Current News

Welcome to our website!

The Friends of the Schoolhouse web site will keep you informed about The Old Britannia Schoolhouse and the activities and events planned by the Friends' organization. We encourage you to check this site often. New information will be added monthly.

Schoolhouse Visitors Again

For the past five years, the schoolhouse was unable to host visitors due to the challenges brought by COVID and ongoing construction work on the LRT along Hurontario Street.

In October, the Friends of the Schoolhouse decided to revive a scaled-down version of their traditional Christmas Open House and Sale. While there were no classroom decorations or the usual large Christmas tree due to the absence of children attending the schoolhouse, there were still some decorations and a mini tree placed on the stove as a nostalgic reminder of past Open Houses.

The event was well-received, with many families visiting. Children enjoyed playing with the toys, while their parents explored various school artifacts and purchased items on sale. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many visitors appreciating the historical significance of preserving this unique piece of history. However, some expressed disappointment over the cancellation of the children's program.

The Friends of the Schoolhouse are pleased to announce that Open Sundays will resume in April. They hope to welcome more visitors to enjoy the schoolhouse and its beautiful gardens in the spring.

A New Year

As we step into 2025, it's remarkable to think that we are now one quarter of a century into the new millennium. This year marks the 193^rd anniversary of the Old Britannia Schoolhouse.

The Friends of the Schoolhouse have made a New Year's resolution to continue advocating for the preservation of this historic building and sharing the stories of generations of children who attended S.S. 12. Through our website, newsletters, and Open Sundays, we aim to keep the schoolhouse's legacy alive.

We invite you to make a New Year's resolution of your own-one that supports the schoolhouse by visiting during an Open Sunday, becoming a member, or volunteering. Together, we can ensure the story of the Old Britannia Schoolhouse continues to inspire for generations to come.

Coming Events

Open Sundays are the second Sunday of the month from 1 until 4 pm in December, April, May and June.

Time to Renew Your Membership

Our membership year runs from January to December. Membership forms for renewal or new membership are on this website. Click here to get the form.

Echoes of the Past

This book, written and published by Friends of the Schoolhouse, documents the history of all of the rural one room schools that existed in Peel County.
Full colour, 208 pages, $30
It is available at all our events or from any member of the Friends of the Schoolhouse Executive.
There is a $10 charge for mailing.

Book Talks

Since the book, Echoes of The Past, was published in May 2016, the writers have been giving illustrated talks to historical societies and other interested groups. We talk about the book and tailor each presentation to suit the audience and the one room schools that were in their local area.
If your group would be interested in having a presentation, please contact Daryl Cook dlcook@rogers.com for further information.

Come and Join Us

If you have a couple of hours a month or only a few hours once or twice a year you could help us support the schoolhouse and its programs. The executive committee meets on the second Tuesday of the month from September to June to conduct the business of the Friends of the Schoolhouse and to plan programs and events. Our meetings are from 4 to 6 in the afternoon at the schoolhouse. Volunteers help on an occasional basis with our events and in the gardens. Not only do we support a worthwhile cause, we have a lot of fun doing it. Email our Executive Director Shirley Hoad at shoad@bell.net, if you have a few hours to spare and an interest in helping preserve a community treasure for future generations of children.

Mark Your Calendar

To see a list of our year's events go to the Events page.

Researching our Roots

There is still much more to discover about the Old Britannia Schoolhouse and other early one room schools. Read below for a wish list of "Wanted" items that will help us learn more about our historic schoolhouse.

Your contribution will be acknowledged. Materials supplied will either be returned to you or donated to the Peel County Archives on your behalf.

SLATE Group

SLATE stands for So Let's All Talk Education (in a one room school), or as one witty person suggested, being truly Canadian, So Let's All Talk Eh! Each year for a day in the spring people involved in working or volunteering in living history one room schoolhouses get together to exchange ideas and learn from each other. We meet at a different schoolhouse location each year which gives everyone the opportunity to experience how living history is presented in a setting different from their own.