West Langley Elementary School started out in 1914 as a one-room school built on 8.82 acres of land at 208 and 96. It cost $4,000 and housed twelve boys and girls taught by Miss Robinson.
The cement for the foundation was floated by scow down the Fraser River and moved by wagons to the present site. The site was donated by George Taylor. The wooded area around the school provided good hiding places in the summers, and a pool of two feet of water was turned into a skating rink in the winters. Drinking water was fetched each day from a nearby creek.
A development boom in the area forced the addition of a second classroom in 1924. Because the school’s enrolment was too low one year, a five-year old girl was sent to the school to bring the enrolment up to the requirements.
Mrs Roy (Marion Freeman) McDonald was a member of the Freeman family of Willoughby. She graduated from Langley High School in 1926 and attended Normal School before teaching at West Langley. The 1932 picture of the West Langley students was donated by her descendants in 1998. Norman Severide had never seen this picture, but was quite excited by it, because it is the only school picture that he has seen with his brother Roy (#14 top row) in it. Roy died shortly after this picture was taken.
A third classroom was added in 1948, and on October 2,1957, a principal’s office, staff room, and medical room were opened. By the late 50s and 60s, the school was expanded still further. However, a fire on June 19,1978, levelled the building. For three years the school convened in portable classrooms until a new building was erected in 1981 at 9403 – 212 Street. A Langley fire hall now sits on the former site of West Langley Elementary.
Rapid development in Walnut Grove provided the pupils to fill all thirteen classrooms. Two portables were added in 1997.
Among the memories of the development of West Langley School were the skunk family that made its home in the school organ and the squirrels that the students encouraged to jump through the windows to provide a diversion from the lessons.
The school colours are gold and royal blue, and the school mascot is the Lion. Special programs include a learning assistance/ resource room and a Rec N’ Read program for the summer.
In 2004, there are 350 pupils attending West Langley Elementary and 24 teachers on staff. The principal in 2004 is Barry Bunyan.
