Crystal School – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Crystal School
(School Section No. 12)
Concession #7, Lot 6, built 1875 (see map)
George Hornick built the area’s first school. The school was located in Lot 6 of the 7th Concession. The exact date of the construction is unknown but it was listed in the 1861 census.
It was a school which held both Kitley and Wolford pupils, being know on the Kitley side as S.S. No.12 and in Wolford Township as S.S. No 14
In 1861 it was located between the farm houses of George and Robert Hornick and in 1872 the teacher was Samuel Hornick. In 1875 Sam Hornick sold the half acre on which the school was located to the local school trustees.
The school one of the last log structures to be used by the Leeds and Grenville School system was phased out in 1961 after more than a century of service, and Crystal area children were bussed to a new school in Frankville. The old log structure was sold to a Brown Family, moved to the North Augusta Road and renovated as a home.
“It is also known from the Brockville Recorder of 1872, that Samuel H. Hornick was a teacher here so, apparently, the Hornick family catered to the educational needs of the Crystal area for the mid-1800’s.
Teachers at Crystal school for the 1900’s include the following: Miss Sarah Willows, Miss Sarah Quinn, Mr. Fred Challies, Miss Luella Charland, Miss Blanch Warren, Miss Jessie Bell, Miss Ina Quinn, Miss Maude Cooke, Miss Ella Bryan, Miss Louva Race, Miss Myrtle Pryce, Miss Mary Coghlan, Miss Norma Bass, Miss Helen Jelly and Miss Grace Cole”
Glenn Lockwood in his book Kitley 1795-1975
If anyone has any photos or additional information on this school we would appreciate hearing from you.