Chilliwack's second-oldest school is marking its 150th anniversary and everyone is invited to come celebrate.
Cheam Elementary will have its sesquicentennial party on Saturday, May 10 where the public can learn about the history of the school, take in a talent show, play carnival games, and more.
"It's important to celebrate history鈥� especially when the schools are such a big part of a community," said principal Iain Gardner. "Obviously none of us have been here for that long, but to be part of such a tradition, it's very cool."
The original Cheam School was built on the north side of Yale Road East in 1875, just a few years after Chilliwack's first school Greendale Elementary opened (then called Sumas School). A few schoolhouses later, the current Cheam Elementary was built in 1952 at the southwest corner of Yale and Banford roads. While Cheam is the second-oldest institution, its current building is not the oldest schoolhouse in Chilliwack. Kw'铆yeqel Secondary on Elm Drive (former site of Robertson Elementary) was built in 1921, and Central Elementary on Young Road opened in 1929.
There's a lot of history between 1875 and today, and on May 10, students will be adding more to the history books with their milestone celebration.
Cheam parent David Williams helped research the school's history and worked with Chilliwack historian Merlin Bunt who wrote an article which was shared on social media. Teacher Ashley Wall turned Bunt's article into a condensed story called The Little School in the Valley. It will be on display as a 'story walk' in the gym accompanied by students' drawings for each page of the picture book.
Some kids have been working on art pieces pertaining to the school's history, while others have crafted handmade miniature tables with little hand-sewn tablecloths.
Talent show acts in the gym will be dispersed throughout the day where students will perform piano, drums, violin/fiddle, Highland dancing, a Rubik's cube speed demo, tricks on a hoverboard, and more. Bands from Sardis Secondary School will play between the talent show acts.
Riley Zacharias, adult son of teacher Jennifer Zacharias, wrote an original bilingual song called The Little School that Could which the school's choir will sing.
Former principal Steve Klassen will speak at the event, and Gardner said they're expecting at least one former student in her 80s to be there as well.
There will be old-time carnival games, a hot-dog fundraiser, and school tours where folks can see old class photos and artifacts.
One of the oldest artifacts still at Cheam is the school handbell. It predates the 1952 school and was found inside the wall during a renovation, alongside the school strap and a logbook.
"The principal had to document the names of students, the infraction they committed, and number of straps they received," Gardner said.
Cheam's original one-room schoolhouse was built in 1875, about 825 metres east of Banford Road where the current school is. Initial enrolment was 17 students from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Cheam's first teacher was James Thompson who was paid an annual salary of $400.
"In the early days, children often walked to school barefoot in the warmer months," historian Bunt wrote. "Other times, they arrived with wet feet, as the Cheam District was often 'very boggy' and a 'skating rink or mud-hole.'"
Other students went to school on horseback, wagons and sleighs. The children served as custodians at the school as well, Bunt added.
"They burned trash, cleaned floors, desks, chalkboards and chalkboard brushes, gathered firewood from the pile delivered outside, and kept the stove burning in the winter. For this, they received one dollar per month from the teacher."
When Cheam School was nearly 25 years old, it was replaced with a new one in 1899. By 1908, the one-room school was again considered inadequate for the district鈥檚 needs, and the following year a new school was built at the southwest corner of Yale and Banford roads.
With the baby boom that followed the Second World War, all schools were dealing with capacity issues. In 1952 another new Cheam school was built just to the south of the existing building, which allowed construction to take place while classes were in session in the aging 52-year-old building.
The current building is now 73 years old. About 250 students attend Cheam, and two-thirds are in the early French immersion program.
Staff at Cheam are putting together a time capsule to mark the 150 years and some of the items will be on display at the celebration. They will bury it at a later date and Gardner said they want to find a safe place with "clear instructions" on where it is and how to take care of it.
He emphasized this because there is another time capsule that was buried 25 years ago, which they can't find.
"No one knows where it is. It's most likely buried underneath one of the portables," Gardner said.
That time capsule was never marked and new portables came onsite years after Cheam's 125th anniversary. Anyone who knows where that time capsule was buried is encouraged to let Gardner know.
"We actually do have quite a bit of history that's worth knowing," Gardner said. "Celebrating those milestones is important. This is kind of special."
Cheam Elementary's 150th anniversary celebration is Saturday, May 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 9895 Banford Rd. The opening ceremony is at 11:30 a.m. and the closing ceremony will be at 2:30 p.m. They're inviting former students, parents and staff join in the festivities, but everyone is welcome. People are advised they may have to walk a distance as parking might be a bit of an issue.
