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Milo Community School fonds
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- Attributions and conjectures: Title from content of fonds.
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41 cm of textual records. – ca 525 photographs. – 35 overhead transparencies
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Administrative history
The town of Milo had its beginnings around 1909, and by the early 1920’s was a flourishing community. When the railway came through the area in 1924, about 2 miles to the southwest, the decision was made to move the existing buildings and re-establish the town on the rail line, and a local history book notes that “…. the need for a school became urgent.” While it seems unlikely that they had no school, there is so far only anecdotal evidence of its existence, such as a reference to students from Lake McGregor school who “took part in the School Fair at Milo in 1920” and won several trophies.
What is known is that Milo School District #4251 was established in May 1926. While the school was being built, classes were held in the United Church basement, as well as in a building that would later be used as the school barn.
The 2-room building was completed in December 1926, and the following year there were 26 students in grades one to eleven. By 1933 Milo School was serving grades 1-12, and as the one-room schools in the area were gradually closing, those students were brought to Milo by van. The Milo Dormitory was organized in 1939, and accommodated rural students coming in for High School. Grade 12 students were sent to Cluny starting in 1942, housed during the week in dormitories there, and the Milo Dormitory closed around 1944 when all high school classes in Milo were discontinued. Enrollment in the primary grades continued to grow, and the Corbie Hill school building was moved to town to be used as an additional classroom in the early 1940’s, as was the Pioneer School, in 1944.
Milo School became part of Bow Valley School Division #43 in 1943, but in 1948 petitioned the Minister of Education for permission to either operate independently or become part of a larger division, which resulted in its jurisdiction being transferred to the County of Vulcan in 1953. That same year the construction of a new school building was completed, and high school was re-introduced, with total attendance standing at 173 students.
In September 1963, high school classes were again cut back, and grade 12 students were bussed out to Vulcan; in 1968 they were joined by the grade 10s and 11s. Also in 1968, students from the Blackfoot (Siksika) Nation were given the option to attend Milo School.
The school has hosted a Terry Fox Run since 1989, raising many thousands of dollars for cancer research, and in 1992, inspired by a Provincial Government initiative emphasizing community involvement, became an officially designated Community School. In 1993 the school spearheaded a community-wide recycling program.
Guided by the Milo Rural Initiatives School Committee, a compressed school week was piloted in 1994-95, and the first such trial in Canada to involve elementary or primary students. The Compressed School Week was permanently adopted in December 1995.
Also in 1995, Milo Community School became part of Palliser Regional School Division, and was incorporated as Milo Community School Foundation, able to write charitable receipts for donations.
In 2015, Milo Community School was approved as an International Baccalaureate (IB) candidate school, the first step toward their goal of offering an IB Primary Years Programme.
Custodial history
Scope and content
The fonds consists of correspondence, reports, staff and student lists, 1986 Provincial Evaluation, yearbooks, handbooks, school newspapers, photographs and prints of historical photos relating to the structure and activities of Milo Community School.
The fonds has been divided into the following series: Correspondence, Compressed School Week, Terry Fox Run, Publications, Recycling Trailer, Christmas Programs, People.
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- English
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No restrictions on access.
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Accruals
Further accruals expected though not scheduled.