Glenora School

The 1940 Glenora School replaced an earlier school built in 1918 that had become overcrowded. The original school still stands on the north west corner of Stony Plain Road and 128 Street. The current Tudor inspired school, reminiscent of an English country garden, was designed by John Rule of Rule, Wynn and Rule. It features the peaked roofs, half-timbering of roughly hewn lumber, and a stucco and brick exterior typical of this style in Edmonton. According to a report by G. A. McKee, Superintendent of Schools, the style was chosen to fit in with the residential development occurring in Glenora at that time, which included many Tudor revival homes. This design decision resulted in the only Tudor Revival school ever built in Edmonton.

When Glenora Elementary School opened in 1940, the Edmonton Bulletin claimed it was “one of the finest and most up-to-date schools in the Dominion.” It cost $54,000 to build and was composed of four classrooms, a work room, principal and teachers’ rooms, and a clinic. It also had an auditorium and two play rooms in the basement. During the school’s first year, three teachers taught nearly 100 children. However, due to the baby boom four more classrooms were built by 1949. The addition was put on at the rear of the school and it fit seamlessly into the original design, changing the building footprint from an upside down T to an H. The original gym was converted to a library in the 1950s, and a new gymnasium was built on the north side in the 1960s.