Just as they鈥檝e done for the past 61 years, the doors of the Jasper Junior/Senior High School opened for the first day of school on Tuesday.
But, unlike previous years, this one is different. It marks the last year those doors will open, welcoming a new school year and a new crop of enthusiastic Grade 7s.
In September of 2014, Jasper鈥檚 youth will instead enter a brand new school and experience a similar feeling of awe and excitement as the students of 1951, who moved into the existing high school in December of that year鈥攁lthough it鈥檚 likely safe to say today鈥檚 students won鈥檛 be responsible for carrying their own books, desks and typewriters to the new building, as the students were back then.
Previous to the opening of the existing high school, Jasper had one school for all ages. Then in 1950, the school board of the day decided it was necessary to construct a new school. But its proposal to borrow funds was rejected, forcing the entire board to resign in protest.
Shortly after, the proposal was accepted and the board was back to work.
鈥淭here was great excitement when the board decided to build a second school,鈥� Dora Doyle, a Jasper teacher from 1939鈥�1970, wrote during the 鈥�80s. 鈥淭he elementary teachers felt they had first priority for many reasons, but the high school overruled and we were bequeathed the old relic with all its aches and pains.鈥� (It wasn鈥檛 until 1963 that the existing elementary school was built.)
Contractor Gordon Bried received the contract for the high school in early 1951 and it was completed that December.
Leading up to its completion, there was much anticipation and anxiousness from the students, who couldn鈥檛 wait to have a brand new building to call their own.
鈥淔rom the day school opened in the fall, we students looked forward with great eagerness to the day when we would move into the new school,鈥� one of those eager students recalled for the 1951鈥�52 yearbook. 鈥淗owever, as September faded into October, and it, in turn, gave way to November, we began to wonder exactly when we would be able to move in. But then, on a Monday in early December, we were told that we would start moving things over that Friday, and be in on the following Monday. So, on Friday, everybody turned into a willing worker, and the typewriters, Grade 12 desks and our own books were moved over.鈥�
Since those early days, the high school has had numerous additions, so it no longer resembles its original self.
That鈥檚 one of the reasons Vonna Arsenault, who graduated from the school in 1967 and taught there for a number of years, isn鈥檛 emotional about its impending demolition.
鈥淲hen I went, the school board was the governing body in Jasper, so the secretary treasurer鈥檚 office was in that front little part where the office and foyer is and we had a little library and two halls. It鈥檚 so different now. It鈥檚 had so many facelifts.
鈥淲hen I started teaching there, they had added on a lot and more and more came, so it almost became a different school.鈥�
But even with all of the changes, one thing that always stayed the same was the fantastic opportunities allotted to the students. 鈥淕oing to school here, I always felt extremely fortunate,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think we were pretty privileged in Jasper, especially for the times.
鈥淲e always had pretty hot basketball, volleyball and curling teams making it to the zones and provincials, and for awhile there was a local drama club, with Gordie Ruddy and others in some pretty good plays.鈥�
There were also opportunities to get out and enjoy the park, either biking to the fish hatchery or walking on nature trails to learn about the local flora and fauna or climbing mountains.
鈥淚 remember Mr. Howe, Mark Howe鈥檚 dad, took a gang of Grade 7 or 8s up Whistlers Mountain. There was no tram yet 鈥� and at the end of the day鈥攊t鈥檚 funny now with liability and stuff it just wouldn鈥檛 happen鈥攖here was a pick up truck at the bottom and we all jumped in the back. That just wouldn鈥檛 happen nowadays. You have to be all strapped in now. There was a lot more freedom to do stuff like that then.鈥�
Anna Marie Couture, who graduated in 1990, remembers that freedom, as well, whether it was while on horseback on the Athabasca Pass or on exchange to Baffin Island, there were many opportunities to freely explore.
鈥淏ecause it was such a small school, we could do it,鈥� she said, noting that somehow her teachers worked with the government to make the trip to Pangnirtung, Nunavut $10 per student.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 unheard of,鈥� she said with a disbelieving laugh. 鈥淚t was truly unbelievable.
鈥淲e had a good school, with good opportunities and good teachers.鈥�
Even to this day, when Couture walks in the building, she鈥檚 flooded with memories, especially of school dances, where the students would get all dolled up and the boys would stand on one side of the room and the girls on the other.
To keep some of those memories alive, Couture said she鈥檇 love to see the graduation pictures from the current school hung in the new one next year.
Mark Crozier, principal of Jasper Junior/Senior High School, said with it being September and all, there aren鈥檛 yet any celebrations or activities planned to mark the last year in the school.
But those ideas will likely come as the year goes on.
The new $21.3 million Jasper Joint School Facility, which will house Jasper Junior/Senior High School, as well as 脡cole Desrochers, is scheduled for completion in June 2014, giving teachers and school staff time to move into the space before the start of the school year.
Both schools will have spaces of their own distinguished by colour, and they will also share the gym, atrium, drama room, library, home economics lab and other multipurpose rooms.
The provincial government announced in May 2011 that Jasper would be one of 35 communities to receive a renovation or a new school.
The following month, a plebiscite was held, asking the community鈥檚 permission to swap the dog park land on Bonhomme Street for the current high school site. The land transfer was passed with 60 per cent of voters in favour of the exchange.
The dog park鈥攏ow the school lands鈥攚as closed to the public Aug. 24, 2012 and on Sept. 14 a golden shovel was thrust into the ground signifying the beginning of construction.
Once completed, the old school will be demolished.
Nicole Veerman
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