History of Langley Schools

The authors of historical work wish to thank the many people in Langley who contributed material, pictures, etc., for this history of the schools of Langley.

The Langley Retired Teachers’ Association executive encouraged its archivist, Harry McTaggart, to form a committee (Maureen Pepin and Norm Sherritt) to work on this project which has taken over two years to complete.

At the School Board office, Mac Petrie, Craig Spence, Sharon Welsh, and Marg Mountain were very helpful in providing material from their archives and the Facilities Manual.

Some pictures and material are courtesy of the LANGLEY ADVANCE which did a series in 1983 on all the schools of Langley.

The Aldergrove Heritage Society, Nova Studios, Norm Sherritt, Mary Twemlow, Connie Petersen, Kay Kells, John Fee and others provided several pictures of early schools. More recent pictures are courtesy of Craig Spence, Harry McTaggart, and Maureen Pepin.

Norm Sherritt’s copious notes and pictures on the one-room schools of Langley, many of them now replaced, were most helpful for the historical information.

Several former teachers were most helpful in providing anecdotes (see anecdote section for names). We are grateful to the principals and teachers in the present schools who critiqued the manuscripts, added material, and made corrections.

We thank the Alder Grove Heritage Society Administrator, Diane MacKenzie, for amalgamating material and layout. We are also grateful to Dennis Johnson and Tim Johnson for scanning the pictures.

We much appreciated the proofreaders who read the manuscript for us: N. Sherritt, H. McTaggart, Jean Hope, Jane Norris, and Maureen Pepin.

The Committee thanks the R. R. Smith Foundation for providing a grant to help finance the printing of this book.

Alder Grove Heritage Society, THE PLACE BETWEEN, Volume I, Aldergrove, 1993, & Volume II, 2001.

Baker, Mike, notes on R. E. Mountain Secondary.

THE BRITISH COLUMBIAN, quotes from newspapers.

Buck, W. D., notes on Lochiel School.

CANADIAN INVENTORY OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS.

Fee, John, notes and pictures of Springbrook School.

Johnson, Wellwood R., LEGEND OF LANGLEY, Evergreen Press, Langley, 1958.

Kells, Kay, notes.

LANGLEY ADVANCE, articles and pictures from newspapers, 1982-3.

LANGLEY’S HERITAGE: A LISTING OF HERITAGE RESOURCES, 1995.

LANGLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT #35, archives.

LANGLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT #35, Chronology from 1858 -1997, Education Week publication, 1997.

LANGLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT #35, Facilities Manual.

Orchard, Imbert, GROWING UP IN THE VALLEY, Sound Heritage Series, No. 40, Provincial Archives, Victoria, BC, 1983.

Pepin, Maureen, ROADS & OTHER PLACE NAMES IN LANGLEY, BC, Langley Centennial Museum, Fort Langley, 1998.

Principals and teachers in Langley Schools, 2004.

REPORTS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, British Columbia, 1911-1916.

Sherritt, Norman, notes and pictures.

Sommer, Warren F., FROM PRAIRIE TO CITY: A HISTORY OF THE CITY OF LANGLEY, Friesens, Langley City, 1999.

Waiser, B., PARK PRISONERS, 1915-1946, Fifth House, Calgary, 1995.

Booklets published by the following school groups: 

COGHLAN COMMUNITY STORY, 1867-1967.

FAREWELL TO LOCHIEL, 1889-1986.

HISTORY AND MEMORIES, County Line Elementary, 1991. 100 AND ONWARD, Murrayville Elementary School, 1890-1990.

OTTER ELEMENTARY, history at school closing, 2004, by A. Bandenieks, et al

SOUTH OTTER SCHOOL, 1922-1983.