The history of the Separate School in Cobourg dates back over a century to 1850 when a 2-room frame building was erected by Rev. Father Timlin on Dan Rooney's property on Ball Street.
Teachers in this school during its existence were a Mr. Redmond, Messrs. O’Flynn, Cunningham and Lynch. This served the needs of the parish till 1873, when a brick structure replaced the old one. The records have only the names of two teachers, Mr. O’Reilly and Mr. O’Connor for this period.
When Rev. Father Timlin died in 1877, Father Larkin of Grafton was named Administrator of the parish. He remained for 2 years until Rev. Edward Murray was appointed parish priest in 1897.
From the very beginning of his pastorate Rev. Murray exhibited a keen interest and great zeal in the cause of Catholic Education. In 1883 he sowed the seed which has developed into the 12-room St. Michael's School - when he had a new 2-room brick school erected on University Avenue. These rooms are still in use.
To teach the children, he invited the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto (later of Peterboro) and they arrived in September 1883 - Rev, Mother Austin, Superior; Sisters Pauline. Theodosia, Maxentia and Margaret were among the first Sisters to lake over the duties of school, music, etc.
In the meantime Rev. Murray had purchased Miss Adams' Ladies' Academy which had previously been "Brookhurst"-the home of Judge Boswell. This, he had converted into a home for the Sisters and though over a hundred years old, it has done its duty in that respect ever since.
In 1903, due to increased attendance in school, it was necessary to add two more rooms to the former building. This provided adequate facilities over the years until 1954, though a room was opened in the Convent to accommodate the two first years of High School.
In 1954 began an almost continuous building program. That year in November a new auditorium and 4 classrooms were dedicated by Most Rev. B. I. Webster, D.D. In 1956 2 rooms were added to the west wing and in 1958 two more were built over them, completing the twelve rooms at St. Michael's School.
St. Michael's was again over-crowded. To relieve this, it was decided to build a new school on the corner of Elgin and D'Arcy Streets to accommodate children from that section of Cobourg. On December 16, 1960, Rev. J. P. Collins, P.P., cut theribbon to open St. Joseph's, the second Catholic School in Cobourg.
The relief was short lived. Congestion again at St. Michael's demanded the need of more space. The School Board, John Funnell, chairman; J. Redmond, W. Holmes, E. Gallagher, B. Dunn and R. Tessier, have completed plans for a third Separate School - this time in the west end of the town, on the corner of Burnham and Bolton Streets, to be ready for September, 1962.
It is noteworthy that over a period of 8 years – September 1953, to September, 1961, the enrolment increased from 165 to 580 and the teaching staff from five to eighteen.
If Cobourg continues to grow and the school population increases as it has in the past, the Separate School Board can look forward to further building projects.
