Toponymie | Canton de Potton | Place Names

In 1787, the Legislature of Canada turned its attention to education by appointing the first committee on the subject and, in 1801, passed an act to establish free schools; however, this Act was of no impact on Potton, still much in its nascent state.

In 1829, the Legislature passed an act for the encouragement of elementary education.  It was not until 1846 that the first public school law was enacted.  This Act enabled each municipality to divide the township into school districts, elect a school board, and levy taxes.^[1]  This Act was one of consequence for Potton when the School Municipality of Potton was formed, and divided schooling along confessional lines.  Of course, there were many problems to be solved in this process.  The communities had organized and built schools for their children.  At this time, the mid-1800's, schools for higher education were located south of the border, and many sent their sons (and sometimes, their daughters) for continued education to Burlington, and the Academy in Brownington, Vermont, for instance. 

Rev. E. M Taylor, who was an Inspector of Brome County schools, states “ there were eighteen Protestant schools in Potton in (his) early days »^[2], and he names each.  Now Mansonville is the location of the only two elementary schools in Potton.  The “ English » school, Mansonville Elementary, was once known as Mansonville Intermediate School.  The Eastern Townships School Board administers the school, with input from the Mansonville Elementary School Governing Board.  The French language school in Mansonville is École du Baluchon.

In March 1950, the Commissioners of the School Municipality of Potton decided to build a new school: “ a two storey building of brick, containing six classrooms, principal and teachers' rooms, assembly hall with stage and dressing room, kitchen and boiler room », at a cost of $100,000.  A new school was needed to replace the existing Intermediate School in the village. 

Three acres 'more or less', adjoining the property already owned by the school board, was purchased from Glenn Atyeo for $500 per acre.  In August 1951, a contract for construction was awarded to a firm from Inverness, Quebec, for the sum of $152,416.  John W. Young, a local man, was appointed building overseer.  The new school was inaugurated in September 1953. The old Intermediate school building was offered at public auction – to be removed before July 1, 1955.  It stood between the United and Anglican churches, at the site of the present cenotaph.  Plate # 32 shows a fine picture of it.

In March 1959, overcrowding in the school became a problem and an extension to the building was commissioned.  Two more classrooms and a playroom were added.  In March 1961, it was decided to construct a teacher's residence containing two apartments since housing was difficult to find.  Land was purchased from L.-P. Labbé.  Frank Klopfer from Mansonville was the builder.  Construction cost: $18,675!