{"id":2969,"date":"2023-01-28T10:05:46","date_gmt":"2023-01-28T16:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/?p=2969"},"modified":"2025-01-02T05:05:45","modified_gmt":"2025-01-02T11:05:45","slug":"the-history-of-westmount-school-in-edmonton-founding-and-mysteries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/eternal\/the-history-of-westmount-school-in-edmonton-founding-and-mysteries-2969","title":{"rendered":"The History of Westmount School in Edmonton: Founding and Mysteries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Westmount School in Edmonton was built on marshy land, making it challenging for students to reach. Bridges were constructed to ensure safe access for children. Learn more about the school\u2019s construction and its fascinating stories in this article. More on <a href=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/\">edmonton1.one<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d5e4c27cff\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d5e4c27cff\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/eternal\/the-history-of-westmount-school-in-edmonton-founding-and-mysteries-2969\/#Founding_of_Westmount_School\" >Founding of Westmount School<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/eternal\/the-history-of-westmount-school-in-edmonton-founding-and-mysteries-2969\/#The_Mysterious_Disappearance_of_a_Teacher_and_Ghost_Stories_at_Westmount_School\" >The Mysterious Disappearance of a Teacher and Ghost Stories at Westmount School<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/eternal\/the-history-of-westmount-school-in-edmonton-founding-and-mysteries-2969\/#Development_of_the_School\" >Development of the School<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/eternal\/the-history-of-westmount-school-in-edmonton-founding-and-mysteries-2969\/#Legacy_of_Westmount_School\" >Legacy of Westmount School<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Founding_of_Westmount_School\"><\/span>Founding of Westmount School<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Westmount School was built on land that once belonged to the Norris family farm. In 1909, Edmonton\u2019s government purchased the land from the Norris family for $3,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In May 1913, architect George Turner designed the school. The Edmonton School Board contracted Edinger Construction to undertake the project for $204,000. The school was designed in the Gothic style, with bricks sourced from J. Little\u2019s brickyard in Rosedale and Bedford stone used in the construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The two-story building featured stone crests and intricate carvings. Most notable were plaster wolf heads that adorned the entrance. The hallways were tiled with marble, doors crafted from solid oak, and large windows framed with leaded glass. Each classroom contained rows of desks affixed to wooden floors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the second floor, there was an auditorium with a large stage, which was temporarily used as a gymnasium. However, sports activities in the hall were limited because the noise disturbed classrooms on both sides and directly below. In 1915, Westmount School officially opened, with Joe Scoffield serving as its first principal. The staff comprised eight members, including the principal and seven female teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2973\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-4.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-4-696x464.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Mysterious_Disappearance_of_a_Teacher_and_Ghost_Stories_at_Westmount_School\"><\/span>The Mysterious Disappearance of a Teacher and Ghost Stories at Westmount School<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1918, Edmonton experienced a deadly outbreak of the Spanish flu, leading to the closure of public schools, including Westmount. The school was repurposed as a health centre for treating the sick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The epidemic claimed over 500 lives in the city and gave rise to one of Westmount\u2019s greatest mysteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teacher Felicia Graham, who had been assigned to Westmount School from Toronto just before the closures, mysteriously disappeared during the epidemic. Reports indicated she had contracted the Spanish flu but recovered quickly. She was last seen at the school. Her family, worried by her sudden disappearance, offered a $500 reward for information about her whereabouts. Unfortunately, she was never found. Investigators searched the school but uncovered no evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In her book Ghost Stories of Alberta, author Barbara Smith speculated about Felicia Graham&#8217;s disappearance, suggesting her ghost roamed the third-floor corridors for nearly 75 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to Felicia\u2019s story, there are tales of strange nighttime noises and the ghost of a student named Harold. Harold was allegedly trapped in the tower and fell to his death while trying to escape. Over the years, reports of ghostly occurrences at the school have persisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"707\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2976\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-4.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-4-300x221.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-4-768x566.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-4-696x513.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Development_of_the_School\"><\/span>Development of the School<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By the 1930s, Westmount School was bustling with students, with up to 50 pupils per class. To accommodate the overflow, classes were split into two shifts: one in the morning and the other in the evening. This influx continued until 1971.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1971, the school expanded. A new gymnasium, stage, and administrative offices were added. The old auditorium was transformed into a library. Another major renovation occurred in 2000, with the addition of a basement, a music room, and extra classrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Legacy_of_Westmount_School\"><\/span>Legacy of Westmount School<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Westmount School remains a vital part of Edmonton\u2019s history. Its unique architecture, intriguing stories, and continual growth reflect its enduring importance to the community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Westmount School in Edmonton was built on marshy land, making it challenging for students to reach. Bridges were constructed to ensure safe access for children. Learn more about the school\u2019s construction and its fascinating stories in this article. More on edmonton1.one. Founding of Westmount School Westmount School was built on land that once belonged to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":464,"featured_media":2970,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1166],"tags":[2567,2502,2564,2346,2562,2559,2569,2566,2563,2565,2561,2570,2568,2571,2560],"moimportance":[78,81],"motype":[1158],"moformat":[83],"class_list":{"0":"post-2969","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-education","8":"tag-alberta-student-stories","9":"tag-canadian-education-history","10":"tag-edmonton-education-history","11":"tag-edmonton-ghost-stories","12":"tag-edmonton-haunted-places","13":"tag-edmonton-landmarks","15":"tag-edmonton-spanish-flu-history","16":"tag-felicia-graham-disappearance","17":"tag-ghost-stories-alberta","18":"tag-gothic-school-architecture","19":"tag-historic-edmonton-schools","20":"tag-school-renovations-edmonton","21":"tag-westmount-mysteries","22":"tag-westmount-school-edmonton","23":"moimportance-golovna-novina","24":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatori","25":"motype-eternal","26":"moformat-vlasna"},"modified_by":"Viktorij Voitova","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2969","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/464"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2969"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2969\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2979,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2969\/revisions\/2979"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2970"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2969"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2969"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2969"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=2969"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=2969"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=2969"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}