Our History
Compiled and written over the years by C.R. Maltice, G.H. Lee, and W.M. Reid.
Nelson High School had very humble beginnings. The first class was formed by the dogged determination of John Hosteley Soady, then principal of Nelson Central School. He scoured his school for possible students, taking some from the fourth grade and even invading the third grade. Through arduous preparation and cramming, a class of twenty was prepared for entry.
The first meeting of a Nelson High School class was planned for Tuesday, January 22, 1901. However, the death of Queen Victoria on that day resulted in a postponed opening to Friday, January 25th when five students appeared. On the following Monday, twenty-four pupils were enrolled by the principal, R.J. Clark, in a 15 by 18 foot room a part of the later library of the Central School.
On July 12, 1901, plans by Architect Alex Carrie for a four-room school were accepted, the building to be erected on the Latimer and Hendryx site donated to the city by the Provincial Government. A temporary move was made in September, 1901, to the original Odd Fellows Hall on Kootenay Street, which for years later served as a band room for the Nelson City Band organized in 1903. This building was about 15 by 25 feet. The school was occupied in January, 1902. As early as 1909, the inadequacy of the playing space because of sloping, marshy ground was a natural disadvantage of the site.
The High School enjoyed a steady, if not continuous growth. The highest enrollment in 1901 was 30 with a staff of one teacher. In 1906, the enrollment was 44 with two teachers. By 1911, there were 68 students with three teachers. In 1916, 152 pupils necessitated a staff of five. This increase called for more accommodation. In1917, an addition of the same brick construction as the original building housed three new class rooms, a typing room, an office, library and study, and a laboratory. At the same time, the top floor was converted to a gymnasium and auditorium.
The school's growth of the next twenty years was: 1921 - 198 pupils; 1926 - 264; 1931 - 221; and 1936 - 226. For the same years the staff varied from 8 to 9. The decline from 1926 to 1931 might be explained by the enrollment of Grade 9 pupils in the Junior High School which opened in 1927. The increased attendance of 1936 and following years required further construction. In the summer of 1939, a concrete addition was built housing a first floor medical room and classroom, a second floor large classroom, and third floor boys and girls washrooms, dressing rooms, and shower rooms. From 1936 to 1948, school growth was: 1941 - 281 pupils; 1946 - 270 pupils; and 1948 - 313 pupils. In these three periods the teaching staff fluctuated from 10, to 9 to 11. The final phase of physical expansion of the school was the erection of "The Hut," a small one-room annex on the upper corner of the school grounds, in 1947. This room, to serve as a Senior Matriculation classroom, was first occupied in January, 1948.
The school had certain features, an annual, an orchestra, a House system, a Student Parliament, and organized athletic activities, whose roots lay deep in the past. The first issue of a High School annual, "The Mountaineer," bears the date Easter, 1909, and was published by the Literary Society. The rather large cover features a photograph of the school, which was the front four rooms of the building. Too, the cover bears the words: "Palmam qui meruit ferat," the school motto. The motto, translated into English means "Let the reward go to the one who deserves it." After this first venture, "The Mountaineer" of Nelson High School was published sixteen times, the years being 1909, 1910, 1920, 1926, 1927, 1939, 1948 and 1956. It continues to be published to the present.
In September, 1908, the High School Athletic Club was organized and according to the first annual, promoted basketball, football, and hockey. Hence, we see that basketball has a long history behind it in the school. The Literary Society was organized in October of 1908. Its chief interests were conducting debates and the "editing of a High School journal" - "The Mountaineer." Music, revived in the Nelson High School by principal Lee, dates back to 1909 when a piano was hired to assist in the Literary Society programs. The 1910 Mountaineer refers to the "the High School orchestra who favored us with some good numbers at one of the meetings."
The institution of a commercial department came in 1917. In 1920, on January 20, an Alumni Society of the Nelson High School was officially formed. Its purpose was to preserve school day friendships and aid the school. Student government played a most important part in the life of the high school. It was instituted in the school year 1938-39. The basis of this government was a House system composed of four houses A,B,C and D, and a student parliament with executive duties in the hands of prime minister and cabinet. The parliament meeting monthly, and the cabinet, weekly, provided a very democratic system of student control of practically all Extra Curricular activities. The parliamentary system continued until the mid-1970's when it was replaced by the present elected student council.
