In the days before Hamilton was busily gobbling up land, the area which we now know as Beach Boulevard was considered to be part of Saltfleet Township. Later, during the 19th century, it came under the jurisdiction of Burlington Beach Commissioners, a rather unusual organization -"the only one in Ontario that I know of," says John W. Pell, the retired school inspector who is the area's foremost historian of the Wentworth schools.
The children who lived in the beach area went to school in Hamilton. For this privilege they paid $1 per child per month. When the Hamilton Board of Education announced it would increase this rate to $3, there was a lot of complaining," notes Mr. Pell. But the complaints came to naught, and, effective January 1916, the new rate came into force.

BEACH SCHOOL
That was when it was decided to build a school. "The Burlington Beach Commissioners (Colonel J.J. Grafton and Wellington J. Morden) put a lot of thought into this project. It was the Commission's secretary, Miss M.H. Carroll, who suggested a bungalow-type of building.
It was quickly constructed and named Beach School, although, Mr. Pell points out, the name was soon changed to Beach Bungalow School. The first principal -teacher was Miss Charlotte Howlett, who later became Mrs. Dean, the mother of Wentworth MPP Gordon Dean. "Later on in her career," says Mr. Pell, "Mrs. Dean became a teacher at the old Fruitland School."
When Beach Bungalow School first opened it had an enrollment of nearly 50 students. The population of the area grew, and so did the school, various additions being built over the years.
Talking about the official opening of a large extension Sept. 3, 1937, Mr. Paul notes that "a crowd assembled to witness the formal opening by Dr. Duncan McArthur, Deputy-Minister of Education for Ontario." Various local dignitaries also delivered short addresses before the deputy-minister officially unlocked the
doors.
By then principal W.J. Johnson had a staff of five teachers working with him. That year the school was able to offer a Grade 9 course for the first time and 22 students enrolled. At that time the total enrollment was 257.

BASEBALL CHAMPIONS
In 1938 Beach Bungalow joined with Stoney Creek, Fruitland and Winona Schools in forming a softball league. Joe Rogers, a former student now living in Beamsville, recalls "the Beach team was champion for some time".
In September 1939, a Grade 10 course was offered and 18 students enrolled. Because of the overcrowding at that time, several primary-class students were housed in the Masonic Hall next door. They continued to use the hall until the 1970s when it was purchased to allow for school expansion.
By 1950 there were 390 students and accommodation was found by renting premises else-where. However, on a cold morning in December that year, disaster struck. A fire cause unknown gutted the old bungalow part of the school.
When the new structure began to rise it was decided that the new school should have a new name. Opened Sept. 26, 1951, the crowning touch was the old school bell, mounted on a stone cairn in front of the building. This, of course, inspired the new name -Bell Cairn School.
One former student told the News that the cornerstone which was laid in June that year contained a copper cylinder in which were placed the names of all the students, a penny from each child, current copies of the Spectator and the Stoney Creek News and other items of interest.
"It was a happy school," commented A.E. (Bud) Windsor, who was a teacher there in the
late 19508. "I have happy memories of it." Mr. Windsor is now principal of Pauline Johnson School on Hummingbird Lane in Hamilton.

ENROLLMENT FELL
But enrollments were falling drastically. The last principal of Bell Cairn, Mr. R. Carle (now of Seneca School, Abbington Drive, Hamilton) told the News that "the school had room for 700 students but when I was there the enrollment was only 110."
Bell Cairn finally closed its doors in June last year. It now lives on as a memory; the building a mere hollow shell which no longer echoes with the noise of several hundred children. "I guess I give way to a spot of nostalgia sometimes," said Mr. Carle, who has a painting of the old Beach Bungalow hanging in his office at
Seneca School.

From Stoney Creek News Nov 17, 1982