School District No. 21 in 1910 with the support of his bishop and the Sisters of Charity. The new school board awarded the design contract to local architect William T. Williams, who had designed most of the important buildings in town, including schools, churches and private buildings such as the Cypress Club. The building contract, worth about $18,000, was awarded to local contractor A.E. Forester in April 1912. William’s design for the new school featured many elements of the Classical Revival style such as its symmetrical front façade, red brick quoins and concrete sills, lintels and foundation cap, as well as decorative, moulded-wood name-block above the original front entry. Other characteristics of the style are its beautiful, recessed side entries with arched openings, although only the west entry is intact and must be viewed from the interior. It also boasted a hipped roof with cupola and a modillioned cornice. The school was constructed of red pressed brick locally manufactured at Purmal Brick Company. Upon opening on January 3, 1913, the teachers were Sisters Anna Mary and Mary Veronica and Miss Connersby. The Sisters and boarders resided in the school until St. Theresa’s Academy was opened in 1915. Disaster struck on April 16, 1928, at 12:05 A.M., when a fire broke out in a cupboard on the upper floor. The alarm was phoned in by fireman Walter Spence who was walking home after a shift. Flames were shooting out of the cupola and by the time the fire was under control, the roof and upper floor had been destroyed. Students were transferred to Elm Street and Montreal Street Schools while reconstruction took place. The post-fire appearance changed quite significantly with a parapet and flat roof design adopted. Huge bumps in the population were cause for expansion to St. Louis, with additions to each side in 1955 and 1966. Remnants of the original structure are still found in the interior but the front entrance was taken out of service. In 2001, Montreal Street School (built in 1905) was declared surplus by the Medicine Hat School District #76 and transferred to the Medicine Hat Separate School Board. It was renamed St. Louis School and significant tasteful renovations and additions were undertaken. The Centre for Academic and Personal Excellence (CAPE) leased the original St. Louis school building the same year and it continued as an educational facility until 2018 when CAPE moved to a renovated space at Medicine Hat High School. What the future holds for this historic school in the River Flats neighbourhood is yet to be revealed but for generations of students, it will always be St. Louis. Malcolm Sissons is a former member of the Heritage Resources Committee of the City of Medicine Hat. 10-9
