Victoria School (Saskatoon)

 school, primary education

The first permanent school in the temperance colony was opened here in 1887. The ratepayers organized a school district in 1885, and by 1886 they had raised $1,095.89 in taxes. With an additional $370.50 from the territorial government, they hired a teacher and contracted with Alexander Marr to build a one-room school. A two-storey school was built next to the original "little stone school" in 1905, but still the classes overflowed into rented rooms in the area. A third school constructed on the property in 1909 is the core of the present building. It was designed by Walter W. LaChance. Many of the public and commercial buildings he designed in the city still survive.

The Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire (IODE) saved the original ("Little") stone school from demolition, and transferred it to the university grounds in 1911. The 1909 school was doubled in size in 1928 and an auditorium wing was added in 1965. The statue of the child with the dog was unveiled in June 1988 to commemorate 100 years of schooling at the site. The sculptor was Bill Epp of Saskatoon.