| Architect: William Archibald Branton, Building
Superintendent and Chief Architect for Calgary Public
School Board 1911-1957.
Contractor:
Bennett and White
Construction Company of Calgary. Roofing and sheet metal
work supplied by Foulds Metal and Roofing Company.
Crossland and Beal Limited were in charge of the interior
decorating. Iron for the building and ornamental gates
was supplied by the Riverside Iron Works Limited.
Original
cost: $275,000
Original
owner: Calgary
Public School Board
Construction materials:
Steel and concrete,
reinforced concrete skeleton. Red-brown brick facade
(from the local E.H.Crandall brick company). Natural cut
sandstone used in the three main entrances.
Architectural style: Collegiate Gothic
Original interior
details:
A total of 40 rooms. 21
classrooms (each seating 40 students), four science labs,
2 gymnasiums - one for boys and one for girls could be
converted to an auditorium (seating 800) with stage,
dressing and shower rooms, 3 special rooms for office
staff and teachers, 400 steel lockers in the corridors
and a library study room with ornamental plastering
(moulded cornice, pilaster caps) to accommodate 80
students.
Historical highlights:
- Village of Crescent
Heights was annexed to the city in 1910
- Crescent Heights
High School originated in 1913 with the
establishment of a separate high school unit in
East Calgary's Alexandra school. The school
population moved around many times until Crescent
Heights High School was built in 1928.
- CHHS officially
opened on January 7, 1929. The press called it
"Calgary's most up-to-date school
building". There were two separate
entrances, one for girls and one for boys.
- three storey
building occupies two city blocks.
- built to house 840
students in 21 classrooms.
- November 19, 1936
only real mishap to the building occurred when
the roof blew off during a wind storm.
- numerous additions;
1946 -technical wing and public address system,
1950 - north wing -8 rooms and 5 shops, 1955 -
gymnasium and 3 classrooms, 1961 - chemistry room
and science rooms rebuilt, 1965 - 3 storey
addition. August 1987 - a $10 million renovation
to bring the building up to code.
- in 1957 the first
parking lot designed exclusively for use by high
school students was opened at Crescent.
- William Aberhart,
radio evangelist and Social Credit Premier of
Alberta 1935-43, was principal of CHHS 1915-1935.
School motto picked by Aberhart Crescit Eundo,
"it grows as it goes."
- John Laurie,
teacher from 1927-1955, was named Calgary's
Citizen of the Year in 1956 and also received an
Honourary Doctor of Laws Degree for his
accomplishments in the field of English and his
extensive work on behalf of Alberta natives.
Laurie was the Secretary of the Indian
Association of Alberta 1944-1956.
- Lieutenant Colonel
the Honourable Douglas Harkness taught at
Crescent 1929-1939. He was a politician (Member
of Parliament for Calgary 1945-1972). Minister of
Defence under Diefenbaker.
- Among other well known graduates are Ron
Southern, Chairman and CEO of ATCO Ltd., Ken
Taylor, diplomat and businessman. Canadian
Ambassador to Iran during the 1977 Iran Crisis.
Received the US Congressional Gold Medal. Doris
Anderson, editor (Chatelaine Magazine) and
journalist.
- CHHS is the proud
alma mater of a number of Rhodes Scholars.
- first yearbook
published in 1919. Calgary Public Library has an
impressive collection of CHHS yearbooks dating
back to this period.
- Crescent has a long
musical and operetta tradition. Aberhart
organized a glee club. In 1945 the Crescent
Operatic Society was formed and presented an
annual operetta. The first operetta performed in
1924 was "The Ghosts of Hilo".
- February 1957
retirement dinner for CHHS architect W.A.Branton
held in the school cafeteria.
- 1967 - new library
opened
- 1969 - Prince
Philip visits
- in 1996 Crescent
Heights High School was home to 1554 students
(grades 10-12) and 93 teachers including
administrative staff. Crescent offers vocational
education, ESL and Fine Arts programs in addition
to the standard academic curriculum.
- copy of the
original 1928 plans for CHHS available for
viewing at the Canadian Architectural Archives,
University of Calgary Libraries.
|
Crescent Heights High School