My old school just burned to the ground. I attended there for several years several decades ago. I’m not surprised to hear of the fire, but that doesn’t leave me any less disgusted. The building was supposedly a valuable heritage property. A demolition permit was recently approved. The various owners and interest groups were afforded no government protection or funding to maintain the building, went through a succession of owners and now, amazingly, has essentially burned to the ground after the ENTIRE grounds became engulfed in flames, apparently almost simultaneously.
There are more than enough groups on Facebook that the interested can join to learn more of the background. This article from the London Free Press is not a bad start. What is especially heart-wrenching for me is that I understand that a ‘stay of execution’ regarding the demolition was actually been received that morning from the legislature following receipt of a large petition – and in the afternoon – poof, it was gone.
If you join the Facebook Group – Alma College International Alumnae – this comment can be seen on the wall, from the current President of the Alumnae Association: “Today our Alma college was torched by some unknowns to die like a Viking queen aboard her ship. It was a glorious day to find out that the Toronto government had issued a stop order to keep the College alive and then to have the news reporter phone for my comments was shocking. “
Equally interesting is the Facebook group, “Eerie and Endangered: Celebrating the Beauty of Alma College.”
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/2008/05/28/5698856.html
It would not be a fitting legacy to the education that I received there to publically vent the full extent of my frustration with the situation. I have beside me an edition of “Chapel Talks” that were given by Rev. Perry Dobson, the principal at Alma College during the 1940′s. As I grabbed the book it flipped open to a talk, “Be Strong” where Dr. Dobson reminded the girls to be stalwart, in the words of a fine old song:
“Be Strong!
We are not here to play, to dream, to drift.
We have hard work to do, and loads to lift.
Shun not the struggle; face it. Tis God’s gift.
Be Strong!
It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong.
How hard the battle goes, the day, how long.
Faint not, fight on! Tomorrow comes the song.”
I live near blocks away from this sad event.
And I am equally as frustrated and exceptionally angered at this tragedy.
It’s pathetic how this town refuses to do anything about our amazing historical buildings and culture.
What I just learned by reading your article was that the stop demolition was issued… how sad. Ugh.
I pray that those who did this are brought to justice.
Thanks, KC, for your kind words and thoughts.
I too am a resident of St Thomas ………. and I too am heart sick at the the demise of a Beautiful Old Lady …………. the circumstances are worthy of a more thorough investigation but alas it would seem that in this day and age the Greedy and Avaricious will always prevail………………………
I cried when I saw her going up in flames!
I can’t describe how I felt when I saw the flames licking unrellentlessly at the windows of what was “my” room during the time I attended.
I was saddened as well…such a Beautiful building full of potential!
My memories of being a student there will never fade.
I phoned my Mom today and thanked her for sending me.
I remember one of the dances there in the school year 1970-71, when a song “Tears of a Clown”played so when ever I hear it, I think of Alma! It has become an old time favorite of mine! I pray as that those who did this are brought to justice, but I do not believe in my heart of hearts the teens did it. I believe strongly they were framed. Here is a comment by a St. Catherines resident
“There’s no way two kids could have had all that accelerant to soak that entire building, nor could they have spread it around well enough all by themselves….There had to have been accelerant involved for that massive structure to become a veritable ‘candle’ so quickly. I think those kids have been set up to be scapegoats.”
May the real culprits s get caught!
I am not currently a resident of St. Thomas, but I was, and I always wanted to go to Alma College. Even though it was already abandoned before my time (i think), I was looking forward to that day, that maybe city council would allow tours, or maybe find a way to fix up the school, and young people like me could attend… keep the history from our town going.
I am truly heart broken, and upset with the information I have JUST recieved, about the fire, and how it seemed planned.
I heard about some people being framed for the happenings, but now after reading this info, I do believe that it was our city who did it. Doesn’t make very many of us happy about it either.
I may only be 16 years old and no longer live in St.Thomas
but it kills me to see that this happened.
i can remeber when i was growing up there i would always get my father to bring me there so i could site there and just look at it . and picture in my head what it woulld have looked like with younge girls still going there.
Thanks to all of your for the kind and supportive comments and remembrances. If folks who didn’t go to Alma want to connect with Alma girls, there are a few facebook groups for Alma – no shortage of good photos, too
I only learned of this building,by watching the film Orphan,where a black and white photo shows the Saarne Institute-a fictional psychiatric hospital–but the photo is really of the college.I do not live in Canada,but it looked a gorgeous building.What is now in place at the site of the college and does any of it remain to be restored asthe photos on the web only show the place in its glory days or in flames sadly.it is heartbreaking it looked an amazing place.
Thank you for your comments. The main building and seniors building are completely gone. The chapel is mostly destroyed as well. The music building remains, unheated, exposed to the elements. Only a matter of time before that is gone completely as well. It is still gut wrenching to drive down Moore Street in St. Thomas and see a void at the end of the road instead of Alma’s towering spires. If you want to see photos of the building as it was, the Elgin Country Archives online has some phenomenal pictures available for download (all free). At least we have those.
I will always remember her and all the adventures I had within those walls.
Me too