School History

1871–1872: The school is established

Ontario’s education system was changing following the School Law Improvement Act of 1871, which expanded expectations for public schooling. Existing schools in Trafalgar Township could not meet the new requirements, creating a need for additional school buildings.

Local farmers raised $100 to purchase one acre of land from Barnet Griggs, a local farmer and innkeeper. In 1872, a one-room schoolhouse was built on the site of today’s Maple Grove Public School at 288 Maple Grove Drive.

The late 1800s: Life in a one-room school

The school was originally known as Ninth Line School. It served children from a large rural area, with pupils living within boundaries extending from Dundas Street to Lake Ontario and between Eighth Line and Town Line.

Inside, pupils sat at double desks facing a large blackboard. A wood-burning box stove in the centre of the room provided heat, with a stovepipe leading toward the chimney. A woodshed stood behind the school. By around the turn of the twentieth century, coal had replaced wood as the heating fuel.

1930–1934: Growing enrolment and a major addition

In 1930, a tax was introduced for non-residents whose children attended school in Oakville while their families lived in Trafalgar Township. This contributed to increased enrolment at Maple Grove and put pressure on classroom space and staffing.

For a time, the school’s small front porch was equipped with a stove and blackboard so another teacher could teach there. The temporary solution was followed by a major expansion in 1934.

Architect George Molesworth, who lived in Oakville and designed other buildings in the area, designed a new brick addition at the front of the original school. It cost $14,000 and included a new room, a basement and washrooms. The addition introduced a Georgian Revival architectural style and transformed the school’s appearance.

1952–2011: Expansion into a modern school

As the community and school continued to develop, further additions were constructed in 1952, 1955, 1957, 1986 and 2011.

These changes gradually turned the original one-room schoolhouse into a small part of a much larger school complex. Although the building evolved substantially, the original 1872 structure survived, along with the historically important 1934 addition.

1993–today: Heritage recognition

In 1993, the original school building was designated a heritage property under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. Its value lies partly in its survival as a rare example of the one-room schoolhouses that once served communities throughout Ontario.

In October 2026, the Town of Oakville published a notice of intention to amend the heritage designation to include the 1934 addition and clarify the property’s heritage features. This reflects the importance of preserving both the original schoolhouse and the later architectural addition.