School History
A Story of Walter Moberly School
In 1886, the first school, the North Arm School, in what is now the southeastern section of the city, was built. It stood at the intersection of River Road (Marine Drive) and North Arm Road (Fraser Street). The little wooden school, 22 feet by 34 feet, was built at a cost of $675.00 on one acre valued at $100.00. The first trustees were J. W. Lawson, W. Mitchell, and J. Rowling. The first teacher, Miss Margaret M. Harding, enrolled 9 boys and 15 girls. She remained in charge until 1890. There were four other teachers, then from 1895–1900 Miss Lillian Bodwell, a member of the pioneer family after which Bodwell Road (53rd Avenue East) was named.
Many of her 39 pupils came from great distances. Some crossed the Fraser from Lulu Island (Richmond) in row boats, others came by horse back or cart over tracks through dense forests where deer, bear and trout streams were numerous. At the turn of the century the school began to grow in numbers, and Mr. George Bowyer had to cope with 60 pupils. The school then grew to two divisions. The trustees granted school holidays for many reasons from teacher illness and school repairs to Church picnics and the death of Queen Victoria. Children were released in September of 1903 to attend the Richmond Fair and in September of 1904 to go to the New Westminster Fair. In 1902 the Municipality of South Vancouver built a two room school which was the west building of the old Moberly Annex A.
In 1911 a second four room building, which was the east building of the old Annex A, was constructed. The original one room building was moved southward along Fraser Street just north of the interurban railway tracks. For many years it served as the office of Baird and Co. Ltd., Livestock Commission Agents.
The Old North Arm School underwent several changes in name. It was known as the North Arm School until 1925, Fraser School during the years 1925–27, Captain Cook during 1928 and 1929 and Walter Moberly Annex A since 1930. When the first unit of the main Walter Moberly School was built in 1912 the old Annex continued to house the children of the area adjacent to it. In addition, a Domestic Science room and a Manual Training room were furnished. For many years children from the surrounding school attended for half-day each week.
The main Moberly School was notable for its bell, whose tones could be heard far and wide over the southern slope. As the school population grew, a two-room building, familiarly known as “the shack” helped the housing situation. In 1926 the east wing was added. In this way the school remained until the disastrous fire of 1945. The school, with the addition of a gymnasium-auditorium was rebuilt in 1946. Finally in 1959 the new west wing completed the structure of the main school.
The community continued to grow and our School Board found it necessary to construct in 1957 the 9-room primary unit, Walter Moberly Annex B at 7650 Borden Street. On December 28, 1962 a second fire severely damaged the school. It is to the credit of the pupil and teachers of the school that they carried on without complaint in a very praiseworthy manner.
~History as written by J.R. Atkinson, principal 1942–1963, in June, 1963.
Who was Walter Moberly?
Walter Moberly lived 1832-1915. Under Sir Sandford Fleming, he helped explore the Canadian Pacific Railway route across Canada. He built the famous Cariboo Road.
~From The Greater Vancouver Book, ed. Chuck Davis 1997.