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.
The Corn Maze
October is the month to say goodbye to summer and to celebrate the bounty of the harvest that is the result of all the hard work on the farm in spring and summer. For generations people have attended Fall Fairs and looked for the best pumpkins at farm pumpkin patches. Sometimes the farm has fun activities for visitors. One popular activity is the Corn Maze.
The first Corn Maze was created in 1993 by Earl Beal in Pennsylvania. It is a modern concept that would not have been experienced by the citizens of Britannia in the late 1800s. However, the idea of a maze is based on the ancient labyrinth.
Thousands of years ago the Greeks and Romans built labyrinths of winding paths leading to an exit. The winding paths could sometimes be disorienting, but there were no branching paths to confuse the walker. They were intended to be a “spiritual journey” encouraging contemplation. The Maze was a much later invention. The word “maze” comes from Old English and means delirium or delusion. The purpose was to confuse someone trying to find their way out of the maze. To achieve this there were branching paths. In the 16th century, European royalty built hedge mazes to entertain guests. These were built in their elaborate gardens. Hedges were used to create the walls of the maze.
The Corn Maze located on today’s farms can be a confusing walk between tall stalks of corn. Much planning is needed to create the maze. Some are so elaborate and confusing that visitors need help in finding their way out. Whether you experience it as a puzzle to be solved or a few moments for contemplation, it will be a fun outing on a Fall day.
Visit a Real Hedge Maze
Centre Island in Toronto, Ontario has a hedge maze, the William Meany Maze. It was a gift to the city from the Dutch-Canadian community and was created by landscape designer Peter Vanderwerf in 1967. Unfortunately, the maze was not maintained and eventually was dismantled. Mississauga businessman William Meany had fond memories of the old maze and donated funds to recreate it.
Construction started in May 2014 and was completed in September. The maze has more than 1,200 black cedars. It stands about 50 meters northwest of the original labyrinth site and has been restored to its original design. This magical place continues to enchant hundreds of visitors every summer.
Newsletter
Our Summer/Early Fall newsletter is now online. Click here to find it. There is good news. Open Sundays have returned on the second Sunday afternoon of the month except for December, January, February and March There is also a recipe for using up all that zucchini, a story about a magical miniature village and hints on what to do in your autumn garden. Read and enjoy!
Coming Events
No events are planned during the COVID 19 pandemic.
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.
For use in a book on one-room schools in Peel County:
- Minute Books
- Cash Books
- Class Photos
- Report Cards
- Prize Ribbons
- Medals
- Certificates
- Shields
- Contracts
- Trustee Memorabilia
- Teacher Memorabilia
- Newspaper Clippings
- School Registers
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.
If you are a staff member or volunteer in a living history one room schoolhouse and would like more information about SLATE, contact:
Christine Chapel
The Old Britannia Schoolhouse
5576 Hurontario Street
Mississauga, ON
L5R 1B3
905-890-1010 ext 2911
