Halifax Board of School Commissioners records

Summary of Halifax Board of School Commissioners material related to Africville

This page contains Board of School Commissioners (102-53) records pertaining to Africville. The Board of School Commissioners was established in 1865 and oversaw the delivery of education in the city through providing schools and teachers. From the early petitioning for a school in the 1880s, to the closure of the Africville School in 1952, the records of the Halifax Board of School Commissioners (102-53) provide evidence of the education of the children of Africville. 

Meeting dates are hyperlinked to a PDF containing digitized minutes of that session. These are predominantly Board minutes (102-53-2), but also include minutes from the Committee on Teachers (102-53-4) as well as excerpts from Annual Reports (102-53-7) and correspondence (102-53-1). 

While every effort has been made to make this guide as comprehensive as possible, it is not exhaustive. Some records, such as the Annual Reports, contain details on salary, school buildings, and attendance that are not included here. Complete minutes and Annual Reports are available to view in person at the Halifax Municipal Archives. There may also be relevant material in the School Sites and Building Committee records (102-53-5) that can be viewed at the Municipal Archives. Board of School Commissioners records would also be a source of valuable information regarding the general history of segregation in Halifax schools.  If anyone has records of the Board of Trustees for the Africville School, the Archives would love to know.

December 4, 1865 - Board of School Commissioners

  • Campbell Road School shown on City Schools list

May 1, 1866 - Board 

  • List of teachers includes Mr. Wright at Campbell Road School

November 12, 1866 - Board 

  • School Inspector report re: Campbell Road School attendance

February 11, 1867 - Board 

  • Letter from Mr. J Wright, teacher at Campbell Road School, re: salary

February 18, 1867 - Board 

  • Letter from Mr. J Wright, teacher at Campbell Road School, re: days off

March 4, 1867 - Board 

  • Letter of resignation from Mr. J Wright and applications to replace him

March 18, 1867 - Board 

  • Committee on Teachers - appointed Miss Dixon as teacher at Campbell Road School

April 28, 1867 - Board 

  • Miss Dixon & teacher's examination

May 20, 1867 - Board 

  • New teacher appointed for Campbell Rd School

June 3, 1867 - Board 

  • Miss Dixon to continue as teacher at Campbell Rd School

August 5, 1867 - Board 

  • Concerns about Miss Dixon's contract as well as schoolhouse of Campbell Rd School

October 7, 1867 - Board 

  • Miss Dixon notified of continued employment

October 21, 1867 - Board 

  • Miss Dixon's contract is only to Oct. 31; Advertise for teacher at "African school"

January 6, 1868 - Board 

  • Application for teacher from JT Brown at Campbell Rd School but no vacancy

January 20, 1868 - Board 

  • Attendance at Campbell Rd School "unsatisfactory"

March 3, 1868 - Board 

  • Concern over "conduct" of the Campbell Road School teacher - referred to Committee on Teachers (no records for this committee before 1875 have survived)

March 16, 1868 - Board 

  • Board requests Secretary to visit Campbell Rd School again and report

September 21, 1868 - Board 

  • Application for appointment at Campbell Rd School

October 12, 1868 - Board 

  • Discussion of teaching position at Campbell Rd School

October 19, 1868 - Board 

  • John T. Brown's performance reviewed as teacher

November 16, 1868 - Board 

  • Attendance of schools, including Campbell Rd School

January 2, 1869 - Board 

  • Inspector's report on condition of schools

February 15, 1869 - Board 

  • Mr Brown applied for free grant of books to be used at Campbell Road School

May 3, 1869 - Board 

  • Trustees of Campbell Rd School wrote the Board looking for new schoolhouse - Board cannot assist at the present time

July 5, 1869 - Board 

  • Inspector's report on condition of schools

December 6, 1869 - Board 

  • Inspector's report on condition of schools

June 20, 1870 - Board 

  • Discussion of "unsatisfactory condition" of Campbell Rd School

July 11, 1870 - Board 

  • Verbal report on Committee's conclusion re: condition of Campbell Rd School

October 26, 1870 - Board 

  • Note re: size of Campbell Rd School and cost of cleaning

December 12, 1870 -  Board 

  • Annual Report for 1870

January 16, 1871 - Board 

  • Inspector's report on condition of schools

June 5, 1871 - Board 

  • Inspector's report on condition of schools (inc. attendance)

December 2, 1873 - Board 

  • School at Africville being taught by JT Brown

June 2, 1874 -  Letterbook 

  • Termination of Africville school - letter sent to teacher at the school

June 3, 1874 - Board 

  • Supervisor of Schools report re: Campbell Rd School; motion of Supervisor to close school

1874 Annual Report 

  • Closure of Campbell Road School

June 2, 1875 - Board 

  • Letter from Africville residents asking for school; referred to Committee on Teachers

June 14, 1875 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Request from residents of Africville for a teacher - no action

December 2, 1875 - Board 

  • Petition from Africville residents re: need for school; referred to Committee on Teachers

December 7, 1875 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Request from residents of Africville for a teacher - no action

December 15, 1875 - Board 

  • Committee on Teachers - no action needed re: Africville school petition

October 17, 1876 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Postponement re: petition for school on Campbell Rd

December 18, 1876 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Petition for school on Campbell Rd - motion to look into number of potential pupils

October 14, 1878 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Letter requesting school in Africville - deferred

March 17, 1881 - Board 

  • Petition from JT Brown and others asking for school at Africville to be built; referred to Committee on Teachers