The principalship of Nelson High School was in the charge of six different men: R.J. Clark, 1901-1904; C.W. Fraser, 1904-1910; R. Smilie, 1910-1913; B.P. Steeves, 1913-1921; L.V. Rogers, 1922-1946; G.H. Lee, 1946-1956. L.V. Rogers Secondary School has had four principals: G.H. Lee, 1956-1972; E.S. Montgomery, 1972-1982; N.W. McDonald, 1982-1987; W.M. Reid, 1987-present.
As the needs of the high school increased in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the inadequacies of its building and location became insurmountable. Several sites were proposed for a new building including Vernon Street west of the Civic Centre, adjacent to Trafalgar Junior Secondary School, the Gyro Park area, a site at Kootenay and Richards Street, and the Balding Ranch site in Fairview. The final choice was the Fairview site. On March 2nd 1956, the school moved from the old site to the brand new building in Fairview. It was decided to call the new school "The L.V. Rogers High School" after its renowned former principal. A farewell party was held in the old building, and the school went forward in its new surroundings, with a grand opening attended by two cabinet ministers and many other celebrities and some two thousand people. The old building was renovated and re-opened as South Nelson Elementary School.
In the same year, the publications club published a November edition of the Mountaineer, which covered the history of the school for a fifty year period. In the September term, a music and an art department were added to the teaching program.
The building grew with the increased enrollment and curricular needs of the student body. The two-story east block opened in 1966 for industrial education. Five years later, in 1971, the three story west block opened with home economics facilities and additional space. An annex known as Lee Hall opened the same year to house the music program. The Hall was named after principal Gerald Lee who had been instrumental in a revival of the fine arts in the school throughout his tenure. Further improvements followed: industrial education dust collection system in 1975; science room renovations in 1977 and 1979; change room renovations in 1977; fire alarm and intruder alarm systems in 1978; automotive shop renovations in 1982; window restoration and replacement in 1985 and 1986; and handicapped access and elevator in 1987. Programs also grew to include career preparation, advanced placement, French Immersion, computer sciences, technology education, German, Spanish, an alternate school, and the inclusion of special needs students. In the fall of 1991, the school adopted a radically different timetable in which students took only two courses at a time. By the mid-1990's, the school was recognized as one of the best in the province for its combination of academic, athletic, and fine arts successes.
During the 1964-1965 school year, the Student Government held a plebiscite on whether or not to change the school crest. Students voted for the change. The Graduating Class decided to inlay a copy in the foyer as their contribution to LVR. The crest was designed by Mr. Douglas and inlayed by student Allan Olisoff. On January 23, 1966 it was dedicated to the school by Bob Steed on behalf of the class. The new motto is "In Gradibus Exploratorum" which means "In the footsteps of the explorers."
As the building grew older, student population increased, building codes became stricter, asbestos was discovered to be detrimental, and the Ministry of Education curricula changed. The need for a major school-wide renovation became overwhelming, and the required work was approved at a cost of 12.3 million dollars in 1995. The work commenced in April of 1995. Local architect and former L.V. Rogers student, Chris Fairbank, was appointed architect and oversaw the renovation. Unitech Construction Management managed the actual project work which began with the demolition, grinding and removal of the wooden gymnasium and Lee Hall. To the amazement of students and staff, Lee Hall disappeared in under 20 minutes at the hands of the heavy equipment.
With over 730 students enrolled, the housing of students was a major challenge. Seven portable classrooms were installed on the student parking lot. Approximately one-third of the student body studied in the portables while the main building was renovated one floor at a time. Over the summer of 1995, the third floor science and French rooms were renovated and the playing field was enlarged. Then, by mid-November the second floor with its new offices, staff room, student lounge, English class rooms, and home economics rooms was finished. The first floor with new counseling offices, social studies classrooms, and art room was finished in March of 1996. Unfortunately, the inlayed crest had to be removed due to the fact that the original tile contained asbestos.
During the construction, gym classes were held at Canadian International College and the Civic Centre. Drama and Stagecraft classes met at the Capitol Theatre. Band classes were held at Fairview United Church and one art class was held in the basement of the David Thompson University Center. Work continued on the gymnasium, fine arts, and technology education areas throughout the winter. The library and business education wings were renovated during the summer of 1996. Thus the whole building was totally rebuilt and fitted with new heating, wiring, lighting, communications, and ventilation systems in a sixteen-month period in preparation for its grand re-opening in the fall of 1996. The groundwork to take the school into the 21st century was completed.
