Otterbury Schoolhouse

December 2, 2021:

RE: Expressions of Interest: Volunteer Committee for a Seniors Project at Otterbury Schoolhouse
The Town of Harbour Grace is seeking interested volunteers to help plan, implement, and coordinate a project for seniors at the old Otterbury Schoolhouse, near the Kearney Tourist Chalet in Harbour Grace.

Designed a Municipal Heritage Site, Otterbury Schoolhouse was a traditional one-room schoolhouse, constructed circa 1884 to provide education to the Roman Catholic youth of the Otterbury and Riverhead areas of Harbour Grace.

The goal of the project is to revitalize this much-beloved heritage structure for the purposes of addressing social goals and recreational needs for our community’s seniors.

Part of this project will involve the planning necessary infrastructure upgrades for the Schoolhouse, with the end goal being a fully functional, accessible, multipurpose space, with a public greenspace and outdoor patio seating area. Additionally, volunteers will be required to help organize regular activities for seniors, handle rental bookings, create community displays, and keep the space open and accessible for visitors during the tourism season (May – September). For instance, some of these activities could include card games, makers’ events, knitting and quilting group sessions, movie nights, photo-scanning parties, memory mug-ups, book clubs, oral history projects, exercise classes, music cafés, raised bed gardening, etc.

The expectation will be for this committee to create workable revenue streams which will offset any annual operating and maintenance costs associated with the Schoolhouse’s use (ex., operating a small-scale tea room during the tourism season, selling locally-made seniors’ crafts and goods, bicycle rentals for visitors, paid tours of the Spirit of Harbour Grace and SS Kyle park, admission fees and donations, etc.).

Strong partnerships will be key to making this project viable. The hope is that various community groups can organize and coordinate activities with the committee at the Schoolhouse, and in-kind Town resources can be utilized when and where possible. We also hope that the project can facilitate cross-generational exchange and skill-sharing—for instance, bringing together youth and seniors through programming and volunteer opportunities.

If you’re interested in helping bring this project to fruition, email your contact information to thg@nf.sympatico.ca. Please include a short description of any previous experience relating to committee work, non-profit engagement and development, and community participation.

Deadline for expressions of interest: Friday, December 10, 2021.

Questions? Contact Matthew at (709) 596-3631 ext. 4.

Learn more about Otterbury Schoolhouse (ca. 1884): www.hrgrace.ca/tourism-heritage/attractions/otterbury-schoolhouse/

Otterbury Schoolhouse, 2018. Photo courtesy Dale Jarvis.

History

Early survey maps indicate Otterbury as the area roughly between the beginning of Water Street, Harvey Street, and Lee’s Lane. Interestingly, there are three areas called Otterbury in Conception Bay – one in Harbour Grace, one in Clarke’s Beach, and one northeast of Carbonear. The term refers to an abandoned fishing community. Originally, the word may have been named for Ottery St. Mary, in Devon, England, or a corruption of “otter burrow.”

Built as early as 1884, Otterbury Schoolhouse was a traditional, one room educational institution for Roman Catholic youth in Riverhead and the Otterbury area. The school was located on Water Street West, in the Otterbury district. In 1884 there were 45 students registered. Like other schools of its era, it was heated by a wood-burning stove, and the other students, especially the boys, took turns getting the firewood. There was an outdoor bathroom and all students were responsible for helping keep the school clean.

In the 1930s, Ms. Helena Power was the teacher at the school. Power had previously taught in the United States before coming to Newfoundland. Although Latin was taught in schools at the time, she taught French to the students of Otterbury. (Power later published a book, More Stories from Dickens [1961], which retold the famous author’s stories for children.) During the 1930s an average of 50-60 students attended the school each year. Other official statistics are as follows. In 1919 Kathleen Lynch was teacher, with 17 boys and 13 girls registered. In 1955-56 20 boys and 23 girls were registered.

The school officially closed in 1969. Gordon G. Pike and the Harbour Grace Historical Society helped remodel the deteriorated structure in the late 1990s. However, years later, repairs were needed again; the schoolhouse was then moved to its current location, near the Kearney Tourist Chalet and the SS Kyle, under the direction of Albert (Bud) Chafe. The exterior was repainted in fall 2017.

Otterbury Schoolhouse has aesthetic value due to its vernacular architectural style. This one room building has a steep, gable roof and is built with narrow wooden clapboard. The school also features wide corner boards and a wide water table. The windows, of which there are three on the main façade, are 6/6 double hung type. They have plain moulding with a small, eared raincap over top. The main door is wood plank construction and the trim is comprised of plain, flat mouldings with a small, eared raincap above the door. A small porch once extended from the rear of the building.

Otterbury Schoolhouse was designated a Municipal Heritage Site by the Town of Harbour Grace due to its historic and aesthetic value on January 10, 2006.