Fredericton High School

Fredericton High School is a high school in the city of Fredericton in New Brunswick, Canada. It is the oldest English high school in Canada, founded in 1800.

History

When the city of Fredericton was initially laid out in 1758 city planners set aside a plot of land in the downtown region that was intended to become a school. That school was incorporated in 1790 as the College of New Brunswick and intended to be a boarding school, patterned after the boys' public schools in England. In 1829 when King's College opened in Fredericton, the school was renamed to the Collegiate Grammar School, and supported by the College. In 1871, the Free School Act was enacted, and the school again changed its name, this time to Collegiate High School. At this time it became a preparatory school for King's College, which by then had become the University of New Brunswick. From 1872 to 1889 the Headmaster was the distinguished educator George R. Parkin.^[1]

In 1893, a new building was erected on the corner of York and George streets and the name of the school was changed to Fredericton High School. The graduating class of that year chose yellow and black as the official school colours.

In 1925, the school moved to another new building which was constructed on the corner of Regent and George streets. Numerous annexes were added to the building to accommodate an ever increasing number of students. Eventually a new complex needed to be built on Prospect street on the south hill area of town, and by 1972 all school operations were moved there. This new complex contains 6 wings and includes a large outdoor sports complex. The building on Regent and George streets would become George Street Junior High School later renamed George Street Middle School.

For a time, FHS had the distinction of having the largest student body of any high school in the Commonwealth of Nations. In 1999, a second high school, Leo Hayes High School, was constructed on the north side of the city, across the Saint John River, to further accommodate the number of students.

In September 2006, Fredericton High School hosted the 22nd Canadian Student Leadership Conference, a national gathering of student leaders and teachers from across Canada.

School song

The schools song was written by Roberta Douglas.

Notable alumni

• Matt Stairs, Major League Baseball Right Fielder, Philadelphia Phillies, 2008 World Series Champion
• Measha Brueggergosman, Opera singer.
• Marianne Limpert Olympic Silver Medalist Swimmer.
• Dan McCullough, B.C Lions Long Snapper
• Sir Charles G.D. Roberts Poet
• Bliss Carman Poet
• Francis Sherman Poet

References

External links

• Fredericton High School
• The History of Fredericton High School
• FHS Black Kats Football Team