Nelson High School had very humble beginnings. The first class was formed by the dogged determination of John Hosteley Soady, then principal of Nelson Central School. He scoured his school for possible students, taking some from the fourth grade and even invading the third grade. Through arduous preparation and cramming, a class of twenty was prepared for entry.
The first meeting of a Nelson High School class was planned for Tuesday, January 22, 1901. However, the death of Queen Victoria on that day resulted in a postponed opening to Friday, January 25th when five students appeared. On the following Monday, twenty-four pupils were enrolled by the principal, R.J. Clark, in a 15 by 18 foot room a part of the later library of the Central School.
On July 12, 1901, plans by Architect Alex Carrie for a four-room school were accepted, the building to be erected on the Latimer and Hendryx site donated to the city by the Provincial Government. A temporary move was made in September, 1901, to the original Odd Fellows Hall on Kootenay Street, which for years later served as a band room for the Nelson City Band organized in 1903. This building was about 15 by 25 feet. The school was occupied in January, 1902. As early as 1909, the inadequacy of the playing space because of sloping, marshy ground was a natural disadvantage of the site.
The High School enjoyed a steady, if not continuous growth. The highest enrollment in 1901 was 30 with a staff of one teacher. In 1906, the enrollment was 44 with two teachers. By 1911, there were 68 students with three teachers. In 1916, 152 pupils necessitated a staff of five. This increase called for more accommodation. In1917, an addition of the same brick construction as the original building housed three new class rooms, a typing room, an office, library and study, and a laboratory. At the same time, the top floor was converted to a gymnasium and auditorium.
The school's growth of the next twenty years was: 1921 - 198 pupils; 1926 - 264; 1931 - 221; and 1936 - 226. For the same years the staff varied from 8 to 9. The decline from 1926 to 1931 might be explained by the enrollment of Grade 9 pupils in the Junior High School which opened in 1927. The increased attendance of 1936 and following years required further construction. In the summer of 1939, a concrete addition was built housing a first floor medical room and classroom, a second floor large classroom, and third floor boys and girls washrooms, dressing rooms, and shower rooms. From 1936 to 1948, school growth was: 1941 - 281 pupils; 1946 - 270 pupils; and 1948 - 313 pupils. In these three periods the teaching staff fluctuated from 10, to 9 to 11. The final phase of physical expansion of the school was the erection of "The Hut," a small one-room annex on the upper corner of the school grounds, in 1947. This room, to serve as a Senior Matriculation classroom, was first occupied in January, 1948.
The school had certain features, an annual, an orchestra, a House system, a Student Parliament, and organized athletic activities, whose roots lay deep in the past. The first issue of a High School annual, "The Mountaineer," bears the date Easter, 1909, and was published by the Literary Society. The rather large cover features a photograph of the school, which was the front four rooms of the building. Too, the cover bears the words: "Palmam qui meruit ferat," the school motto. The motto, translated into English means "Let the reward go to the one who deserves it." After this first venture, "The Mountaineer" of Nelson High School was published sixteen times, the years being 1909, 1910, 1920, 1926, 1927, 1939, 1948 and 1956. It continues to be published to the present.
In September, 1908, the High School Athletic Club was organized and according to the first annual, promoted basketball, football, and hockey. Hence, we see that basketball has a long history behind it in the school. The Literary Society was organized in October of 1908. Its chief interests were conducting debates and the "editing of a High School journal" - "The Mountaineer." Music, revived in the Nelson High School by principal Lee, dates back to 1909 when a piano was hired to assist in the Literary Society programs. The 1910 Mountaineer refers to the "the High School orchestra who favored us with some good numbers at one of the meetings."
The institution of a commercial department came in 1917. In 1920, on January 20, an Alumni Society of the Nelson High School was officially formed. Its purpose was to preserve school day friendships and aid the school. Student government played a most important part in the life of the high school. It was instituted in the school year 1938-39. The basis of this government was a House system composed of four houses A,B,C and D, and a student parliament with executive duties in the hands of prime minister and cabinet. The parliament meeting monthly, and the cabinet, weekly, provided a very democratic system of student control of practically all Extra Curricular activities. The parliamentary system continued until the mid-1970's when it was replaced by the present elected student council.
