Soper’s School – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Soper’s School
(Otterman’s School)
School Section No. 13
Concession #9, Lot 12, built 1850 (see map)
present address 661 Kitley Line 8
The origins of the original Soper School have been lost in the sands of time. It was probably a log cabin school and existed on the site as early as 1820. This original one room school was known as Otterman’s School, from the Otterman family living nearby. Later when Soper deeded the land over to the School Section board it became Soper School.
Levi Soper owned a homestead three miles to the east of Fankville. A school was built on part of this property. The school stands on the 9th Concession, but the road running past the school building is Morrison Road, Kitley 8th line. The school fence runs between the two concessions..
A stone building supplanted the original log school and it served the community until it was destroyed by fire in 1912. The present stone building was erected on the site in the same year. George Brundige was the contractor when the school was rebuilt. The building was constructed of square cut stone locally quarried. The inside was finished with a white plaster. A raised platform was installed for the teacher.
Among the first settlers around the old school site were the Morrisons, Wilkins, Pryces, Sopers, Wrights, Reynolds, Barringstons, Davises, Mulvaughs, Steacys, Hewitts, Hantons, Brundiges, Merciers. Later the Cooks and O’Gradys moved in.
Louise Mulvaugh was a teacher there prior to 1900. In the 1900’s teachers included Miss. Cocklin (1908), Miss. Greeves; Kenneth Blanchard, Miss. Clow, Misses Nellie and Rose Judge and Fred Leacock who later became a doctor and was killed in a car accident. First salaries paid to teachers ran from $200. to $300. per year. Average attendance was 25-30 pupils but when the school closed in the 1960’s attendance was down to 12. (Recorder and Times)
Schoolhouse pump hidden in the brush on the corner of the lot (photo #5)
Commemorative Plate in memory of Soper’s School
