BELMONT NO. 1
On June 12,1890, the Dept. of Education in Victoria gave approval to construct Belmont School on the hillside south of Murray’s Corners on Townline Road (216). The boundary between Prairie School and Belmont School ran along the Yale Road through Murray’s Corners and up the hill. Students on the north side of Yale Road went 1 and a half miles north to the Prairie School, even though they were only a quarter mile from Belmont. Phoebe Mclnnes, for example, attended Belmont, while her cousins on the Biggar Road (224), who lived closer to Belmont School, attended Otter School.
The new school (20 x 34 feet) and had a total value of land and building $800). It was opened in 1891, and the first teacher was probably Miss Asenath S. Way, followed by Sam Johnston in 1892, Miss Emily Parkinson in 1893, Miss M.E. Moss in 1894, and Wm. J. Cunningham from September to December, 1894.
In 1894 certificates were given out to Edwin Beaton Braden (Deportment), Goldie Arthur Griffith (Regularity/Punctuality), and Phoebe Mclnnes (Proficiency). In June 1894, Phoebe Mclnnes passed her High School Entrance requirements.
On May 13,1910, Belmont School and its site was sold to William Crozier for $450.
BELMONT NO. 2 (BELMONT SUPERIOR)
The new Belmont Superior School was constructed in 1911 on the present site at the top of the hill on Yale Road. In the meantime the Municipality had requested that a high school be made available to students in Langley. A two-year program was begun in 1909 and offered in a room in the Murray House with teacher Angus McDonald and 23 pupils. From October, 1909, to June,1911, it operated out of the former Cheese Factory, and from 1911 until 1922 it was part of Belmont Superior School. A temporary partition was put in Miss Montgomery’s room to provide accommodation.
On July 11,1912, the School District arranged to provide water for Belmont Superior School. It came from R. Cumming’s artesian well at 5 Corners at the cost of $1 per month on a perpetual lease. A ram was installed, and piping was put in up to the school.
In 1918 the school names were split: the elementary school became Murrayville Elementary and the high school section became Langley High School. In 1922 Langley High School moved to Milner and eventually to the site on Fraser Highway.
The original Belmont structure is now the back portion of the present Murrayville school. The row of oak trees, which was probably planted when the original Belmont school was constructed, still stands along 48 Avenue in front of Murrayville Elementary.
BELMONT NO. 3
In 1922 a one-room elementary school was opened on the corner of Belmont and Bradshaw Roads (40), a half mile east of Carvolth (200) and two miles south of Langley.
A new building was constructed in 1953 to the west of the old one, and this was added to in 1955. In 1957 two new rooms were added to make Belmont a modern building to take care of the increase in pupils. In 1962, 1 classroom, a medical room, and a staff room were added, and in 1964-5, a covered play area was constructed. Enrolment figures show 12 in 1922, 30 in 1948, and 132 in 1957.
Some of the teachers who taught at Belmont included Miss Pack, Dorothy Peacock, Alice Brown, Mrs. E. M. Wintersteen, and Mr. R. Gubbe.
Belmont School burned down on June 3,1971, leaving 350 students without a school.
BELMONT NO. 4
In 1971 Belmont Elementary was constructed at 20390-40 Avenue to service the growing area of Brookswood. It was built on 5.05 acres (2.04 Ha), with the original building consisting of 4 classrooms. In 1972 more classrooms were added, and in 2001, 8 additional classrooms and a multi purpose room were built. In 2002 the school has 23 standard classrooms, a gym library, computer room, 2 Kindergarten rooms, a Multi Purpose room, and a special education room.
The construction is 50% concrete block and 50% wood-framed construction. The exterior is 50% stucco and 50% block, with a hot asphalt SBS roof. There is a gas-fired multi-zone heating and ventilating system, with electric baseboard heaters in the halls. The library is the only area that is air-conditioned. The school is still on a septic field which is located in the gravel area on the south side of the school. There is a southeast playing field and two basketball courts. A galvanized chain link fence surrounds the school. There are 2 climbers, a swing set, 4 teeter-totters, 2 slides, a large asphalt play area, and an adventure playground.
In 2004 there are 485 students registered at Belmont Elementary.
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