June 16, 1881 - Board 

  • Committee on Teachers report including reference to conference with Africville residents; some supplies and additional money for teacher's stipend recommended

October 27, 1881 - Board 

  • Teachers pay sheet includes addition of Africville, Caroline Byers

October 5, 1882 - Board 

  • Caroline Byers unable to continue working at Africville school due to ill health

October 17, 1882 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Subcommittee on Africville matter

October 27, 1882 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Matter of the school at Africville

January 4, 1883 - Board 

  • Petition from Africville residents asking for adequate salary for teacher at Africville school; referred to Committee on Teachers

January 15, 1883 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Petition from the residents of Africville on the Campbell Road asking for school privileges

January 18, 1883 - Board 

  • Recommendation that school be opened at Africville and Committee be authorized to hire a teacher

January 29, 1883 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Committee to appoint teacher to new Africville school

February 1, 1883 - Board 

  • Committee on Teachers recommends building of new school in Africville

February 12, 1883 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Proceed with erecting building for Africville school

February 15, 1883 - Board 

  • Committee on School Sites and Buildings to proceed with acquiring lot and building new schoolhouse in Africville
  • J.W. Skerrett to be employed as teacher

March 1, 1883 - Board

  • Report from the Committee on School Sites & Buildings recommending that the Board apply to City Council for land for Africville school
  • Mrs. Nancy Ann Brown appointed janitor at Africville
  • Announce opening of Africville School

April 5, 1883 - Board 

  • Letter from Provincial Building Society offering building in Africville for school

July 19, 1883 - Board

  • Letter from Clerk at City Council re: land for Africville school

August 16, 1883 - Board 

  • New schoolhouse plans advertised for tenders.

August 30, 1883 - Board 

  • Recommendation for tender for Africville schoolhouse

October 4, 1883 - Board 

  • Skerrett, teacher at Africville school, asked for raise after obtaining Grade D license

October 15, 1883 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Request for raise for Skerett at Africville school

October 18, 1883 - Board 

  • Committee on Teachers report re: Skerrett salary

October 30, 1883 - Board 

  • Teacher salaries including for Africville school

December 20, 1883 - Board 

  • New schoolhouse at Africville formally opened "Monday last"

1883 Annual Report 

  • School opened in Africville after petitions from residents

October 30, 1884 - Board 

  • Teacher salaries including for Africville school

March 5, 1885 - Board 

  • Skerrett resigns from Africville school

March 19, 1885 - Board 

  • J.A. Smith transferred to Africville school from Albro school

June 18, 1885 - Board 

  • Letter from J.A. Smith reporting on condition of Africville school

October 29, 1885 - Board 

  • J.A. Smith salary

March 18, 1886 - Board 

  • Application for books for students at Africville school

September 30, 1886 - Board 

  • Report of School Sites and Buildings Committee, including report on Africville school

October 29, 1886 - Board 

  • J.A. Smith's salary reduced

December 15, 1887 - Board 

  • Africville school building insured

August 18, 1899 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Teacher wanted for Africville school

April 2, 1901 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Supervisor's report re: Mrs. Etter, teacher at Africville

July 2, 1901 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Petition from Africville residents re: continued employment of Mrs. Etter

June 2, 1903 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Report regarding attendance at Africville school

June 30, 1903 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Report on action taken regarding attendance

September 1, 1903 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Mr. Jemmott appointed as teacher at Africville school

1909 Annual Report 

  • Supervisor's report re: Africville school

October 3, 1911 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Residents of Africville request for evening school

November 30, 1911 - Board 

  • Jemmott, teacher at Africville school, salary

December 28, 1917 - Board 

  • Application to Board of Control for funds, including funds for Africville school

January 31, 1933 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Read letter Mr. M.F. Jemmott, Principal of Africville School, resigning his position to take effect at once on account of ill health

September 11, 1933 - Board 

  • Plans submitted for addition to Africville school

November 30, 1933 - Board 

  • Matter of overcrowding at Africville school

January 9, 1934 - Board 

  • Request to City Council for funds to enlarge Africville school

August 11, 1944- Joint Committee on Works and Board of School Commissioners meeting

  • Discussion of the problem of water and sewer facilities in Africville, especially for the school.

June 30, 1950 - Board 

  • Recommendations from School Sites and Buildings Committee

November 2, 1951 - Board 

  • Report from Committee on Teachers re: study of Africville school for possibility of larger accommodations and extended facilities

November 27, 1951 - Committee on Teachers

  • Possibility of providing more classroom space at Africville is still under investigation

November 30, 1951 - Board 

  • Report from Committee on Teachers re: increased facilities at Africville school

June 5, 1952 - Board 

  • Discussion of possibility of sending students from Africville schools to other city schools

July 8, 1952 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Report presented from Mr. Marshall, Supervisor of Schools in regard to students from Africville schools coming into City schools

August 18, 1952 - Board 

  • Distribution of Africville students to other City schools
  • Use of Africville School building

September 4, 1952 - Board 

  • Supervisor reported on transfer of Africville students to City schools

September 30, 1952 - Committee on Teachers 

  • Reports regarding Africville students in City schools

October 2, 1952 - Board 

  • Committee on Teachers report re: Africville matters "being dealt with"

July 2, 1953 - Board 

  • Report of School Sites and Buildings re: disposal of Africville School

1953 Annual Report 

  • Buses to transport Africville students to other schools due to school's closing

 

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