General Currie Elementary School
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The old General Currie Elementary School in 2004. City of Richmond Archives Photograph 2004 43 56. |
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The new General Currie Elementary |
The original General Currie Elementary School (1920- ) building is still situated at 8200 General Currie Road where classes were held daily until it was replaced by a new one-level school in 1993. An attempt to integrate the old architectural design into the new structure was accomplished in a rather effective fashion as can be seen in the photograph to the right.
The school was named after General Arthur Currie, one of Canada’s WW I war heroes who led Canadian troops into the Second Battle of Ypres and, as a result, was made commander and chief of the Canadian forces. This was the first time that Canadian troops were commanded by a Canadian officer.
Although born in Ontario, General Currie spent part of his life teaching on Vancouver Island near Victoria. As a result of his heroics in WW I, he was knighted by King George V. After the war he was offered a post at McGill University as vice-chancellor, a post he held until his death in 1933. Although not directly connected to the Richmond community, his place in Canadian history is enshrined for all time.