Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Col. David Younger Public School
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Col. David Younger Public School was officially opened on December 14, 1959. During the planning stages and building of the school it was named McKim Public School #9 and, for a time, also called Soloy Public School; however, it was decided that the school would officially be named Col. David Younger Public School in honour of Lieutenant-Colonel David Younger.
Construction on the three room school house began in the spring of 1959 and was completed in time for children to start school that September. Only two classrooms were in use the first year, with grades one and two being taught by Mrs. Diana Johnstone and grades three and four being taught by Ray Kaatari, principal of the school. Within two years the school expanded to eight rooms and an auditorium to accommodate the growing population in New Sudbury.
In 1962 Col. David Younger Public School was inducted into The Ontario Federation of Home and School Associations (a provincial volunteer group committed to informed and proactive involvement in their homes, schools and communities, to obtain "The Best for Each Student.") During the 1976 - 1977 school year, Col. David Younger Public School dealt with overcrowding, the main complaints of which were centered around the new French immersion program implemented at the school and the fact that the library consisted of a number of bookshelves placed in a hallway.
Despite overcrowding, by 1978 the school was constantly plagued with proposals to close due to declining enrolment numbers. Due to both of these issues the school had a very involved Parents' Advisory Committee which worked constantly to keep the school open for their children. In 1982 the decision was made to keep the school open and to not disperse any of its students to nearby Churchill Public School and Westmount Public School, as had been suggested. The commitment to keeping the school open lasted until June 2000 when the school permanently closed.
Principals:
Ray Kaattari, September 1959 - June 1966
Oakley Pawson, September 1966 - June 1970
A.L. Toppari, September 1970 - June 1972
J.A. Wells, September 1972 - June 1987
Michael Betty, September 1987 - June 1993
Brian Fielding, September 1993 - [?] (still principal in 1996)