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The Old Brick School


"There was no other building like it in Canada. It was the most impractical school ever built."
-Mr. F.P. Flanagan, teacher and principal for 17 years



It is by far one of the most unique buildings in the Stony Plain area. The "Old Brick School", which now houses the Multicultural Heritage Centre, is one of many old schoolhouses around Stony Plain, but it's the architecture that makes it a fantastic landmark in the town.
Before the "Old Brick School" was built, Stony Plain did not have a secondary school. Any student that wanted to carry on with their education past Grade Nine would have to travel to Edmonton.
In 1925, the superintendent of schools decided that the area of Stony Plain needed a high school. However, he wanted a unique design for the school. An exact replica of a building in Scotland was decided on and the blueprints were shipped to Stony Plain.
The school was in use extensively from 1925 until Memorial Composite High School was built in 1949. After that, the "Old Brick School" was used for home economics and shop classes. The programs eventually ended and from that point, the school was used by the school division for storage.
In 1972, the school was slated for demolition; and it would have been, if not for a group of local citizens that wanted to conserve the school and the history it represented. The Parkland School Division sold the school for a dollar to the Heritage Agricultural Society.
The "Old Brick School" was renovated and re-opened in September 1974 as the Multicultural Heritage Centre. It houses over 1,300 artifacts on display and has over 85,000 visitors a year.


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Old Brick School Students 1941
The 20th Century, Circa 1941
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
From the Multicultural Heritage Centre Archives

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Old Brick School 1925
The 20th Century, circa 1925
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
From the Multicultural Heritage Centre Archives

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Stony Plain High School circa 1930
The 20th Century, Circa 1930
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
From the Multicultural Heritage Centre Archives

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Old Brick School 1950
The 20th Century, Circa 1950
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
From the Multicultural Heritage Centre Archives

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The Old Brick School present day
The 21st Century, circa 2005
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
From the Multicultural Heritage Centre Archives