The principalship of Nelson High School was in the charge of six different men: R.J. Clark, 1901-1904; C.W. Fraser, 1904-1910; R. Smilie, 1910-1913; B.P. Steeves, 1913-1921; L.V. Rogers, 1922-1946; G.H. Lee, 1946-1956. L.V. Rogers Secondary School has had four principals: G.H. Lee, 1956-1972; E.S. Montgomery, 1972-1982; N.W. McDonald, 1982-1987; W.M. Reid, 1987-present.
As the needs of the high school increased in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the inadequacies of its building and location became insurmountable. Several sites were proposed for a new building including Vernon Street west of the Civic Centre, adjacent to Trafalgar Junior Secondary School, the Gyro Park area, a site at Kootenay and Richards Street, and the Balding Ranch site in Fairview. The final choice was the Fairview site. On March 2nd 1956, the school moved from the old site to the brand new building in Fairview. It was decided to call the new school "The L.V. Rogers High School" after its renowned former principal. A farewell party was held in the old building, and the school went forward in its new surroundings, with a grand opening attended by two cabinet ministers and many other celebrities and some two thousand people. The old building was renovated and re-opened as South Nelson Elementary School.
In the same year, the publications club published a November edition of the Mountaineer, which covered the history of the school for a fifty year period. In the September term, a music and an art department were added to the teaching program.
The building grew with the increased enrollment and curricular needs of the student body. The two-story east block opened in 1966 for industrial education. Five years later, in 1971, the three story west block opened with home economics facilities and additional space. An annex known as Lee Hall opened the same year to house the music program. The Hall was named after principal Gerald Lee who had been instrumental in a revival of the fine arts in the school throughout his tenure. Further improvements followed: industrial education dust collection system in 1975; science room renovations in 1977 and 1979; change room renovations in 1977; fire alarm and intruder alarm systems in 1978; automotive shop renovations in 1982; window restoration and replacement in 1985 and 1986; and handicapped access and elevator in 1987. Programs also grew to include career preparation, advanced placement, French Immersion, computer sciences, technology education, German, Spanish, an alternate school, and the inclusion of special needs students. In the fall of 1991, the school adopted a radically different timetable in which students took only two courses at a time. By the mid-1990's, the school was recognized as one of the best in the province for its combination of academic, athletic, and fine arts successes.
During the 1964-1965 school year, the Student Government held a plebiscite on whether or not to change the school crest. Students voted for the change. The Graduating Class decided to inlay a copy in the foyer as their contribution to LVR. The crest was designed by Mr. Douglas and inlayed by student Allan Olisoff. On January 23, 1966 it was dedicated to the school by Bob Steed on behalf of the class. The new motto is "In Gradibus Exploratorum" which means "In the footsteps of the explorers."
As the building grew older, student population increased, building codes became stricter, asbestos was discovered to be detrimental, and the Ministry of Education curricula changed. The need for a major school-wide renovation became overwhelming, and the required work was approved at a cost of 12.3 million dollars in 1995. The work commenced in April of 1995. Local architect and former L.V. Rogers student, Chris Fairbank, was appointed architect and oversaw the renovation. Unitech Construction Management managed the actual project work which began with the demolition, grinding and removal of the wooden gymnasium and Lee Hall. To the amazement of students and staff, Lee Hall disappeared in under 20 minutes at the hands of the heavy equipment.
With over 730 students enrolled, the housing of students was a major challenge. Seven portable classrooms were installed on the student parking lot. Approximately one-third of the student body studied in the portables while the main building was renovated one floor at a time. Over the summer of 1995, the third floor science and French rooms were renovated and the playing field was enlarged. Then, by mid-November the second floor with its new offices, staff room, student lounge, English class rooms, and home economics rooms was finished. The first floor with new counseling offices, social studies classrooms, and art room was finished in March of 1996. Unfortunately, the inlayed crest had to be removed due to the fact that the original tile contained asbestos.
During the construction, gym classes were held at Canadian International College and the Civic Centre. Drama and Stagecraft classes met at the Capitol Theatre. Band classes were held at Fairview United Church and one art class was held in the basement of the David Thompson University Center. Work continued on the gymnasium, fine arts, and technology education areas throughout the winter. The library and business education wings were renovated during the summer of 1996. Thus the whole building was totally rebuilt and fitted with new heating, wiring, lighting, communications, and ventilation systems in a sixteen-month period in preparation for its grand re-opening in the fall of 1996. The groundwork to take the school into the 21st century was completed.