Rathwell’s School (Jasper) – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Rathwell’s School (Jasper School)
School Section #22
(Wolford School Section No. 6)
Concession #4, Lot 4 (see map)
After 1858 the school that was Wolford SS#22 became Rathwell’s School, northeast corner of County Road 16 and Corkoran Road.
(Note: on the 1862-62 map there was no school at this location, the closest school we could find was the one circled on the map, this does not correspond to the present location of the school)
Excerpt from Dr. Glenn Lockwood’s book “Kitley 1795-1975”
Jasper School – Although there was little early growth in Jasper in the early years of the 19th Century, educational history in this village was commenced well before the village itself developed. In an April 19, 1842, Brockville Recorder is mentioned a grant of 35 £ to S.S. 22 Kitley, and Wolford to build a schoolhouse. The resultant structure was a small log edifice. In 1872, Mr. William Driver was the school teacher.
A new brick structure of a size large enough to contain two classrooms was constructed in 1875, across the road from the old log structure. Jasper became one of the centres where entrance exams were held.
The Jasper public school register of 1902 notes that Mr. George Harris was the teacher, and gave the following names of the students: Mertle Mills, John Mills, Edna Timlack, Ed Harris, John Driver, Dell Montgomery, Claude Beamish, George and Elsie Ireland, Emma Bates, Bert and Ethel Pinel, Orvil Brundige, Vesta Cross, Harold Warren, Lotty Driver, Earl Mills, George Cross, Ella Warren, Hazel Beamish, Lloyd Mills, Susan Driver, Rita Pinel, Star Cross, Harry Bates, Ed Ireland, Mable Timlack, Mina Burroughs, John Morrissey, Allen and Flossie Connerty, Mable Burroughs, James Morrissey, Jean Connerty, Mable and Florice Connerty, Jenny Driver, Lizzie Hart, Ella Hyslop, John LaFrance, Frank Morrissey, Herbert Carry, Harry Collidge, Carlisle Connerty, Edna Wright, Muriel Kelly, Maude Burroughs, Gertie Hyslop, Tina Carry, Susan LaFrance, Neil Morrissey, Cathaline Carry, Nelly Kelly, William Driver, and Harry Driver.
There were 58 pupils with an average attendance of 54 at this time.
A new school was constructed on the Kitley side of Jasper in 1961, and the old school was closed.